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Minister of State, Damien English TD., presents Awards

Over 200 Members of the Irish Property Owners’ Association (IPOA) were delighted to celebrate the successful completion of the IPOA Residential Landlord’s Course graduates at an event in the Gresham Hotel on Thursday the 7th February. Minister Damien English presented certificates to Members as a recognition of their dedication and commitment to the sector. Informing and educating Members is a key element of the IPOAs’ remit, by providing courses nationwide the IPOA ensures that Members are informed, compliant and protected.    
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Residential Tenancies Bill (2018) – Published

January 2019 The Residential Tenancies Bill has been published.  This is not law yet.  Changes will be made as the Bill goes though the legislative process.  Our Legal Counsel is currently reviewing the Bill and the IPOA will strongly lobby for amendments.   Please find Copy of the Bill and Explanatory Notice   It contains: A definition of substantial change, Annual registration, Power for RTB to investigate and prosecute property owners who breach legislation, The creation of a criminal offence, Mandatory publication of RTB determination orders.   Proposed Definition of Substantial Change A substantial change in the nature of the
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As IPOA Predicted – Landlords Exiting the Sector!

December 2018 1778 landlords gone from sector 8829  homes no longer available to tenants Existing tenancies pay 21% less than new tenancies  Continual interference in the private rental sector has resulted in less accommodation for rent, contributing to homelessness.  Rent Pressure Zones limited the income of investors without limiting the cost of the provision of the accommodation.  Property owners who rewarded  good tenants by keeping the rent low, have been unfairly and substantially disadvantaged.  The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill intents to bring in penalties and possible criminal convictions for landlords who breach legislation but does not address the substantially low
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Residential Tenancies Bill (Amended)

December 2018 The Government gave its approval to publish the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill, which includes: Providing powers to the RTB to investigate and sanction landlords who engage in improper conduct including non-compliance with the rent increase restriction in RPZs; A sanction could cost a landlord in breach up to €30,000 and a written caution (a financial penalty of up to €15,000; payment of RTB investigation costs of up to €15,000). Making it a criminal offence for landlords to implement rent increases that contravene the law, that do not adhere to new definitions of a substantial change, failure to cooperate with an investigation, failure
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Stop Paying Placement Fees

November 2018 Stephen Faughnan, Chairman, of the Irish Property Owners Association comments on the issue recently raised of placement fees being paid by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive The move to pay agents a finder fee is concerning and disturbing.  It has the potential to effect the normal selection process of finding the right tenant for a property.  On employing an Agent there is an expectation that the Agent will advertise the property and will select the most appropriate tenant based on a number of criteria including ability to pay, references and suitability for the property. The Placement Fee has
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Proposed changes for Short-term Lettings

  October 2018 In order to ensure that entire dwellings that could be used for long-term rental accommodation are not lost to the rental market in favour of short-term letting, but seeking to facilitate the continued use of rooms within a person’s own home (known as “homesharing”) for short-term tourism letting or the short-term rental of an entire home for a limited number of days (90 days), the following changes to the planning code are being proposed:   From 1 June 2019, it will no longer be possible to rely on exempted development provisions to let, under short-term letting arrangements,
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