Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Visit from PRTB? Why?

Options
  • 18-10-2012 12:47am
    #1
    Bazideluxe
    Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭


    Hi folks, am a tenant in rented house and i got a phone call today saying something about visit from PRTB or County Council in my rented house next week. I didnt understand properly due bad coverage.

    What is this vistit about? Who will they report the results to? Do I have to hide my 52 inch TV? :D

    Strange is they rang me and not the landlord.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    ABajaninCork
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    Sounds like a Welfare visit to me. Are you trying to claim Rent Allowance or JSA?


  • Options
    #3
    Bazideluxe
    Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭Bazideluxe


    I am on jobseeker benefit now, was looking for rent allowance year ago, but never got all the documents sorted (welfare officer didnt accept my only and original rent book) and forgot about it, i am not getting it anyway. I have never heard about visits from PRTB so i dont understand this visit. My landlord pays 100 euro a year as far as i know, but that is all i know about PRTB.

    If PRTB does these visits, what they officially looking for?


  • Options
    #4
    StillWaters
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,799 ✭✭✭StillWaters


    I dont think PRTB do inspections, but the council do. They are looking to see that the LL is meeting his obligations regarding alarms, ventilation etc.

    But they would contact the LL not the tenant. Have you spoken to your LL about this, or so you have the number of the person who rang to ring back? Sounds odd to me.


  • Options
    #5
    Uncle Junior
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭Uncle Junior


    Correct, PRTB does not inspect. Local Authorities inspect around 20,000 rented properties per annum to assess how they comply with the 2008-2009 minimum accommodation standards for the sector. In this case, the LA person may have already spoken with your LL and was simply contacting you to arrange a visit.


  • Options
    #6
    aN.Droid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,911 ✭✭✭aN.Droid


    All sounds very odd. I won't make any guesses on who it may be coming to your home but make sure you see some ID when they do come around.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    ameee
    Registered Users Posts: 363 ✭✭ameee


    I am on the housing list and a few years ago the council sent someone out to an apartment I was living in to inspect it. The chap just measured up the place and gave out about there being no electric fire alarms. I had battery ones but he said my landlord was supposed to have proper ones, he said he would issue him a fine I dont know if he did though. He was very nice and basically told me the place wasnt up to code (damp and other problems) and I should try find somewhere else. I did move out a year later when finances allowed as it was a dump but all we could afford. I asked why he was there and he said he works for a few different councils and they randomly check rental accomadation to make sure its up to scratch and if not they issues fines to landlord. He didnt want any info or anything from me other than to confirm my landlords name and address which he already had.


  • Options
    #8
    Bazideluxe
    Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭Bazideluxe


    Alright lads, thanks for all the info, i rang County Council today and been assured it is only about safety and meet the rented property standarts. Not about social welfere. Maybe it has something to do when your name is on the housing list, my is there only for reason i was looking for rent allowance and had to put my name on list in the very first place.

    Will update this thread after the visit next week.


  • Options
    #9
    Bazideluxe
    Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭Bazideluxe


    Yeah, got inspector here and everything went fine. He found couple of things to be sorted out. thank you all


  • Options
    #10
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,022 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Wonder do they inspect their own social housing and issue themselves fines or orders to improve. Do council houses have to have fridge freezers as well?

    This sort of government interference is a (costly) joke on ALL taxpayers. These jobsworths are sucking the money out of our economy and their "product" is to tell tenants to "find somewhere else to live".

    Complete and utter waste of resources, like lots of council jobs. Local government is broken completely in Ireland.


  • Options
    #11
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    How is it a waste to fine LL's for not having substandard accommodation?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    Rasmus
    Registered Users Posts: 2,075 ✭✭✭Rasmus


    Who decides what properties get inspected? Is there a connection between tenants who are on housing lists and an 'inspection' list?


  • Options
    #13
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,022 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Rasmus wrote: »
    Who decides what properties get inspected? Is there a connection between tenants who are on housing lists and an 'inspection' list?
    Well, rumour has it that Clare Co Co at least has been using the list of non-payers of the household charge as a "random" starting point, having never bothered inspecting properties during the boom times.


  • Options
    #14
    Rasmus
    Registered Users Posts: 2,075 ✭✭✭Rasmus


    murphaph wrote: »
    Well, rumour has it that Clare Co Co at least has been using the list of non-payers of the household charge as a "random" starting point, having never bothered inspecting properties during the boom times.

    Yeah, I have never heard of these inspections!


  • Options
    #15
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,404 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    murphaph wrote: »
    Wonder do they inspect their own social housing and issue themselves fines or orders to improve. Do council houses have to have fridge freezers as well?

    This sort of government interference is a (costly) joke on ALL taxpayers. These jobsworths are sucking the money out of our economy and their "product" is to tell tenants to "find somewhere else to live".

    Complete and utter waste of resources, like lots of council jobs. Local government is broken completely in Ireland.
    Keep it constructive, please.

    Moderator


Advertisement