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As a tenant you have a number of rights which are set out in law. Your main rights as a tenant are covered mainly by the Residential Tenancies Act 2004….

As a tenant you have a number of rights which are set out in law. Your main rights as a tenant are covered mainly by the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 and from the agreements you reach with your landlord.  (Note: no lease agreement can take away from the rights you have under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004)

Your main rights as a tenant as are follows:

• The property must be in good condition and structurally sound, with hot/ cold water, heating and working appliances
• You have a right to privacy. Landlords cannot enter without your permission unless it is an emergency
• Tenants must have either a rent book or a written lease
• Tenants must be able to contact their landlord or agent at any reasonable time
• Tenants must be given proper notice before the tenancy can be terminated
• Tenants can refer disputes to the PRTB (Private Residential Tenancies Board) regardless of whether the tenancy has been registered.

While as a tenant you have rights you also have legal obligations as a tenant. These include: To pay the rent on time and in full To provide the landlord….

While as a tenant you have rights you also have legal obligations as a tenant. These include:

• To pay the rent on time and in full
• To provide the landlord with the information required to register the tenancy with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB)
• To maintain the property in good order and to inform the landlord when repairs are needed and to allow him or his agents access for the purpose of carrying out repairs
• Not to engage in activities that may harm the property e.g. drying clothes inside the property without proper ventilation, as this may cause damp to develop.
• Allow the landlord to do routine inspections of the property
• Inform the landlord of who is living in the property
• To avoid causing damage, nuisance or breaking the law
• To comply with the terms of the lease agreement
• Not to do anything that could adversely affect the landlords insurance premium
• To give proper notice when terminating the tenancy.

If you are renting a room in someone else’s home, for example, a home owner who rents out a room to generate extra income and they also live in the….

If you are renting a room in someone else’s home, for example, a home owner who rents out a room to generate extra income and they also live in the property then you are not covered by the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 and other legislation that governs the residential letting market in Ireland. Therefore the rules and regulations that are covered in this book do not apply.

In order to protect yourself you should agree some ground rules in writing before you rent a room that covers:

• The rent amount and how it is paid
• The deposit amount and the circumstances under which it can be lost
• An agreement as to what bills you are liable for and how they are divided
• Any house rules regarding visitors, friends staying over, noise levels parties etc
• How much notice you must give when you want to leave
• How much notice you will be given if the homeowner (landlord) wants you to leave

There is a common assumption that the tenant’s contents are covered under the landlord’s insurance policy, this is not the case. The landlord will only insure the building and his….

There is a common assumption that the tenant’s contents are covered under the landlord’s insurance policy, this is not the case.

The landlord will only insure the building and his contents such as furniture and fittings. The landlord has no responsibility or liability for the tenant’s belongings. If you have valuables such as jewellery, laptops or other items it may be worth taking out your own contents only insurance policy to cover these items. An insurance broker will be able to provide you with the options available.

The landlord or agent is entitled to inspect the rental property by prior appointment. This will be clearly stated in most lease agreements. Many agents will inspect the property every….

The landlord or agent is entitled to inspect the rental property by prior appointment. This will be clearly stated in most lease agreements.

Many agents will inspect the property every three or six months.

You are entitled to be present for the inspection at a time that is mutually convenient to both parties. Inspections are a good idea as they allow small issues to be identified and rectified before they become big issues. It allows issues to be resolved during the course of the tenancy rather than at the end when your deposit may be at risk.

If you live in rental accommodation and pay income tax you may qualify for tax relief on the rent you pay. Tax relief on rent payments is however being phased….

If you live in rental accommodation and pay income tax you may qualify for tax relief on the rent you pay. Tax relief on rent payments is however being phased out.

To qualify for relief you must have been renting by 7^th December 2010. If you began renting after this date you are not allowed to claim any tax relief on rent paid.

Those that were renting on the 7^th December 2010 will continue to qualify for tax relief on rent paid. However, the relief is being withdrawn on a phased basis between now and 2017. The relief is available at the standard tax rate of 20%

If you qualify for the relief you must complete a Form Rent 1 – Claim for Rent Relief on Private Rented Accommodation and return it to revenue. The form can be found in our document download section.