The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 was signed into law on 31st May 2019 having passed all stages of the Oireachtas.

The Act will come into force in phases over the coming weeks and months

Important changes commenced on 4th June and relate to rights and responsibilities and Rent Pressure Zone criteria with further changes to be commenced in the coming weeks and months.

In summary, the new legislation provides for;

1. New Investigations and Sanctions powers to empower the RTB to proactively regulate non- registration of tenancies, possible breaches of the RPZ rules and possible abuse of notices of termination grounds.
2. Student Specific Accommodation coming under the remit of the RTB – This includes both licences and tenancies
3. Annual Registration of tenancies
4. Changes to rules and criteria for RPZ exemptions – new definition for what qualifies for a substantial change definition, and change to definition of new dwellings exemption, such that it will now only apply to the first rent review rather than the whole of a designation
5. Changes to criteria for designation of RPZs, which may result in some new designations being made over the forthcoming weeks and months
6. The extension of the designation of all existing RPZs to the end of 2021
7. The rent certainty measures which restricted rent reviews outside of RPZs to only taking place every 2 years ,will also be extended until end of 2021
8. Changes to Notice periods for termination, and some changes to the procedures.
9. Introduction of provision for remedial notice of 28 days to be served by the landlord if notice of termination found to be invalid at adjudication/tribunal where there is no material impact on the tenant and the tenant has had the benefit of the full notice period prior to this

Summary of changes and time-lines

more to follow….