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Services » Housing & Community
Private Rented Housing
The Regulations relating to private rented housing are
- The Housing (Registration of Rented Houses) Regulations 1996
- The Housing (Rent Books) Regulations 1993
- The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993
- Residential Tenancies Act 2004
Registration of Rented Houses Frequently Asked Questions
- What houses must be registered?
- When must a landlord register a house?
- How do I register a house?
- What information must be supplied?
- Where is the register kept?
- Who may inspect the register?
- Will information other than that in the register be revealed?
- Is there a fee for registration?
- How long does registration last?
- What should I do if I think my rented accommodation does not comply with the Regulations?
1. What houses must be registered?
The provisions of the Act, including the requirements to register, apply to the vast majority of private rented dwellings. However, there are certain dwellings that are excluded, including:
- Business premises
- A dwelling to which Part II of the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act 1982 applies (i.e. formerly rent controlled dwelling occupied by the original tenant or his/her spouse)
- A dwelling let by a Local Authority or Voluntary Housing Body
- A dwelling occupied under a Shared Ownership Lease
- A holiday let
- A dwelling in which the landlord is also resident
- A dwelling in which the pouse, parent or child of the landlord is resident and there is no written lease of tenancy agreement
2. When must a landlord register a house?
All existing tenancies must be registered with the Board within 3 months from the 1st September 2004. All new tenancies must be registered within that period or within 1 month of the commencement of the tenancy, which ever is the later.
3. How do I register a house?
To register a tenancy a landlord must complete a Registration Form (PRTBI) that will be provided by the Board. This Form must be signed by the landlord or authorised agent and all the tenants. This Form is also available from the Local Authority Housing Sections and can be downloaded from the Irish eGovernment website.
Private Residential Tenancies Board, Box 47, Clonakilty, Co. Cork (Tel. No. 0818 303037)
4. What information must be supplied?
A number of key pieces of information must be provided in the registration application. These include:
- The address of the dwelling
- The name, address and PPS number of the landlord and any authorised agents of the landlord
- The number of occupants of the dwelling
- The name and Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) of the tenant(s) of the dwelling (Note: prospective tenants should be aware that the PPSN is required for registration and they should be prepared to provide it to the landlord)
- A description of the dwelling including the number of bed spaces
- The date the tenancy commenced
- The amount o f rent payable and payment intervals
5. Where is the register kept?
The Board maintains a published register which is available for inspection at www.prtb.ie
6. Who may inspect the register?
Any person may inspect the register.
7. Will information other than that in the register be revealed?
The published register will not contain any information that could lead to the disclosure of the identity of the landlord or tenant(s) or rent payable.
8. Is there a fee for registration?
The fee payable to register a tenancy is €70. If a landlord is registering a number of tenancies in a single building at the same time and within the specified time limits, a composite fee of €300 is available. A fee of €140 will apply to late registrations.
No fee will be charged where in the previous 12 months, the landlord registered the tenancy with the Local Authority under the 1996 Regulations and paid the appropriate fee in respect of it.
No fee will be charged where 2 registrations to the PRTB, accompanied by an appropriate fee and made within the required period, have been made in respect of the same dwelling in the previous 12 months.
A single registration fee is payable in respect of a tenancy shared by a number of tenants. However, should separate tenancy/letting agreements exist between the tenants and the landlord. It will be necessary to register each tenancy and pay the appropriate fee separately.
9. How long does registration last?
One year from the date the letting commenced, when renewal of registration becomes due, if the house continues to be rented.
10. What should I do if I think my rented accommodation does not comply with the Regulations?
Complaints may be made to the Private Residential Tenancies Board, Box 47, Clonakilty, Co. Cork. (Tel. No. 0818 303037).
Complaints must be made in writing. The matter will then be investigated by the PRTB.
PRTB will investigate complaints, but complainants should be aware that the inspection may take some time to arrange. Therefore, dangerous faults in your accommodation, such as those involving gas or electricity, should be notified to your landlord at once, and if necessary, to the appropriate authority, e.g. Bord Gais or E.S.B.
Further information in relation to the Charter for Rented Housing may be obtained from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government website at http://www.environ.ie
