Landlords under fire
By Laura Glenn
A Buncrana councillor has hit out at unscrupulous landlords.
Councillor Daren Lalor revealed there has recently been a “significant” number of calls to the Inishowen Sinn Féin office in Buncrana from disgruntled private-sector tenants.
Their complaints included not being supplied with a rent book and the apparent over-pricing of their tariffed metered ESB boxes.
They were also infuriated at the alleged lack of notice to vacate their premises, withholding of deposits, anti-social behaviour problems and sudden rent increases.
However, Councillor Lalor acknowledged the “many respectable landlords” in the peninsula and called on them to set up residency agreements.
He said these would protect “hundreds” of tenants and the landlords themselves.
He said: “We have a situation where hundreds of people in Buncrana and Inishowen are renting in the private housing sector and I believe a huge percentage of these have not acquired a tenant’s agreement from their landlord.
“The need for housing is probably at an all-time high across the peninsula.
“Even though Buncrana Town Council and Donegal County Council delivered a large number of social housing homes over the last number of years, we still have hundreds of local people on our waiting list for social and affordable housing.
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“So, if the private rented sector is to be a viable long-term housing option in the years ahead, then more needs to be done to improve the regulations of the sector and to inform tenants – and just as importantly landlords – of their rights and obligations.
“It really is no coincidence that many landlords only offer six months contracts, as doing so they are legally able to terminate tenancy without giving reason within the first six months”.
Councillor Lalor said landlords are required by law to put an agreement in place.
He said: “Our Inishowen Sinn Fein office has received a number of calls from tenants recently from within the private housing sector.
“My major concern is with those members of our community who are in the private rented housing sector that are not financially in a position to purchase their own home and face years on council housing waiting lists. That’s if they haven’t been taken off.
“The reality is many of these issues are actually avoidable if the landlord puts in place a tenant’s agreement, as they are obliged to do under The Private Residential Tenancies Act, 2004.
“All private landlords are by law required to register with the Private Tenancies Board (PRTB) since September 1 2004. Yet the numbers that have registered are minuscule to say the least.”
Councillor Lalor said some of the practices are “shocking”.
He said: “Buncrana and Inishowen have witnessed the largest new housing boom in its history and a significant amount of these new houses have been purchased solely for the private rented sector as this offers an attractive financial investment for any would be landlord.
“So, surely if these landlords are willing to profit from the current housing crisis, then they have a legal and moral obligation to put in place a tenant’s agreement.
“Unfortunately, some of the current practices that are taking place within this black market are shocking and, as public representative, I make no apologies in calling for this practice to be stopped.
“I do acknowledge there are many respectable landlords, but equally there are many who are not. “The reality is the PRTB not only protects the tenant but equally the landlord”.
