A social policy professor has claimed that he is being contacted by renters who fear they will not avail of the €500 rental credit as their landlord isn't legally registered.
Professor Rory Hearne, who wrote Gaffs, an award nominated book about an entire generation locked out of the housing market, has detailed the concerns of tenants in Ireland.
The Maynooth University professor said: "I'm being contacted by renters who can't claim €500 tax credit because their landlord isn't registered with RTB. This is unfair."
A new Rent Tax Credit was introduced in December 2022 for people who pay for private rented accommodation.
The tax credit is 20% of the rent you paid in a year, up to a maximum of €500 per person, or a €1,000, if you are a couple jointly assessed for tax. This new tax credit is available for the tax years 2022 to 2025 inclusive.
Professor Hearne stressed that many tenants "are too afraid to ask their landlord", with many concerned about the consequences of giving their rental property details to Revenue.
"Proof of rental payment should qualify the tenant? They shouldn't suffer for landlords failure to comply," he wrote on Twitter along with the claim of an influx of messages.
Senator Mary Fitzpatrick, Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Housing, Local Government and Heritage stated that it is illegal not to register as a landlord.
"Landlords who do not register a tenancy can be fined up to €4,000 and face imprisonment for up to 6 months on conviction. A further penalty of €250 for each day of non-registration can be applied," she explained in response to Professor Hearne's post online.
One commenter said that many renters just want the credit they’re entitled to and "don’t want the hassle, and threat of eviction, that could come with reporting a landlord."
The commenter also claimed that there is little enforcement of the law mentioned by Senator Fitzpatrick, while another asked "how many have actually ever been fined."
One commenter told those in the thread that the section asking for your landlord's RTB registration can be left blank.
"I claimed and received my rent relief credit. Landlord not registered. I left the RTB number section blank. All I provided was eircode / address of property and landlords name," they said.
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