Q -I’m a landlord renting out a house to a family. What are the rules about registering the tenancy?
A - You must register the tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB ) within a month of the tenancy starting. You can register the tenancy online using the RTB’s online system or you can register by post or email.
When you register the tenancy, you need to give detailed information about the property, including:
· The address of the rented home
· The name, address and PPS number of the landlord
· The name and PPS number of each tenant
· A description of the property
· The date the tenancy started
· The rent and how often it is paid
· The local authority area the property is located in
· The term of the lease, if it is a fixed-term lease · The Building Energy Rating (BER ), if applicable
What tenancies must be registered?
Most privately rented properties must be registered with the RTB. This also includes properties rented out by approved housing bodies (AHB ) and student-specific accommodation.
How often do I need to register the tenancy?
You must register the tenancy every year that the tenancy continues. This must be done every year within a month of the date of when the tenancy began. The landlord is responsible for registering the tenancy.
The RTB will remind landlords when annual registration is due if they have up-to-date contact details for the landlord.
Do I need to pay a registration fee? You must pay an annual registration fee. The fees are different depending on the type of tenancy. For example, AHB tenancies pay a different fee to private rented tenancies.
The basic fee for registering a private rented or student-specific tenancy with the RTB is €40 a year. There are exceptions to the fees in certain circumstances.
What happens if I don’t register a tenancy?
You can be fined up to €4,000 and face imprisonment for up to 6 months if you are convicted. You will also have to pay the RTB's legal costs.
You can contact your local centre by email or phone using the details: T: 0818 07 6610 E: [email protected].
