The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) is a statutory, self -financing body responsible for :  maintaining a national register for all private residential tenancies;  providing a dispute resolution service; and  the provision of information; carrying out of research & the provision of policy advice to the Minister regarding the private rented sector

o The sector has doubled in size between Census 2006 and 2011, with one in five households now living there (eg Local Authorities housed 9% of Irish Households) o Over 100,000 socially supported Tenants live in the PRS o Social Housing Strategy: 35,000 units by LAs and 75,000 leveraged from the Private Rented Sector.

RED C Survey in 2014 o 66% of Tenants had been renting for 4+ years o 32% Rent pending Mortgage Approval (pre Central Bank changes in Deposits) o 30% because it suited their requirements o Only 64% awareness of the PRTB / their rights, thus advertising and awareness campaign launched

o 303,574 Tenancies Registered o 86% of Landlords own one or two properties o Over 33,000 Buy to Let properties in serious mortgage arrears (C.B. report) o 29% of Landlord intend to sell as soon as possible, as prices increase o 36% of Landlords are “accidential”, (19% both a Tenant / Landlord)

o 3,374 formal Disputes in 2014, relating to 6,071 separate breaches of the Act, including o Rent Arrears (including overholding) - 1,134 cases o Invalid Notices of Termination o Deposit Retention o Standard and maintenance of dwelling – 433 o Unlawful Termination – 263 o Anti-Social Behaviour o Rent More than Market Rate – 185 o 447 Appeals to Tribunal in 2014

o Rent Arrears – a growing problem o Rent increases in Dublin and now also strong in the surrounding counties o Security of Tenure o Receivership o Deposits

% of Applications closed / processed Timelines 33%1-2 months 17%4 months 30%5-6 months 10%7 months 10%8-10 months

o 29,256 unregistered Landlords detected and notified o 17 Criminal Prosecutions taken o 535 Request for DO Enforcement o 96,001 calls, 42,355 E Mails and 4,707 letters ( call centre is now outsourced) o Quarterly Rent Index with ESRI o Two major pieces of research last year

o Report stressed need to increase supply of Rental Accommodation to meet strong growth in demand o Did not recommend rent control – supply impacts o “Rent Certainty” leases, longer tenure, linked to CPI but with tax incentives for landlords o Three month notice of rent increases, three comparable properties to justify, refer to PRTB Rent Index o Review Rent Supplement, extend Tenancy Sustainment Protocol. o Tax Incentives for HAP participation

o Extend security of Tenure for Further Part 4 o Increase Notice periods pro-rata for longer Tenancies o PRTB timeline to be improved, resources & Determination Orders enforcement o Extend the Home Renovation Scheme o Minimum Standards “NCT” for all rented properties o Code of Conduct for Buy to Let properties in receivership o Living City initiative – better use of empty buildings o Professionalise the sector eg CPD for Agents o Importance of the Approved Housing Bodies

o Deposit Protection Scheme o Free Mediation Service o New sliding scales for Registration fees o Free Further Part 4 registrations o Board Policy and operational functions split o Approved Housing Bodies under the remit of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) o Rumours in media of other possible changes, but Bill not yet published.