Local authority and private rental tenants in Galway say that inspections and repairs are not carried out at an acceptable rate.
A survey of nearly 100 Galway renters conducted by Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell found that 88 per cent of those polled are currently dealing with a household maintenance issue.
Of the 98 poll respondents, nearly 40 per cent are Galway City Council tenants, just over 20 per cent are Galway County Council tenants and the remaining 40 per cent selected that they rent through other means such as a private landlord. Mould, humidity, leaks, and heating issues are among the most commonly reported problems.
Reporting the problems does not guarantee an imminent fix. Fifty-seven per cent of renters polled said that despite lodging complaints regarding maintenance needs with the relevant authorities, their issues have gone unsolved for over two years.
Renter experiences
The poll featured an open-ended section for participating renters to share their personal experiences.
One renter shared that “The mould keeps coming back after repeated cleaning, leaving everyone in the house with nasty coughs and allergies.”
Another survey respondent mentioned how the damages to their dwelling are leading to other problems within the home. They stated, “The leaks have damaged a lot of my belongings, afraid the ceilings are going to cave in as they’re all cracked.”
Concerns about pests are also included in the stories shared by Galway renters. One respondent said, “Myself and my young daughter are constantly sick with coughs, and now I can’t allow her to play in our back garden because of rats. I am also woken during the night most nights by them crawling through the walls and fixtures of the property.”
Statements on the issue
In a statement issued to the press, Deputy Farrell said, “I decided to conduct this survey because I had been hearing from Council tenants specifically that they were not able to get issues repaired in their homes and I wanted to get a broader sense of what renters are dealing with…The results of my survey are alarming and are yet another sign of how dysfunctional the housing system is.”
When contacted for comment on the data regarding nearly 40 of their tenants, the Galway City Council declined, saying that as the data “is less than 1.4 per cent of housing stock…it would not be appropriate to comment”.
In response, Deputy Farrell’s office said, “The survey results show that many tenants find it very difficult to get repairs in their homes done (either from Council or other landlord)…This is an issue Deputy Farrell has been raising with the City Council for over a year now and she had two meetings with them to specifically discuss this in April and July 2023. It is our understanding from those meetings that there has been difficulty in recruiting staff to do the work that is needed.”
The rental market in Galway is an issue that only increases in relevance as home ownership rates continue to fall. Data released by the CSO states that from 2016 to 2022, the number of residences owned being rented from a private landlord went from just over 300,000 to 330,000. This is an increase of 7 per cent.
In her statement, TD Mairead Farrell said, “Local authorities must make housing maintenance a priority for the health and safety of Galwegians who are renting. Government must act to ensure minimum standards in rental accommodation are met, particularly in state-owned properties.”