Board woes leave tenants out of pocket

Disputes between tenants and landlords are going unresolved because of funding problems in the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB).

The PRTB was established in 2004 to set up a national register of landlords and to provide a dispute resolution service for tenants and landlords. However, resource constraints have delayed hearings and a failure to pursue landlords through the courts has left tenants out of pocket.

Bob Jordan, director of the housing charity Threshold, said the PRTB was set up as a “cheap and speedy” alternative to the courts for landlords and tenants.