Am I a tenant?
A tenant is someone who has the right to live in a property under a tenancy agreement in return for paying rent to their landlord. The property must be a self-contained residential unit, unless it is student specific accommodation. You are usually a tenant if you are:
Renting a property, or room in a property from a landlord that you don’t live with
Renting a self-contained flat or apartment in your landlord’s home
If you are a tenant, you are protected by residential tenancy law which gives you specific rights. Tenants in student accommodation and AHBs have different rights to people renting private accommodation. If you are sub-letting a room, you are not a tenant of the landlord and do not automatically have the same rights as a normal tenant.
What are my rights as a private tenant?
You are entitled to quiet and exclusive enjoyment of your home
You are entitled to certain minimum standards of accommodation and a rent book
You have the right to contact the landlord or their agent at any reasonable time
Your landlord is only allowed to enter your home with your permission
You are entitled to be reimbursed for any repairs that you carry out that are the landlord's responsibility
You are entitled to have visitors to stay overnight or for short periods, unless specifically forbidden in your tenancy agreement
You are entitled to a certain amount of notice if your tenancy is being terminated
You are entitled to at least 90 days’ notice if your landlord wants to review the rent, and there are rules about how often they can do this
All homes for rent must have a Building Energy Rating (BER), stating how energy- efficient the home is
You are entitled to refer any disputes to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) without being penalised and you have the right to a copy of any register entry the RTB has about your tenancy.
I’m having problems with my landlord, who can help me?
If you are having a problem with your landlord, you should try to resolve it with them first.
If you cannot resolve it with them, you can contact the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). The RTB has a confidential dispute resolution service for landlords and tenants that involves mediation or adjudication. You do not need legal representation when you take a case with the RTB. You can also contact Threshold for free, confidential advice about your issue with your landlord.
You can find out more about tenant rights at https://bit.ly/TenantsRightsResponsibilities or call us on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).
Know Your Rights has been compiled by South Connacht Citizens Information Service CLG, which provides a free and confidential service to the public. Tel: 0818 07 6330 Address: Boyle CIC, Elphin Street, Boyle, Co. Roscommon Information is also available online at citizensinformation.ie and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, 0818 07 4000.
