THE SOCIETY OF Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) has called for the establishment of a dedicated ‘rental court’ that would deal with serious disputes between tenants and landlords. 

The SCSI has also endorsed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act. 

The SCSI has said today that a ‘rental court’ is needed to deal with tenants who are refusing to leave a property after their lease has expired, tenants who refuse to pay rent, and landlords who unlawfully hold onto deposits. 

The SCSI has described the current system for handling rental disputes through the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) as “overly complex”, takes too long and involves an “inefficient use of resources”.  

The SCSI said its research shows that two of the main reasons small landlords continue to exit the market in increasing numbers are complex rental regulations and “the high risks involved in renting a property”. 

A lack of supply and “serious shortcomings in the administration of the rental market” are creating fear and uncertainty on both sides, said Kevin Hollingsworth, President of the SCSI.

“The tenant/landlord relationship should be a cooperative one, involving willing partners,” he said. 

“Too often in Ireland, the relationship becomes adversarial in nature. A lot of this is down to the chronic lack of supply but when problems do arise, tenants and landlords should have confidence in the dispute resolution process. That is not happening with the current dysfunctional system.” 

“Estate agents who are members of the SCSI are reporting mounting concerns with regard to tenants over-holding of properties after the expiry of a tenancy as well as with rent arrears and the unlawful withholding of deposits by landlords.” 

In addition to calling for a dedicated body to deal with renter-landlord disputes, the SCSI are also calling for “a thorough revision of the Residential Tenancies Act” with the aim of simplifying regulations and creating “a clearer and more user-friendly framework”. 

The body also said the RTB needs more resources. 

“More and more people are renting in Ireland, and Government needs to address these issues if the country is to have a sustainable rental sector.”