Landlords withholding PPS numbers

ALMOST 80 per cent of landlords whose tenants are in receipt of social welfare rent supplement payments failed to give their PPS (personal public service) number to the Government last year, the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee has heard.

Landlords who are paid using the Rent Supplement Scheme are legally required to supply the Department of Social and Family Affairs with their PPS number to ensure they are tax-compliant.

Last year, 150,000 people received rent supplement, intended to be a short-term income support for private rented accommodation. However, landlords surrendered PPS numbers in just 31,000 cases.

Secretary general of the department Bernadette Lacey said she was constrained by the legislation which entitled tenants to receive the payment even if their landlord did not supply a PPS number.

Labour TD Róisín Shortall said the figure was “extremely disappointing” and it was clear the legislation wasn’t working.

The department would not be transferring the 2009 list of landlord PPS numbers to the Revenue Commissioners until the end of this year, Ms Lacey said, and by then she hoped to have at least 80 per cent of the numbers.

Ms Lacey told the committee the new public services card will have to be delayed until next year due to the public service dispute. It would simplify access to social services by cutting out form-filling and red tape and will also be used to identify social welfare fraud.