Threshold’s existence questioned

Why was Threshold featured in the Prime Time programme on the problems a minority of tenants face with an even tinier number of landlords who it is claimed do not live up to their responsibilities?

Since the setting up of the PRTB in 2004 legislation, the existence of Threshold is now redundant, yet it carries the convenient label of a ‘charity’ (freely bandied about nowadays), thereby qualifying for funding to continue paying itself even though it has absolutely no role to play in disputes between landlord and tenant, because this is the official function of the PRTB.

Contrary to common belief, landlords do not have any obligation to speak to or deal with Threshold. Why should they, since this so-called charity has always had an anti-landlord agenda.

Threshold was set up to be an honest broker between tenant/landlord, yet this has never been the case.

Rather it has only served to cause more friction in a dispute. It has operated for all of these years in a cack-handed and ill-informed manner, making itself out to be an impartial conduit in a dispute, when in fact it has only ever concentrated on tenants’ rights while completely ignoring those of the landlord.

Threshold is solely another money-soaking quango peopled with assistants who will actually say they ‘house families’.

No, they don’t, landlords do.

A press release by the Irish Property Owners’ Association (IPOA) confirms that 95% of tenancies are trouble free.

Robert Sullivan

Bantry

Co Cork