Current tenants who find themselves with Banks or Receivers as their landlord have less rights and enjoy less protection than other private sector tenants. Such tenants cannot use the facility of the PRTB for disputes. It is expected that the number of Buy-to-Let properties will increase further based on recent figures from the Court Service in the first half of 2015. The Governments concern is that the increase in the first half of 2015 could indicate further property repossessions adding to the current crisis of homelessness.
The Department of the Environment and the Department of Finance are considering “duty of care” legislation, which would prohibit banks and lenders evicting a tenant who had no alternative accommodation.