OBLIGATIONS OF A TENANT

Obligations of a tenant

You must:

• Pay your rent on time
• Pay any other charges that are specified in the letting agreement, for example, waste collection charges; utility bills; management fees to the management company in an apartment complex – see ‘Other charges and payments’ below
• Keep the property in good order
• Inform the landlord if repairs are needed and give the landlord access to the property to carry out repairs
• Give the landlord access (by appointment) for routine inspections
• Inform the landlord of who is living in the property
• Avoid causing damage or nuisance
• Make sure that you do not cause the landlord to be in breach of the law
• Comply with any special terms in your tenancy agreement, oral or written
• Give the landlord the information required to register with the RTB and sign the registration form when asked to do so
• Give the landlord proper notice when you are ending the tenancy.

You should note that it may be more difficult to assert your rights if you have broken conditions of your tenancy.

Other charges and payments

The owner (your landlord) is responsible for paying the local property tax to the Revenue Commissioners. There may be an agreement that you will pay this amount, but your liability will be to the landlord and not to Revenue.

As the tenant of a property, you are the occupier and are responsible for paying the water charges.

Whether or not you have to pay for services such as heating, electricity, gas or TV connections depends on the terms of your letting agreement. In practice, if you are renting a house, you are likely to be liable for all these charges.

Multi-unit developments

In some multi-unit developments, such as apartment complexes, the heating may be operated centrally and you may not have to pay separately for it. In some complexes, cable TV may be supplied. In most complexes, bin collection is organised by the management company and you may not have to pay charges for this.

There are annual charges in multi-unit developments to pay for the maintenance, insurance and repair of common areas; for the provision of common services to unit owners; and to contribute to a sinking fund for non-routine refurbishment and maintenance expenses. Your landlord may pass these charges on to you if this is agreed, but if they are not paid, the owners’ management company may pursue the owner (the landlord) for them.

Private tenancies and receivership

If your landlord’s mortgage is in arrears and the mortgage lender has appointed a receiver, you must pay the rent to the receiver, but it is the landlord who remains legally responsible for matters such as returning your deposits. The receiver may arrange for repairs to be carried out, but it is unclear whether the receiver is required to do this or whether the receiver takes on any of the responsibilities of a landlord.