What is the legal basis:
The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008 and Amendment Regulations 2009.
The full regulations can be viewed or downloaded at www.irishstatutebook.ie
What do the Minimum Standards cover – for more information on each Article, please click on the title link:
-
Article 5 - Structural Condition
-
Article 6 - Sanitary Facilities
-
Article 7 - Heating Facilities
-
Article 8 - Food Preparation and Storage and Laundry
-
Article 9 - Ventilation
-
Article 10 - Lighting
-
Article 11 – Fire Safety
-
Article 12 – Refuse Facilities
-
Article 13 – Gas & Electricity
How are the Regulations enforced:
-
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has a legal obligation under the above legislation to enforce the minimum standards and it does so by inspections - both estate based and random spot checks.
-
Inspections are done by Authorised Officers on behalf of the Council and may include Environmental Health Officers, Council staff or private contractors. All will carry ID and inspections are normally done on an appointment basis unless an emergency exists.
-
Please note, there is no legal requirement for the Council to notify a landlord of an inspection and there may be penalties imposed for obstructing access or impeding an Authorised Officer in the course of their duty up to and including prosecution in the District Court.
-
Once an inspection is completed, the landlord will be notified in writing of any contraventions and given a timeframe to address them. All inspections are followed up by the Council and enforcement proceedings brought against cases of non-compliance
