Renting | corporaterelocation

Renting a Property

Dublin’s rental market is extremely competitive at the moment. We encourage all PwC employees to commence their search for permanent accommodation as soon as possible and to work within the guidelines below to ensure you have the best chance of securing suitable accommodation.

From our experience the below information will assist you.

Do’s……..

Show up on time for your appointment
Ensure you bring all relevant documentation with you (ie proof of employment, landlord references etc)
Be flexible in terms of your budget, preferred locations and viewing times
Sell yourself as a reliable, professional tenant
Keep questions relevant
Be polite and professional in email correspondence
Respond quickly to landlord or agent emails
Inform Corporate Relocations if you secure a property yourself, if your budget changes or if you are willing to share with other tenants

Don’ts……..

Try to re-schedule appointments
Try to negotiate the rent
Request furniture to be replaced, removed

Before viewing accommodation you should consider:

How much you can afford in rent and utility bills
The quality of the accommodation
The Building Energy Rating (BER) of the property
The location of the property
How long you plan to stay there
Whether you wish to share a bedroom/bathroom/kitchen etc.

Finding Accommodation

Most rooms, flats, apartments or houses are advertised on accommodation websites (www.daft.ie and www.myhome.ie). You can search for a particular type of accommodation and set up alerts for your specific requirements.

Other sources include the accommodation sections of newspapers; advertisements in shops; college notice boards etc. Most student unions keep accommodation lists as well. You may also find available accommodation through word of mouth or 'To Let' signs on properties.

Accommodation agencies or letting agencies are commercial organisations that help you find private rented accommodation. They may charge you a fee. Before registering with an agency, you should find out:

Is the agency licensed?
What services does it offer?
If you pay a fee, in what circumstances will you be entitled to a refund?
If you decide to register with the agency, make sure you get a receipt for any money you pay.

Viewing a flat or house

Minimum standards apply to accommodation being offered for rent. You may find the following viewing checklist helpful:

Are there any signs of dampness?
Do the windows open?
What security is available (such as window locks, burglar alarm)?
Is a smoke detector provided and is it functioning?
Is there a fire alarm? Check fire evacuation procedures (especially in apartments)
Who pays for the heating? What hours is it on, and who controls it?
Is hot water available all or some of the time?
Are the cooker and fridge clean and in working order?
What sort of condition is the bathroom in?
Do you have to share the bathroom, if so, with how many others?
Is there storage for bicycles?
Does the property have a parking space? Threshold recommends that you get confirmation that a parking space is provided with the accommodation in writing from your letting agent or landlord before handing over any money.
Is there a bus route or other public transport nearby?
Are there shops and other facilities nearby?

Inventory

Ask the landlord for a written list of all furnishings and appliances provided. You and the landlord should sign this list at the start of the tenancy to show that you agree on the furnishings supplied and their condition. This will help to prevent disputes during your stay and when you are leaving. This list should be included in the rent book.

If there are any signs of damage by previous tenants, make sure this is noted too. You could photograph or otherwise record the existing condition of the property and any damage to walls, furniture or appliances

If there are outstanding repairs, ask the landlord to state in writing that they will be carried out.

Deposits

Holding deposits

Some landlords or agents may ask you for a holding deposit when you decide to take the accommodation. This is a sum of money you pay to hold the property for you before you sign the lease and enter into a contract with the landlord. You should always get a written receipt for a holding deposit. Holding deposits are often not refundable if you don’t take up the accommodation.

Security deposits

You will be asked for a security deposit before moving into the accommodation. Usually a deposit is the equivalent of 1 month’s rent and is held by the landlord as security for any rent arrears or damage beyond normal wear and tear. You should get a receipt for any deposit you pay. The amount of deposit paid should be stated in your rent book. You may lose your deposit if:

You leave without giving proper notice, or leave before the end of a fixed-term lease
You cause damage to the accommodation beyond normal wear and tear
You leave with bills or rent unpaid.

Rights and Obligations

Your rights as a tenant come from the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, the Housing Regulations on Minimum Standards and from any written or oral agreement with the landlord. They include that:

The rented accommodation must be in good condition. e.g. structurally sound, availability of hot/cold water, adequate heating, appliances in working order, electricity and gas supply in good repair. Please see our Minimum Standards page
The tenant must have privacy. Landlords can only enter the rented accommodation with your permission unless it is an emergency.
Tenants must have a rent book, written contract or lease with the landlord.
Tenants must be informed when the landlord reviews their rent. Please see information on Rent Reviews here.
Tenants must be able to contact their landlords at any reasonable time.
Tenants must be reimbursed by the Landlord for any repairs they have carried out on the accommodation. If the damage is beyond normal wear and tear then it is the tenant’s responsibility to pay.
Tenants must be given valid notice before termination of the tenancy.
Tenants can refer disputes to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).
Pay your rent in full and on time.
Maintain the property in good order and inform the landlord when repairs are needed, allowing him/her or others access for this.
Do not engage in any activities that may harm the property e.g. drying clothes inside the accommodation without proper ventilation, as this may cause damp to spread.
Allow the landlord to do routine inspections of the property.
Inform the landlord of who is living in the property.
Avoid causing damage, nuisance or breaking the law.
Comply with the terms of the tenancy agreement whether written or verbal.
Give the landlord valid notice before termination of the tenancy. See sample Notices of Termination here.
Keep a record of all repairs, payments and dealings with the landlord.
Not to do anything that could affect the landlord’s insurance premium on the dwelling.

Rent Review

The Residential Tenancies Act prohibits the landlord from setting a rent that is in excess of market rent. If a landlord intends reviewing the rent, they must inform you, in writing, of any review in rent, a minimum of 90 days before the new revised rent is due to take effect.

What makes a Rent Review Notice valid?

It must state the amount of new rent and the date from which is to have effect.
It must include a statement that a dispute must be referred to the Board on the expiry of 28 days from the receipt by the tenant of that notice or the date the new rent takes effect.
It must include a statement by the landlord that it is their opinion that the new rent is not greater than market rent having regard to the other terms of the tenancy, letting values of dwellings of a similar size, type and character and situated in a comparable area.
It must specify the rent amount for three comparable dwellings of a similar size, type and character and situated in a comparable area.
It must include the date on which the notice is signed.
It must be signed by the landlord or his/her authorised agent.
A landlord is also required to notify the RTB of the revised rent so that the registrations details can be updated.
If the dwelling is located within a Rent Pressure Zone, the Formula must be included. See further information on this below.

Where a notice of a rent review has been served by the landlord then either party can submit a dispute to the RTB before the new rent is to have effect or before expiry of 28 days from the tenant receiving that notice, whichever is the later. See more information on our dispute resolution services here.

Rent Pressure Zones

Rent Predictability Measures were new provisions enacted under the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (the “2016 Act”) that are intended to moderate the rise in rents in the parts of the country where rents are highest and rising and where households have greatest difficulties in finding accommodation they can afford.

In these areas, called Rent Pressure Zones (“RPZ”), rents will only be able to rise according to a prescribed formula by a maximum of 4% annually. The existing requirement that the rent set for a property must be in line with local market rents for similar properties and three examples of rents for comparable properties must be presented to demonstrate this, still applies.

The measure was applied immediately to Dublin and Cork city. It covers the 4 Dublin local authorities (Dublin City Council, South Dublin County Council, Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council and Fingal County Council) and Cork City Council.

What makes an area a designated Rent Pressure Zones?

For an area to be designated a Rent Pressure Zone, rents in the area must be at a high level and they must be rising quickly, the criteria are:

The annual rate of rent inflation in the area must have been 7% or more in four of the last six quarters,
The average rent for tenancies registered with the Residential Tenancies Board in the previous quarter must be above the average national rent in the quarter( the National Indicative Rent in the RTB’s Rent Index Report)

Are all rental properties covered?

Not all rental properties are covered by the 4% annual rental restriction. Properties that are new to the rental market and have not been let at any time in the previous two years and properties which have undergone a substantial change can be exempted from the measure.

What do I do if I think I am being charged too much rent?

You should initially seek clarification from your landlord regarding the calculation of the rent. If this does not resolve the issue, you may contact the Residential Tenancies Board to seek further information. If you still think you are being charged more than you should in accordance with the law, then you may make a dispute application to the RTB.

Further Information and Support

Threshold is a useful source of information and advice on landlord and tenant issues. Read Threshold's advice on seeking private rented accommodation and on tenancy issues in general.

The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) helps to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants, including any disputes about retention of deposits.

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 changes some of the rules in this area. Further details will be available shortly.