Source: RollingNews.ie

IRISH LANDLORDS WERE awarded a total of €1.6 million in rent arrears last year after raising the issue with the state rentals board.

The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) details the figure in its annual report, published this morning (and viewable here), along with the fact that 77% of raised rents which were reviewed were determined to be invalid.

The €1.6 million figure equates to €3,400 per landlord in Ireland.

Meanwhile, in 90% of cases where a deposit was not returned to tenants, the deposit was either fully or partially refunded when an intervention was sought.

All told the RTB dealt with 170,000 calls and 61,000 email queries from both tenants and landlords last year – a record in both categories.

Source: RTB

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It also dealt with 6,000 applications for dispute resolution services, a 20% jump from 2016.

All told, 44% of tenancy terminations resulted due to rent arrears in 2017.

20% served notice due to their intention to sell the property.

“We have learnt a lot through the analysis of the disputes that are being brought forward,” said RTB director Rosalind Carroll.

Through this information we can look at the issues that are arising for landlords, tenants and third parties and use it to adopt a proactive approach to dispute prevention through education and awareness.

As at end 2017, there were 339,447 registered tenancies in Ireland, equating to 714,000 renters and 174,000 landlords.

70% of landlords own just the one property.

“One of the most significant changes for both the RTB and the rental sector with the enforcement powers coming down the line, is the expansion of the role of the RTB to allow us to proactively enforce the legislation and play a more active and direct regulatory role in the sector,” said Carroll, adding that the board’s “key focus” going forward is on how it will support landlords and tenants through that change.