Question:
I understand that when serving a rent review a landlord must show 3 comparable properties advertised in the previous 4 weeks. There are no comparable properties in my area in the previous 4 weeks- what am I supposed to do?
Response:
You are correct, in order for a rent review to be valid a landlord must include 3 comparable properties advertised within the previous 4 weeks of the landlord serving the rent review notice. It is not uncommon that a landlord cannot find these comparable properties in their exact area.
Comparable properties do not have to be in the exact same town or geographical location. Landlords can look at similar properties in similar towns and use these as comparables. For example, you may have a property in Portlaoise and use a property in Portarlington as a comparable, you may have a property in Glasthule, Dublin and use a similar property in Killiney, Dublin as a comparable. Therefore, we suggest you look at similar areas to find your comparable properties.
The advertisements do not have to accompany the rent review notice, however we suggest that you attach them and ensure you keep copies for your own record.