Govt Urged To 'Get Tough On Slum Landlords'

The Government has been called to "get tough on slum landlords".

Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Bay North Denise Mitchell also called for increased funding and resources to allow local councils increase their inspection regimes.

Deputy Mitchell said: "The under-supply of social and affordable housing, and rocketing rental and house prices, has allowed for the return of slum landlords.

"These individuals are exploiting vulnerable people – they are putting people in danger by cramming them into unsafe buildings – and they can get away with it because of a lack of inspections and resources for enforcement in the sector."


Deputy Mitchell welcomed a proposal by housing charity Threshold for an NCT-style certification system for private rental accommodation.

She said: "Those landlords who either refuse to register their properties – or who are not meeting the minimum legal standards – need to face serious penalties. A slap on the wrist or a small fine is not good enough.

"We need to get tough with them – and that means a real deterrent – because these people are placing the lives of our citizens in danger and are making huge profits in the process. They cannot be allowed to continue to act in this way."

(CD/MH)