Dublin: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) is preparing to issue a ruling on a complaint concerning the charging of administrative fees to tenants who end their lease agreements before the contract period expires.
The case arose in South Dublin, where a letting agent charged a departing family an “administrative fee”, claiming they were responsible for securing a replacement tenant and providing references. The family, supported by the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU), challenged the fee before the RTB.
The couple, who had been renting their apartment for three years at a monthly rate of €1,900, served the legally required 56 days’ notice before vacating. However, a dispute emerged over a fee of €200, which rose to €246 once VAT was applied.
This is not the first time Irish tenants have faced additional charges. In recent years, moves by landlords and agents to impose fees for common area usage at IRES buildings were overturned following legal advice. Similarly, tenants at Islandbridge Apartments had previously lodged complaints with the RTB regarding extra charges.
Housing charity Threshold has criticised the practice, describing the fee as unnecessary and outside the scope of tenancy law. “There are no additional conditions under current legislation, and tenants are not obliged to source a replacement when ending their tenancy,” a spokesperson said. Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin, also expressed concern over such charges being imposed.
The owner of the letting agency involved insisted that the business operates in compliance with legislation and argued that charging such fees helps ensure a “smooth transition” between tenants.
An RTB spokesperson said that it could not comment on the case without examining the specific contract, but clarified that only charges expressly set out in a tenancy agreement may be enforced.
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