Housing minister refers Wexford evictions to tenancies board to establish if they are legal

Eviction notices were issued to Wexford tenants on Friday, two days before new rental rules were introduced. File picture: iStock

The housing minister has said he referred a case of 36 evictions in Wexford to the Residential Tenancies Board in order to see if they are legal.

James Browne said earlier this week he “won’t stand for” eviction notices being given to 36 homes at Hazelwood, Bridgetown, in Wexford.

The notices were issued on Friday, two days before new rental rules were introduced, which signalled the end of no-fault evictions through six-year tenancies. Landlords are now allowed to increase rents to market rates in between tenancies when tenants have left of their own accord.

Mr Browne said in relation to the Wexford evictions: "I don't think it's in any way connected to the new rules, but in fairness to those tenants, it must have been absolutely horrifying to receive those notices to quit.

"I immediately had my department reach out to the Residential Tenancies Board," Mr Browne said.

Speaking at the launch of a number of affordable purchase and social homes in Coolock, Mr Browne said he had spoken to the head of the RTB Rosemary Steen on the issue in recent days, and the board's head of enforcement had gone to Wexford on Monday and the RTB has been in the town ever since.

"I am conscious it is now an active investigation, so I am limited in terms of what I can say, but what I will say is this, right across the country, we have beefed up the RTB, and the RTB will ensure that tenants' rights are protected right across this country. It is essential that we see that happen."

However, Mr Browne said he was not clear if the evictions had breached existing laws, but he asked the RTB to ascertain whether they had. He added he would refer any case to the RTB, rejecting the idea this case had been given special attention.

"I've asked the RTB to assess the case. If a situation is brought to my attention, I have no difficulty to bring that to the RTB's attention.

"The RTB has investigative powers. They don't even need a complaint to begin any investigation. And this is what we wanted, what we want to see happen, and I think it's very important. And I think the RTB is acting here to ensure that there is fairness and rights are protected."

Asked if he believed if the evictions were legal, Mr Browne said while he could not comment on the specifics, evictions in some cases are illegal. 

He added there was an imbalance in power between landlords and tenants.

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"The RTB is doing its role. This is why we have the RTB, to ensure that tenants rights are protected, to ensure that the law is applied.

"There's not a balance of equality here...tenants are in a very vulnerable position when you balance it against landlords, who very often are well-funded, have access to a lot of, if you like, information and funding and power. So there's not an equality there between them."

Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne said the evictions were "a direct result of Minister Browne’s failure to put a ban on no-fault evictions in place, particularly when it comes to evicting families into homelessness. By ignoring this issue, his policies have caused this crisis".