Residential tenancies act 2020

• Statutory Instrument No.: 17/2020
• Enactment Date: 24 October 2020
• Act Number: 17

Number 17 of 2020
RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT 2020
CONTENTS
Section
1. Interpretation
2. Emergency period
3. Notices of termination under Act of 2004
4. Entitlement to remain in occupation of dwelling during emergency period
5. Short title and collective citation
Acts Referred to
Health Act 1947 (No. 28)
Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 (No. 14)
Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (No. 27)
Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2019
Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020 (No. 7)
Number 17 of 2020
RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT 2020
An Act, to make exceptional provision, in the public interest and having regard to the manifest and grave risk to human life and public health posed by the spread of the disease known as Covid-19; in order to mitigate, where practicable, the effect of the spread of that disease and to limit the adverse consequences resulting, or likely to result from the spread of that disease; and having regard to the burden caused by that risk to the normal functioning of society; and recognising the likelihood that necessary restrictions imposed in order to reduce that spread and its effect on society will impede the ability of tenants to find alternative accommodation and the consequent impact on the well-being of persons and families and on the availability of vital public service functions in relation to housing; to make provision in relation to the operation of certain provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 during a period of restrictions imposed upon travel to, from or within certain geographical locations pursuant to regulations under section 31A of the Health Act 1947 ; and to provide for related matters.
[24th October, 2020]
Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows:
		Interpretation
1. (1) In this Act—
	“Act of 2004” means the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 ;
	“affected areas order” means an order made by the Minister for Health under section 31B of the Health Act 1947 ;
	“emergency period” shall be construed in accordance with section 2.
	(2) In this Act—
	(a) references to landlord shall be construed as including references to licensor within the meaning of section 37 of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 ,
	(b) references to tenant shall be construed as including references to licensee within such meaning, and
	(c) references to tenancy shall be construed as including references to licence within such meaning.
	(3) A word or expression that is used in this Act and in the Act of 2004 shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the same meaning in this Act that it has in the Act of 2004.
		Emergency period
2. (1) An emergency period, in relation to the tenancy of a dwelling, shall be a period in respect of which the Minister for Health makes relevant regulations which impose restrictions on travel outside a 5 kilometre radius of a person’s place of residence, being the dwelling concerned, during a period specified in the relevant regulations.
	(2) An emergency period shall include an emergency period in respect of which the Minister for Health made relevant regulations before the coming into operation of the Act and which emergency period has not expired on that...