‘Nothing short of a disgrace’, councillor criticises condition of private rentals in Waterford
Cllr Seamus Ryan said the condition of some of the privately rented properties in the city is “nothing short of a disgrace”.
A Waterford City councillor has raised issue with the condition of a number of private rental properties throughout the city.
Local Councillor Séamus Ryan brought the issue to the council’s attention at a recent sitting of Waterford City and County Council, saying the condition of some of the privately rented properties in the city is “nothing short of a disgrace”, adding that apartments seem to be among the worst offenders.
Cllr Ryan asked council representatives how many inspections Waterford City and Count Council have completed this year, whether the council have “sufficient inspectors” to carry out enforcements on substandard properties, and what actions the council are taking to enforce “rogue landlords”, adding that some landlords in the city are taking advantage of the current housing crisis.
He was told that not only are inspections carried out by the local authority, they are “among the top performing in this space nationally”, by a representative for Waterford City and County Council, who said roughly 3,400 inspections have been carried out across the county since this time last year.
A Waterford council spokesperson also highlighted renters' rights to report substandard living conditions to the council for inspection, referencing the council’s rental complaints forms available online.
