Sinn Féin spokesperson on Higher Education, Mairéad Farrell TD, and Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD will tomorrow introduce their Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill (2023) at first stage in the Dáil.

This Bill attempts to provide greater protections for those renting a room in a home in which the owner also resides.

This part of the rental sector includes students in “digs” accommodation and those in long term lodging arrangements. Unlike normal tenants, those in this type of accommodation have few rights which this Bill attempts to remedy.

Teachta Farrell stated:

“For too long this has been the ‘Wild West’ of the rental sector.

“For those staying in such accommodation they have no rights around privacy, like the ability to have a lock on the bedroom door.

“They have no rights around the reasonable use of the home’s facilities like the kitchen and bathroom.

“These types of renters have no access to a notice period, nor do they have access to the RTB for dispute resolution if your deposit is wrongful taken.

“This part of the sector does not even fall under the rent pressure zones (RPZs).

“The time to change this is long overdue and our Bill would do just that.”

ENDS

Note to editor:

You can view the text of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2024 here.