Soiled mattresses, rats in kitchens and gardens, and threats from "fake police" were some of the major issues tenants faced in Ireland in the last two years.
Some of the most common reasons for tenants to approach the tenancy tribunal, which looks after dispute resolutions between renters and landlords, were deposit retention, the validity of termination notices, and breaches of landlord obligations. Meanwhile, rent arrears and overholding were the most common issues brought up by landlords during disputes, according to the Irish Times who analysed 375 tribunal reports and corresponding determination orders that were published on the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) website in 2022.
Landlords had to pay damages for breaches of obligation, issuing an invalid notice of termination, and not returning a deposit for unjustifiable reasons in 75 instances. The damages ranged from €50 to €20,000, which is the maximum amount allowed.
