Tenant complaints over housing standards double

COMPLAINTS from tenants about housing standards and repairs more than doubled last year, according to the annual report from housing agency Threshold.

The report, to be published today, shows that Threshold received 1,971 queries in relation to standards and repairs in 2010, up from 947 in 2009, with the bad weather and landlords carrying out repairs themselves cited as key factors.

At the report’s launch today, Threshold is expected to call for radical measures aimed to preventing homelessness, rather than reacting to the problem as it emerges, but the report also highlights serious issues experienced by many in the rental sector.

Alongside problems regarding substandard heating, burst pipes and ineffective repairs, the report also highlights the noticeable lack of rent reductions at the lower end of the rental market.

It also calls on landlords to properly investigate the option of applying for grants to insulate properties so as to raise the standard of accommodation.

Threshold chairwoman Aideen Hayden said: “One thing we are noticing more and more is landlords refusing to carry out repairs because of the costs involved — some are in negative equity themselves, and are struggling with debts, and their properties fall into disrepair as a result.

“There is also a significant underlying problem with substandard properties in the private rented sector.

“For example, many of the cases we dealt with last year involved heating systems that were old and hopelessly inadequate, and some properties lacked basic protection from the cold weather.

“Enforcement of minimum standards for private rented accommodation also remains a concern. Despite the introduction of more robust regulations and the provision of dedicated funding for inspection, most local authorities still do not have a comprehensive programme for inspecting properties.”

She said grants available to households through Sustainable Energy Ireland for tasks such as attic insulation, building upgrades and solar heating can be taken up by landlords.

Threshold has also warned against significant reductions in the rent supplement in the budget, as it said the lower end of the rented housing market has not experienced the levels of rent reductions that have applied to the wider rented sector. This is attributed to greater competition for single accommodation units.