MORE THAN a third of rental properties inspected in Dublin last year did not meet minimum legal standards, according to statistics from the Department of the Environment.
The statistics, which were obtained by Fine Gael Senator Paschal Donohoe, reveal that 2,854 of the 14,880 rental properties checked by local authorities across the State in 2008 were found to be below minimum standards.
This is equivalent to almost one in five of all rented properties in Ireland. The data shows wide discrepancies in standards with almost half of rental properties in Dublin coming in below standards compared with just 9 per cent in Co Galway and 2 per cent in Co Wexford. Donegal, Westmeath and Meath were among a number of county councils who reported a 100 per cent compliance rate for rented properties.
In the capital, 1,266 of the 2,822 properties inspected by Dublin City Council were found to be below the standards outlined by the Department of the Environment.
Despite the high number of failed inspections, only eight legal cases were taken against rogue landlords last year, just one of which was initiated by Dublin City Council.
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