Housing Standards

The quality of rental accommodation is critical to the success and sustainability of the residential rental sector and to its attractiveness as a long-term accommodation option for households. Residential rental properties must provide safe, efficient, durable, comfortable and environmentally sustainable homes for those who live in them. They must also be solid, stable and secure investments for those who own them.

Kilkenny County Council is dedicated to improving the living standards of tenants in private rented housing. This is done through the inspection of private rented properties, to determine whether a property meets the standards for rental accommodation and, where the property does not, for ensuring compliance through the use of improvement and prohibition notices and legal proceedings. Landlords and tenants are required to allow the Housing Authority access to the property to undertake inspections

Minimum Standards for Rented Accommodation

All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rental home meets certain minimum physical standards.

These standards are set out in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 

In November 2021 the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage published these guidelines - for Housing Authorities in implementation of minimum standards in rented accommodation

For advice and guidance tenants can avail of the services of Threshold, a nationwide charity that provides information and advice for tenant’s experiencing housing issues.  Threshold has a Free Phone Helpline 1800 454 454 for more information please visit www.threshold.ie

Alternatively you can contact the Residential Tenancy Board (RTB) - www.rtb.ie
The RTB website provides easy access to information relating to residential tenancies for both landlords and tenants.

The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) have created a helpful guide for landlords and tenants which is available at: www.rtb.ie

In general, the standards apply to dwellings rented from private landlords, local authorities and approved housing bodies. However, they do not apply to holiday homes or to communal housing being let by the Health Service Executive or an approved body.

Minimum Standards include:

• The property must be free from damp and in good structural repair.
• Hot and cold water must be available to the tenant.
• Adequate heating and ventilation must be provided.
• All appliances should be in good working order.
• Electrical wiring, gas and water pipes are required to be in good repair.
• Facilities for cooking preparation, storage of food and laundry including a 4 ring hob, oven and grill, fridge and freezer or fridge freezer and microwave oven must be provided. (This is not applicable to Approved Housing Body tenancies).
• Fire blanket and fire detection and alarm systems.
• Access to refuse storage facilities.
• Where there is no access to a yard / garden, access to communal laundry facilities must be provided
• Windows that are located above a certain height are fitted with safety restrictors, in order to prevent falls.
• There is a permanently fixed heater in each bathroom/shower room and these heaters are properly ventilated and maintained.
• Each dwelling contains, where necessary, carbon monoxide detectors and alarms, which must be suitably located.
• Efforts must be made to prevent the infestation of vermin and pests.
• In multi-unit buildings, there must be a fire detection and alarm system, an emergency evacuation plan and emergency lighting in common areas. It is important that fire safety equipment is maintained.
• Information must be provided to tenants on the property, building services, appliances and their maintenance requirements.

Requesting an Inspection

If you think that your home does not comply with the standards, you should first bring the problem to your landlord’s attention, whether you are renting from a private landlord, or a housing association.

If the problem persists you can request a standards inspection by contacting us at: pr.inspections@kilkennycoco.ie

Prohibition Notices

View list of properties on prohibition notice

Contact Us

Phone:  056-7794904

Email:  pr.inspections@kilkennycoco.ie

Address:
Private Rented Inspections,
Housing Department,
John’s Green,
Kilkenny,
R95 CX92.