Complaints are falling on deaf ears.

A sample check by residents living near University College Cork has shown that the majority of landlords renting properties in the area appear to have not registered their privately rented properties with the Residental Tenancies Board.

Legislation requires all privately rented properties to be registered with the RTB, but checks carried out by Magazine Road and Surrounding Areas residents over five years have found that the majority (over 60%) are not registered with the RTB.

A similar survey carried out recently by residents living close to the University of Limerick shows similar rates of nonregistration. If these statistics are replicated across the country, it would result in approximately 300,000 privately rented properties not being registered with the RTB, resulting in millions of euros in lost revenue to the State.

Members of the Magazine Road and Surrounding Areas Residents Association have been highlighting the issue since 2017 and have now written to newly appointed RTB Director, Mr Niall Byrne to intervene.

“The non-compliance by landlords on their statutory requirement has serious consequences for tenants, neighbours and the local community and results in a closed-door or delays in resolving issues and the RTB failing in their duty of care to us as a third party,” said Chairperson of the Magazine Road and Surrounding Areas Resident Association, Catherine Clancy.

“The residents association believes the consistency of nonregistration of privately rented properties over many years requires a complete system change within the RTB if it is to fulfill its legal obligations.

“A system that relies on landlords to self-regulate is not working for us as residents and in our experience is not fit for purpose.”