Tenants need greater protection

■ Today, we appeal to every member of the Oireachtas to lend their support to the introduction of an NCT-style certification system to ensure minimum standards in the private rented sector

Few could be anything but appalled at living conditions in rental properties across the country, highlighted in the media.

Many of our clients, who are living in substandard properties, lack the basic necessities for a quality of living, such as adequate heating facilities, as well as hot and cold running water. Many people living in sub-standard private rented accommodation are too afraid to report it for fear of notice of termination or landlords doing substantial work and then increasing the rent. Either way the tenant suffers.

For some time, the national housing charity Threshold has been campaigning for an NCT-type certification system for private rented housing, whereby landlords would be obliged to prove compliance with minimum standards before they could rent their properties.

The current system, in which local authorities are responsible for the inspection of properties in the private rented sector, is not fit for purpose. Local authorities do not have the capacity to inspect and effectively enforce minimum standards.

In 2014, eight local authorities, with more than 10,000 tenancies, inspected less than 5pc of the registered properties in their area, with counties such as Kilkenny, Louth, Offaly and Limerick scoring a 100pc failure rate. The overall non-compliance rate stands at 69pc.

We firmly believe that a certification system needs to be put in place where the onus would be on landlords to prove their compliance with minimum standards. If a certificate does not exist, the penalty for renting should be severe, so there is no excuse for being outside the system.

The present system relies on landlords being caught. But the prospect of being caught is slim. There is no fear of the consequences in the absence of regulations and proper, robust and proactive