Landlords Association

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Welcome to the Irish Property Owners' Association (landlords) website.

The Irish Property Owners' Association seeks to protect and promote the interests of private residential landlords and encourage the supply of good quality accommodation and professional standards of management.

This site sets out to provide information for the Association's members, prospective members and related organisations. For information on the Association, how to join or contact us, up-and-coming general meetings, the services we provide, recent legislation and other news and items of interest, use the links below or on the side. While we do everything in our power to provide accurate information this is a general guide only and not an interpretation of the law.

Telephone:-  8276000         Address:  Ashtown Business Centre,  Navan Road,  Dublin 15.

Housing (Rent Books) (Amendment) Regulations 2010.

On 8th July 2010 Minister Finneran signed Statutory Instrument No. 357 of 2010 into Law amending the existing Rent Book Regulations.  These are slight changes but are important.  Ensure that when letting your rent book complies with these regulations.  These changes are:-

• Paragraph 3 of the Schedule is amended to ensure that a notice of termination is made in accordance with the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 and 2009.
• Paragraph 8 of the Schedule is amended to ensure compliance with the current minimum standards regulations for the private rented sector.
• Paragraph 10 of the Schedule is amended to include reference to the regulations currenlty in force.

 A copy of these regulations can be downloaded here

 

IPOA Lobbying Successful - Long Equity Leases

 

The right of a tenant to apply for a long equity lease has been abolished from the 1st September 2009.  The IPOA fought for its eradication at the Commission and this was included in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004.

This entitlement under the Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act 1980 caused major difficulties for both property owners and tenants.  Property Owners had to terminate long term tenancies before they reached 20 years to prevent losing control of the property.

If a tenant remained in the property for over 20 years they could apply for a long equity lease which allowed them a renewable lease up to 35 years.  This caused difficulties if the property owner needed to sell and reduced value of the property.

If a tenant has already got a Long Equity Lease they have a renewable lease which can be sublet.  

 

 

 Local Government (Charges) Act 2009

The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 introduces a €200 charge for non principal private residences. 

This €200 charge on second homes and rental properties was announced in the Budget in October 2008 but the draft legislation was not published until June 2009. 

This is designed as a self assessment piece of legislation and property owners are expected to contact their Local Authority or pay on the website www.nppr.ie themselves, they will not be billed.   For every month that this is not paid, property owners will incur a penalty of €20. This means that you could incur a fine of €240 in a 12 month period. The due date for this payment is the 30^th September and if it is not paid within a month of this you will start incurring penalties. 

The payment is due again on the 31^st March 2010.   The legislation allows for a review of the amount of the charge by the Minister which is linked to the Consumer Price Index.   Properties let under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) are exempt from the payment of the charge.

 

An interesting section to note in the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009

 

“For the purposes of this Act, a bedroom, forming part of a residential property, that is let under a letting arrangement whereby the individual occupying that bedroom is entitled to share with any other individual any other accommodation, amenity or facility in the property is not a residential property, but the building of which it is a part is.”

To read the Act click here

An explanatory document has also been produced click here

This legislation is unfair and unbalanced, it takes no account of ability to pay, or value of property, the IPOA published an article in the Independent on the 10th July 2009 outlining these points. click here

Multi-Unit Developments Bill 2009

The IPOA is delighted to welcome the publishing of the Multi-Unit Developments Bill 2009, this is long awaited and of great interest to our Members. To see a copy of the Multi-Unit Developments Bill 2009 click here.

"Rent Control" Returns to Ireland

The Supplementary Budget recently brought in changes to the rent supplement scheme.   To see details of these reductions click here

Where does this put people who have entered fixed term leases where market rents prevail?

The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 does not allow the rent to be varied more than once a year and not at all in the first twelve months of a tenancy.   The rent control measures being implemented by the Department of Social & Family Affairs will cause a build up of rent arrears cases for the PRTB and ultimately cause people to lose their homes. E.g. the current cost for a two bedroom apartment for a couple would average €1,200 per month.  Rent supplement is now €806, a balance of €394 which is some 33% deficit on market rent.   Buy to Let Investors cannot and will not enter into arrangements such as these.

  

2009 BUDGET & SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET 

Information on the 2009 Budget can be found under Industry Information.

NEW STANDARDS FOR RENTAL ACCOMMODATION 

The Minister for Housing has revised the minimum standards regulations for the rental accommodation sector.  The new revised standards  address a range of issues such as sanitary facilities, kitchen facilities, heating, ventilation, lighting, refuse facilities and fire safety.

To view  the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulation S.I. No 534 of 2008 news standards click here

 TECHNICAL DOCUMENT FOR NEW STANDARDS

The technical guidance document  issued by the Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government can be viewed here.

SEI - Sustainable Energy Ireland have a  Pilot Grant Scheme to improve energy efficiency in houses.  Grants are being given of up to €2000 to make homes more energy efficiency.  See the energy section on our website.

 

BER certificates required from January 2009

Now Law!

 

 

 

 

2011 IPOA DIARY ADVERTISING

The IPOA Diary offers a unique opportunity to show-case your products to  property professionals and landlords.  For more details: Click Here

 

 

 IPOA Welcomes Court Decision on Rent Arrears

 The Irish Property Owners Association welcomes court decision on rent arrears, long threatening comes at last. In a recent court decision, a tenant who owed approximately €60,000 to a landlord has been ordered to pay all arrears completely by October failing which a custodial sentence may be handed down plus costs. IPOA are very pleased that the PRTB in one of the first cases of its kind have been successful in having this judgement handed down.   Thousands and Thousands are being lost by landlords on a daily basis as a result of non payment of arrears of rent and hopefully this will be a start of a new beginning in landlord’s quest to recover rent arrears.