Regulations setting out minimum standards for rented accommodation were first set out in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993. Arising out of the Strategy for the Private Rental Sector, new consolidated regulations prescribing minimum standards for rented house, the Houses (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 17/2017) were published. These regulations were amended two years later. The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 (S.I 137/2019) came into force on 1st May 2019.
Landlords are legally required to provide tenants with a property that provides a safe and healthy environment in which to live. The landlord should regularly review the condition of the property and carry out repairs where necessary. Landlords are responsible for the maintenance and repair of the dwelling, and the equipment provided with it, arising from the wear and tear associated with normal use.
Tenants must also take responsibility for the property. They are required to exercise due care when using the dwelling and the equipment in it and to promptly inform the landlord when repairs are needed. Tenants are responsible for the repair of damage, either accidental or deliberate, that is not attributable to normal use.
Local authorities are responsible, through inspection, for determining whether a property meets the standards for rental accommodation and, where it does not, for ensuring compliance through the use of improvement and prohibition notices and legal proceedings. In Louth County Council, the Private Rented Inspections (PRI) Section is responsible for implementing all local authority functions related to minimum rental standards regulations.
Further information on legislation underpinning minimum rental standards is available below
- Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 (link here)
- Guidelines for Housing Authorities in Implementation of Minimum Standards in Rented Accommodation 2024 (Link.)
The Private Rental Inspections (PRI) section of Louth County Council is responsible for the management and delivery of inspections of rented properties in Louth. Guidance for landlords on what information you may be asked to provide is set out in the document below:
- Guidance for Landlords on Private Rental Inspections (link here)
In addition, the following sample reports show what is required to demonstrate that the electricity and gas installations are safe and in good working order:
Where properties fail to comply with the minimum rental standards, enforcement action can be taken. Louth County Council may serve an Improvement Notice and/or a Prohibition Notice.
The attached table gives a list of the current properties where a Prohibition Notice applies (link) Prohibition Notice. Should you have any queries in relation to the service, you can contact us at prisection@louthcoco.ie
Dispute Resolution Service
Disputes between tenants and landlords relating to minimum rental standards should be channelled through the RTB Dispute Resolution Service. A case can be brought by a tenant for a breach of landlord obligations which can include issues relating to the maintenance of the dwelling. An application to initiate dispute mediation can be lodged via the webform on the RTB website. Louth County Council may carry out this action, acting as a representative on behalf of the tenant.
The RTB has many of the powers that the Courts have but the process is less formal and is designed to be more accessible and faster. Together, this means that resolving a dispute through the RTB is simpler, less costly and less time consuming than it would be if landlords and tenants had to bring their disputes through the Courts.
Further information on the dispute resolution service is available on the RTB website (link here).
Registration of Tenancies and Enforcement
All tenancies should be registered with the RTB. Referrals can be made to the RTB for unregistered tenancies. Further information is available here. If property is a non-principle residence of a landlord it must be registered at www.nppr.ie
