There has been an increase in the number of renters seeking support from Threshold over the retention of their rental deposits.
Latest figures show that between April and June this year, 195 households sought help from Threshold when landlords failed to return their deposits.
This compares to 172 households who sought support on deposit retention issues in the same quarter last year.
The issue has led Threshold to campaign for the establishment of a Deposit Protection Scheme, to protect renters from having their deposits "unfairly retained" by landlords.
It has proposed the establishment of a custodial model, where a landlord is required to lodge a deposit with a registered tenancy deposit scheme.
At the end of the tenancy, the tenant or landlord could apply to the scheme for the deposit to be returned.
Threshold suggests that if both the tenant and landlord agree, the deposit could be returned in part or in full.
It has said that mediation could be held where there is a dispute and the RTB could become involved if that disagreement persists.
The CEO of Threshold, John McCafferty, pointed out that the Government legislated for the scheme in 2015, however it was never established.
"There are renters all over the country who cannot afford to lose their deposits, nor is it right that this money be taken from them," he said.
While renters can challenge the deposit being unfairly retained and take the matter to the RTB, this can be a lengthy and difficult process.
"A Deposit Protection Scheme is very much needed to ensure a quick and fair return of deposits to a tenant once they finish their tenancy," he said.
Threshold's 2023 Q2 figures show that 2,159 new clients at risk of homelessness contacted the charity.
That is up from 2,060 compared to the same quarter last year.
The majority of those who contacted the charity related to their landlord's notice to sell the property.
8,685 households received support from the charity on wider tenancy issues.
Nearly 50% of queries received from private renters concerned tenancy termination, an increase from 37% in the first quarter of the year.
Threshold advisors answered over 11,000 phone calls and responded to almost 2,000 webchats from private renters facing challenges in their tenancy.
Mr McCafferty has said concerns around the termination of tenancies has remained a key challenge for tenants.
"We saw a slight reduction in the number of households that were prevented from entering homelessness this quarter compared to the first quarter of this year. This is a result of client cases lasting for a longer time period due to their complexity, meaning that we are not closing as many cases as was previously seen," he said.
He pointed out that between January and June of this year, 338 households sought support with the issue.
In 2022, 701 households in total contacted Threshold for advice and support on having their deposit returned.
Katarzyna's experience
Katarzyna and her family were living in their home for over 11 years when her landlord served them with a notice of termination citing a wish to substantially refurbish the property.
Katarzyna found a new home after three months of searching and informed her landlord that her family would be leaving their tenancy before the termination date to move into their new home.
However, the landlord wanted to keep all of Katarzyna's deposit as she was not staying for the full notice period. Katarzyna became worried about losing her €900 deposit but could not give up the opportunity of a new home for her family.
Facing this dilemma, she contacted Threshold for advice.
Her advisor set out her rights to leave the tenancy prior to the termination date and informed her that the landlord could not withhold her deposit on this basis.
Katarzyna discussed this with her landlord, who consulted a solicitor and was advised to return the deposit.
She received her deposit in full and is now living in her new home with her family.
