1,299 Improvement Letters issued to landlords in Louth last year

Louth County Council inspected 1,718 private rental dwellings in the county last year, in relation to enforcement of minimum standards in rented accommodation, and issued 1,299 Improvement Letters to landlords for improvements to be carried out, figures from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage have revealed.

The number of dwellings inspected by Louth County Council last year far surpassed previous years, with 520 inspected in 2023, 846 in 2022, 292 in 2021 and 541 in 2020.

The minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical installations.

These regulations apply to all properties let or available for let. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with the standards set down in the Regulations. If a property has been found to be non-compliant with the Regulations, it is a matter for the local authority to determine what action is necessary and appropriate.

They can issue an Improvement Letter or serve an Improvement Notice. In most cases, according to the Department, they opt for the former. If the Improvement Letter has not been complied with, the local authority can escalate matters and serve an Improvement Notice.

Where a landlord fails to comply with an Improvement Notice, the inspector may serve a Prohibition Notice (which directs that a dwelling cannot be re-let until all contraventions are remedied) and may consider instituting legal proceedings.

Looking at last year's figures in Louth, along with 1,299 Improvement Letters being issued to landlords, 22 Improvement Notices were served on landlords for improvements to be carried out, and two Prohibition Notices were also served on landlords in the county.

Further information was made available by the Department on the 2023 figures, which reveal that out of the 520 dwellings inspected, none of them met regulatory requirements on the first inspection. 361 Improvement Letters were issued to landlords, with 48 Improvement Notices served on landlords for improvements to be carried out, as well as seven Prohibition Notices served.

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Nationally, 80,150 inspections on private rental accommodation were carried out by local authorities during 2024, representing a 26% increase on the 63,500 inspections conducted in 2023. Overall, the number of inspections conducted has quadrupled in recent years.

Inspection levels have increased from an average of 20,000 a year in the period 2005 to 2017 to over 49,000 in 2022, more than 63,500 in 2023, and an all-time-high of over 80,000 in 2024.