Archives for Uncategorized

What Can Landlords Do During Coronavirus?

What Can Landlords Do During Coronavirus?

  Keep informed and ensure communication with your tenants, direct your tenants to the HSE website for live updates on the coronavirus. https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus.html   If your tenant has lost their job direct them immediately to the Department of Social Protection website to apply for rent supplement.  Complete any forms for them as quickly as possible. https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-employment-affairs-and-social-protection/ . Rent is a contractual obligation; it must be paid.   It will take time for applications to be processed by the Department of Social Protection and forbearance will be required during this time. Landlords and tenants are free to decide on arrangements that suit them.
Read More

Categories: News, Property Management, and Uncategorized.
Can The RTB Start An Investigation Without A Complaint Being Made?

Can The RTB Start An Investigation Without A Complaint Being Made?

March 2020 Question: I am a landlord, I always undertood that in order for the RTB to conduct an investigation on me a complaint must have been made against me, either by one of my tenants or a third party. Is this correct? Response: You are incorrect. The legislation changed on the 1st of July 2019. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) now initiate an investigation for certain breaches of the law by landlords proactively (own volition)  as well as reactively (complaint). An Authorised Officer is appointed to carry out an investigation. The RTB can instigate an investigation without a complaint
Read More

Categories: Uncategorized.
RTB Sanction & Investigation

RTB Sanction & Investigation

A number of changes were introduced to the legislation governing the residential landlord and tenant relationship, these changes  increased the obligations and the potential liability of residential landlords. In addition to changing the law, the 2019 Act also introduced a new complaints, investigations and sanctions procedure. This is a new function of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) which means the RTB are now in a position to impose penalties on landlords who are found to have committed improper conduct.   What constitutes improper conduct? Failure to comply with the Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) requirements. This occurs by increasing rent by
Read More

Categories: Landlord Legislation, News, Property Management, RTB and Dispute Resolution, and Uncategorized.
Commercial (Real Estate) Property Owner Insurance

Commercial (Real Estate) Property Owner Insurance

  If you own commercial property, you need to ensure that it is adequately covered with a comprehensive and competitive property insurance package. Commercial Property Insurance protects your organisation against physical damage to, or loss of, your property assets. In the case of catastrophes like fire, explosion, theft, or vandalism, Property Insurance helps cover the costs of repairing or replacing damaged business property to allow your organisation to continue to function as normal. Whether you are a freeholder, leaseholder, mortgagee or owner, your premises represent a substantial investment that should be adequately protected. A Commercial Property Insurance policy will help you
Read More

Categories: Landlord Insurance and Uncategorized.
Rent Increase – New Tenants?

Rent Increase – New Tenants?

March 2020 Question: My tenant is leaving after 6 months in my rental property. I have secured new tenants, can I increase the rent by 4% for the new tenancy? Response: As per the information provided, this is a new tenancy and we understand that the rent can be varied. However, you must use the Rent Pressure Zone formula in calculating the new rent and the new rent cannot be more than market rate. The new rent will be dependent on when the rent was last set. If the old rent was set at the commencement of the last tenancy
Read More

Categories: Uncategorized.
Interesting Results From IPOA Recent Survey

Interesting Results From IPOA Recent Survey

Thank you to all the members who completed our recent survey, your effort is greatly appreciated. IPOA surveys allow us to provide hard numbers on opinions and behaviors which can in turn be used to make important decisions.   Age Profile of Landlord?  50% of survey respondents indicated that they were in the 61-75 age category. Just over 25% of respondents were aged 51-60, 1.6% were between the ageas of 31 -40 and 8.1% in the 41 – 50 age category and 14.5% were over 75. We had no respondents under the age of 30 years of age.    
Read More

Categories: News and Uncategorized.
IPOA Welcome RTB Chairperson Mr. Tom Dunne

IPOA Welcome RTB Chairperson Mr. Tom Dunne

A full house on the 13th February 2020 welcomed recently appointed RTB Chairperson Mr. Tom Dunne to address IPOA members and present Certificates of Attendance to our recent Residential Landlord Course participants. Mr. Dunne is a Chartered Surveyor and served as Head of the School of Surveying and Construction Management at the Dublin Institute of Technology from 1997 to 2019.  He was previously the founding Chair of the RTB from 2004 to 2009 and his early involvement in the Residential Tenancies legislation coupled with his continuing interest in the sector gives him significant insight into the rental market. Tom outlined
Read More

Categories: News and Uncategorized.