Evicted Kildare tenant left with nowhere to turn
The healthcare professional had been living as a lodger under the scheme in a Kildare village for five months up to January following his separation.
A SEPARATED Kildare man has discovered a gaping loophole in the Government’s ‘Room to Rent’ Scheme in that it is “a sticking plaster” measure, and not covered by any legislation to shield users from random evictions.
“Legally binding? You might as well have given me a colouring book and crayons,” said the Kildare man aged in his 40s, about the tenancy agreement he signed with his former landlord.
The healthcare professional had been living as a lodger under the scheme in a Kildare village for five months up to January following his separation.
“As a tenant in a rent a room scheme where the landlord has access to a 14,000-euro tax credit, I have no protection from being evicted.
“What is it? It’s not even a sticking plaster (Rent a Room Scheme).
“I am now officially a homeless statistic, and having just made an application for emergency accommodation to Kildare County Council, they told me they can’t process that without a Notice to Quit,” he said.
The man is back living with his mother and now faces a two-hour commute for his job.
“I called the tax office about two weeks later about rent tax credits, and how to get them back, and she said the ‘Room to Rent’ Scheme is exempt from claiming back those credits,” said Gerry.
“I then contacted the RTB (Residential Tenancies Board), and they told me it was not within their remit, and they could only deal with that which falls within the legislation of the Residential Tenancy Act 2024, and the Room to Rent Scheme did not come under this,” he said.
“The lovely people at the RTB say they have countless people onto them about this, and there’s nothing it can do.
“The landlord is not obliged to give me a Notice to Quit, and (Kildare County Council) can’t help me in emergency accommodation without one. This is the Catch-22,” said the man.
The man had owned a house with his wife but separated last year.
“I currently work two jobs to help pay the mortgage and am putting myself through college to become qualified in the healthcare sector and procure better wages.
“I cannot for the life of me understand how a person in my position be afforded such little protection under the licence agreement in a rent a room scheme?
“Surely a review of the rent a room scheme -legislation wise - would be high on the Government agenda, to give a tenant in my position more protection?” he asked.
