Rental properties near UCC run like ‘small hotels’

That’s according to Catherine Clancy of the Magazine Road and Surrounding Areas Residents Association, who told the Cork Independent that the lack of regulation for landlords is a huge issue in the area.

Ms Clancy said legislation brought in last year to allow the gardaí to issue fines to people hosting house parties has been a major help to the local residents. However, she believes there is nowhere near enough being done to keep landlords in check with roughly a third of rented properties in the area still unregistered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).

“There is a real issue around houses of multiple occupancy and the lack of legislation in place.

“They're like small hotels with no management or maintenance or upkeep. Some of the people going into these houses are going into very bad conditions and paying very high rents,” she said.

Last year, the Dáil heard that over 140 rented properties in the College Road and Magazine Road area were not registered with the RTB.

At that time, Cork North-Central TD Colm Burke called upon the Government to take action and to ensure that the RTB fulfilled its duties, however, a year later Ms Clancy says no such action has been taken.

“The RTB need to go out and identify these properties. Just walk up and down the street – it can clearly be seen which properties are being rented,” said Ms Clancy. She added: “In fairness to the young people that live in these houses, if you go into a house that is in terrible condition, that sets a standard and it spreads out into the community.”

Although there are still house parties happening in the area, Ms Clancy says the residents have a very good relationship with UCC, its student union and gardaí.

“We have built a very strong relationship with UCC. It did make a difference last year and we hope it will make a difference this year too,” she said.