S.I. No. 140/1988:

HOUSING (RENT TRIBUNAL) REGULATIONS, 1983, (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1988.

HOUSING (RENT TRIBUNAL) REGULATIONS, 1983, (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1988.

The Minister for the Environment, in exercise of the power conferred on him by section 15 of the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) (Amendment) Act, 1983 (No. 22 of 1983), hereby makes the following Regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as Housing (Rent Tribunal) Regulations 1983, (Amendment) Regulations, 1988.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of July, 1988.

3. The following article is hereby substituted for article 12 of the Housing (Rent Tribunal) Regulations, 1983 ( S.I. No. 222 of 1983 ).

"12. (1) The Tribunal may, at its discretion, award costs and expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred, to the tenant or to the landlord, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, including the means of the landlord and of the tenant.

(2) The Tribunal shall determine the amount of the costs and expenses to be paid under this article and the amount so determined shall be recoverable as a simple contract debt."

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for the Environment this 27th day of June 1988.

PADRAIG FLYNN,

Minister for the Environment.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These regulations amend the provisions contained in the Housing (Rent Tribunal) Regulations, 1983, regarding the awarding of costs and expenses by the Rent Tribunal.

The Regulations give greater discretion to the Tribunal in awarding costs and empower it to award costs where applications are determined without an oral hearing.