HSE Inspection on rented house

MissPink

Hi there,
Currently renting a house (no rent allowance) and landlord text today to say there would be an 'random inspection' by the HSE next week.
Anybody shed some light on why this might be happening? Or what we might have to do for this?

As mentioned, we are all paying rent, no rent allowance/social benefit being paid to landlord, so not sure why the HSE would be involved in a private residence with no RA??

murphaph

Local authorities are legally responsible for maintaining standards in private rented accommodation and as such make (very) occasional inspections of same, regardless of the class of tenant therein. You don't have to so anything for the inspection. It is an inspection of the property, not the tenants. Presumably you'll give the place a quick tidy up before these strangers come into your home of course, but that's not obligatory.

snubbleste

OP, when they do come find out where they found out the house is rented, the landlord's details etc.

MissPink

snubbleste wrote: »

OP, when they do come find out where they found out the house is rented, the landlord's details etc.

Don't think we will be here when inspection takes place, as we will all be working. Landlord will allow them in (we gave permission) so can't ask.

Just find it weird, have never heard of it before!
Thanks for replies

Carawaystick

Surely a tenant has the right to not have random public servants wander around their home?

I'd ask the landlord if the inspection is legally required, and only then allow it, at a time of your choosing.

Mrs OBumble

Odd - HSE is not the council, so different legal rights apply.

Mmm, I wonder if there's a possibility of lead pipes or somesuch. They must have had to do house-to-house inspections when this was found in Old Mervue in Galway a few years ago.

The other option - and I hate to say it - is that someone has reported you to environmental health. Ahh, ... are there any, umm, waste issues from your house? (I'm sure there aren't, or you wouldn't be posting, but it is an option - could be a malicious complaint from someone.)

Carawaystick wrote: »

Surely a tenant has the right to not have random public servants wander around their home?

Nope. There are various laws allowing all sorts of public servants into your home in specific circumstances: fire, ambulance, environmental health, social workers, census and various other statistical surveys.

MissPink

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Odd - HSE is not the council, so different legal rights apply.

Mmm, I wonder if there's a possibility of lead pipes or somesuch. They must have had to do house-to-house inspections when this was found in Old Mervue in Galway a few years ago.

The other option - and I hate to say it - is that someone has reported you to environmental health. Ahh, ... are there any, umm, waste issues from your house? (I'm sure there aren't, or you wouldn't be posting, but it is an option - could be a malicious complaint from someone.)

That's what I'm wondering about. No problems about environmental issues, from what we can see anyways! House/garden/drive, etc is always kept in top condition. I'm quite house-proud, even as a tenant.
Stranger and stranger!

Ken.

Knowing the state of government bodies in this country it could be that a previous tenant that's 10 years dead was due for an H.S.E. inspection and there only getting around to it now.

MouseTail

I'd say the Landlord has got confused between the HSE and the LA.

teggers5

Hi MissPink. I had the same inspection a few months ago and like you I am renting privately with no rent allowance.
Basically all it involves is checking that all rooms are properly ventilated. The kitchen and bathrooms have working extractors and there is a fire blanket present. They also asked if the chimney is swept regularly and if I had signed a rental agreement.

chopper6

HSE?

You sure?

MissPink

Ya, definitely the HSE.

I suppose we'll just wait and see. Landlord says it's nothing for us to worry about and that anything that comes up will be for him to deal with.
Hopefully it's nothing.

chopper6

MissPink wrote: »

Ya, definitely the HSE.

I suppose we'll just wait and see. Landlord says it's nothing for us to worry about and that anything that comes up will be for him to deal with.
Hopefully it's nothing.

I think they only inspect to assertain if a property is suitable for housing allowance recipients...no gas leaks,inadequate sanitaion etc etc.

MissPink

chopper6 wrote: »

I think they only inspect to assertain if a property is suitable for housing allowance recipients...no gas leaks,inadequate sanitaion etc etc.

That's what I'm thinking myself. It's unusual though as we've signed a year lease until August/September and we have already indicated we would like to stay on another year. Anyways. We will see what happens thanks for the replies!

Victor

snubbleste wrote: »

OP, when they do come find out where they found out the house is rented, the landlord's details etc.

The PRTB registration fee funds inspections by environmental health inspectors from council housing departments.

maryishere

teggers5 wrote: »

I had the same inspection a few months ago and like you I am renting privately with no rent allowance.
Basically all it involves is checking that all rooms are properly ventilated. The kitchen and bathrooms have working extractors and there is a fire blanket present. They also asked if the chimney is swept regularly and if I had signed a rental agreement.

I thought the inspection was to check on the general quality of the accommodation as well / to see if it would meet current building standards? For example, if someone was living in a roof-space with a home made stairs giving access, where you had to bow you head going up part of the stairs for example so as not to hit your head? Or if there was not proper head height clearance and no proper heating in the converted attic, or something like that? Basically to make sure the place was inhabitable?

chopper6

maryishere wrote: »

I thought the inspection was to check on the general quality of the accommodation as well / to see if it would meet current building standards? For example, if someone was living in a roof-space with a home made stairs giving access, where you had to bow you head going up part of the stairs for example so as not to hit your head? Or if there was not proper head height clearance and no proper heating in the converted attic, or something like that? Basically to make sure the place was inhabitable?

Nope...it's only carried out on properties that the HSE intends to rent to SWA recipients.

Checks like the one you described are never carried out in the abscence of these tenants...a pity really as some of the hovels being rented out privatley would fall far short of what's acceptable i'm sure.

mrsbyrne

The HSE don't "rent"any properties to anybody "SWA" or otherwise.

Graces7

it would be over my dead body time if that was suggested here:rolleyes:

toughapple

A friend of mine lived in a flat in Rathmines. There was some kind of an inspection and the landlord told her he had to put a vent in her bedroom and do some other jobs. There was dust and debris everywher after. After the vent was put in the room was freezing and she ended up putting paper into it to stop the draught. The whole thing is just ridiculous.