The plans to extend the rent pressure zones to student accomodation

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Housing; Planning and Local Government his plans to extend the rent pressure zones to student accomodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

Rent Pressure Zones have their legal basis under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2016.  This legislation regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented residential sector.  Pursuant to section 3(1), the Acts apply to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy. The provisions of the Acts, including those provisions providing for the rent pressure zone measure, does not apply where the dwelling is occupied by a person under an agreement which is not a tenancy agreement.   
Licensing agreements, such as those that apply in respect of some types of student accommodation, are not covered by the legislative protections of the Residential Tenancies Acts because they are not deemed to be tenancy agreements for the purposes of the Acts.  Consequently, the restrictions on rental increases in Rent Pressure Zones, provided for in the Acts, do not therefore apply to accommodation types that are not subject to tenancy agreement.