S.I. No. 146/1993 - Housing (Rent Books) Regulations, 1993.

1. This statement of information is included in the rent book in accordance with the Housing (Rent Books) Regulations, 1993. It does not purport to be a legal interpretation.

2. The tenant of a house is, unless otherwise expressly provided for in a lease, entitled to quiet and peaceable enjoyment of the house without the interruption of the landlord or any other person during the term of the tenancy for so long as the tenant pays the rent and observes the terms of the tenancy.

3. Notice to terminate a tenancy (notice to quit or surrender) must be in writing and be served not less than four weeks before the date on which it is to take effect.

4. The landlord is prohibited from impounding the goods of a tenant to secure recovery of rent unpaid.

5. The landlord is obliged to provide a tenant with a rent book for use throughout the term of the tenancy. The landlord must enter the particulars relating to the tenancy in the rent book, and, in the case of a new tenancy, complete the inventory of furnishings and appliances supplied with the house for the tenant's exclusive use.

6. The landlord is obliged to keep the particulars in the rent book up to date. Where the rent or any other amount due to the landlord under the tenancy is handed in person by the tenant, or by any person acting for the tenant, to the landlord, the landlord must, on receipt, record the payment in the rent book or acknowledge it by way of receipt. Payments not handed over directly, for example those made by bankers order or direct debit, must, not more than 3 months after receipt, either be recorded by the landlord in the rent book or acknowledged by way of statement by the landlord to the tenant.

7. The tenant is obliged to make the rent book available to the landlord to enable the landlord to keep the particulars in it up to date.

8. The landlord of a private rented house is obliged to ensure that, from 1 January, 1994, the house complies with the minimum standards of accommodation laid down in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 1993. The standards apply to rented local authority houses from 1 January, 1998. The Regulations do not apply to houses let on a temporary or holiday basis, local authority demountable dwellings and communal type accommodation provided by health boards and certain approved non-profit or voluntary bodies. The standards relate to structural condition, provision of sinks, waterclosets, baths/showers, cooking and food storage facilities, safety of electricity and gas installations, availability of adequate heating, lighting and ventilation and maintenance of common areas, etc.

9. The duties of a landlord referred to in paragraphs 5 to 8 above may be carried out on the landlord's behalf by a duly appointed agent. Any reference in this statement to 'house' includes a flat or maisonette.

10. Copies of the Housing (Rent Books) Regulations, 1993 and the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 1993 maybe purchased from the Government Publications Sale Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, or from the housing authority.

11. Responsibility for the enforcement of the law relating to rent books and standards rests with the housing authority for the area in which the house is located. The name, address and telephone number of the relevant housing authority are as follows

Name

_________________________________________________________

Address

_________________________________________________________

Telephone

_________________________________________________________

DATED this 10th day of June, 1993.

EMMET STAGG,

Minister of State at the Department of the

Environment.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations apply to rented dwellings, with certain limited exceptions. With effect from 1 September, 1993, the Regulations require a landlord (including a local authority) to provide each new tenant with a rent book (or other documentation serving the same purpose) at the commencement of the tenancy. Persons with tenancies which commenced before 1 September, 1993 must be given rent books before 1 November, 1993, All rent and other payments under the tenancy must be acknowledged in writing by the landlord. In addition, the rent book must contain specific particulars relating to the tenancy including, inter alia, the name and address of the landlord and of his agent (if any), the term of the tenancy, the amount of the rent and of any other payments to be made by the tenant to the landlord, details of any advance rent or deposit paid and, in the case of new tenancies, the date of commencement of the tenancy and particulars of furnishings and appliances provided by the landlord for the tenant's exclusive use. The rent book must also include a basic statement of information for the tenant which is set out in the Schedule to the Regulations.