Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021

/static/images/base/harp.jpg


Number 17 of 2021


RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES (NO. 2) ACT 2021


CONTENTS

Section

1. Definition

2. Amendment of Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Act 2020

3. Amendment of section 3 of Act of 2004

4. Amendment of section 12 of Act of 2004

5. Amendment of section 16 of Act of 2004

6. Amendment of section 19 of Act of 2004

7. Restrictions on amounts payable

8. Amendment of section 20 of Act of 2004

9. Amendment of section 22 of Act of 2004

10. Amendment of section 24B of Act of 2004

11. Amendment of section 57 of Act of 2004

12. Amendment of section 58 of Act of 2004

13. Amendment of section 65 of Act of 2004

14. Amendment of section 66 of Act of 2004

15. Amendment of section 78 of Act of 2004

16. Amendment of section 115 of Act of 2004

17. Amendment to Schedule 2 to Act of 2004

18. Amendment of Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019

19. Short title, commencement and collective citation


Acts Referred to

Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Act 2020 (No. 27)

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 (No. 14)

Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (No. 27)

/static/images/base/harp.jpg


Number 17 of 2021


RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES (NO. 2) ACT 2021


An Act to extend the emergency period specified in the Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Act 2020; for that purpose to amend that Act; to provide for the giving of a minimum notice period by students; to restrict payments required to be made by tenants; to provide for changes to the manner of determining rent increase restrictions in rent pressure zones; for those purposes to amend the Residential Tenancies Act 2004; to extend the period during which areas shall stand prescribed as rent pressure zones; for that purpose to amend the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 ; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

[9th July, 2021]

WHEREAS the disease known as Covid-19, and the emergence of variants of the disease, with evidence of increased transmissibility and the potential to evade immune response presents a serious risk to public health, and consequently it continues to be necessary for the State to adopt extraordinary measures and safeguards aimed at containing that disease and preventing, minimising and reducing the risk of infection of persons;

WHEREAS the rise in unemployment owing to the negative impacts of the public health emergency in the closing down of sectors of the economy has had an adverse impact on persons who reside in residential tenancy accommodation and, in particular, has adversely impacted on their ability to meet their rental obligations to pay rent due, thereby presenting a very serious risk that a significant number of residential tenancies will be terminated by landlords during the remainder of 2021;

WHEREAS any significant increase in termination of residential tenancies by landlords during the remainder of 2021 would cause acute aggravation of difficulties in the residential accommodation sector including difficulties relating to overcrowding, thereby presenting a substantial risk of increased spread of that disease;

WHEREAS measures are required to protect tenants, including students, from being required to pay excessive amounts of advance rent and to limit the period of notice that students are required to give;

WHEREAS the State has already taken significant measures to deal with the aforementioned crisis including measures to support the economy and persons and businesses which have required and continue to require substantial disbursement and expenditure of public moneys and where such measures have enabled persons to meet obligations including rental obligations that they might not otherwise have been in a position to discharge;

AND WHEREAS the Oireachtas has, with regard to sections 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 11 to 15 and 17 (b) of this Act, taken account of the matters referred to in the forgoing recitals;

Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows: