THE RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES Board (RTB) is to pursue over 1,500 landlords who receive HAP from their tenants but who are not registered with the regulator.

The measures are to be announced at a hearing later today of the Oireachtas Housing Committee, which will be attended by representatives of both the RTB and CSO.

Director of the RTB, Rosemary Steen, is to say that the body will be writing to thos landlords that have been identified to give them the opportunity to comply.

“For those who remain non-compliant we will use all of our significant powers to identify such landlords and enforce the regulations,” she is to say.

Last year, it was discovered that there were 73,002 private tenancies registered in the 2022 census that were not registered with the RTB. 

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2004, all landlords are obligated to register their tenancies with the RTB and provide annual updates.

According to the CSO, non-compliance is most prevelant in rural areas, with counties Cavan, Clare, Donegal, Galway, and Monaghan representing the top five. According to Steen, the RTB is organising campaigns in these areas in coordinatation with local authorities to encourage private landlords to register.

Steen is to say that she is determined “to use the RTB’s full powers to investigate and sanction, or to prosecute non-compliant landlords as required”.

Landlords who fail to register can face investigation under Part 7A of the act, which can result in a civil sanction of up to €15,000. They can also face criminal prosecution under Section 144, which can result in a criminal prosecution and/or a fine of up to €4,000.

“It is important to underline that our primary objective is to reach full compliance in everybody’s best interest.”

With reporting by Eoghan Dalton.