Q&A

This week's Q&A deals with landlord registration and central vacuuming systems.

Landlord registration

Your answer (last Thursday) in relation to the position of landlord registration was, I found, confusing. I am a landlord, in that I rent out a room in my house, but I have been advised that I do not have to register with the Private Residential Tenancies Board, so not all landlords have to.

You are right, as someone who rents out a room under the rent a room scheme you are exempt. In fact, there are a number of exemptions under the new Residential Tenancies Act 2004. They include business lettings, holiday lettings, social housing, former rent controlled tenancies, rent a room or other arrangements whereby the landlord also resides in the dwelling.

However, if the tenant was a family member and you have given that family member a lease or written tenancy agreement, then you have to register.

According to the Irish Property Owners Association, also exempt are people conducting "some form of light business activity from their rented dwellings".

This is a new Act and there still is a great deal of confusion in relation to the issue of registration.

This board comes under the Department of the Environment and anyone looking for more information could go into the department's main website www.environ.ie and proceed to the housing section, or contact the board by e-mail, Tenancies_Board@environ.ie.

A central vacuum system

In last week's paper you featured a house that had what you described as a "central vacuum system". I live in a two-storey over basement house and, if I had the storage spaces on the landing, I would consider putting a Hoover in each cupboard - lugging a vacuum up all the stairs is becoming too difficult. A central vacuum system could be the ideal solution. Could it be put into an old house?

Yes, but ideally such systems should be installed either when a house is being built or when it is being completely renovated - i.e. replastered etc. It involves a hose or a pipe, around two inches in diameter, set into the sub floor or the walls with outlets at strategic points on the walls of landings, halls or in whatever room is requested. The outlets are covered with smart-looking flaps that can be co-ordinated with your decoration. The "works" part of the system - a small cylindrical shaped unit - can be located in whatever is a convenient space.

In the house featured in the paper last week, it was in an outhouse. Other people, according to Ashbrook Electrical in Co Laois which install a vacuum system called DuoVac, put the motor part of the system in utility rooms or under the stairs.

Installing such a system in an old house will involve disruption if the pipes are to be set into the wall as you'll also have to involve plasterers and painters. Central vacuum systems are becoming very popular in new builds and there are several different systems and suppliers, so shop around.

Send your queries to Property Questions, The Irish Times, 10-16 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 or e-mail propertyquestions@irish-times.ie.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to respond to all questions. The above is a representative sample of queries received. This column is a readers' service and is not intended to replace professional advice. No individual correspondence will be entered into.