Rent a Room - income exceeds €10,000 - tax question

Am an owner occupier renting some rooms in my house on the rent a room basis although they now exceed the €10,000 threshold. I am not registered with the PRTB but my accountant says I must do so immediately as the rental incomes exceeds the rent a room relief threshold. Is this true? My tenants have licence agreements, not tenancy agreements. Can I not just declare my income for tax purposes and continue to rent out as rent a room although I wont qualify for the relief?

Any advice gratefully received.

he/she is wrong i think

from the horses mouth



What dwellings are exempt from the tenancy registration system?

Business premises, even where partly residential (to which section 13(1)(a) of the Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act 1980 could apply).

A dwelling to which Part II of the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act 1982 applies (i.e. formerly rent controlled dwelling occupied by the “original tenant” or his/her spouse) or to which Part II of the Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act 1980 applies (i.e. long occupation equity lease tenancies)

A dwelling let by a local authority or voluntary housing body

A dwelling occupied under a shared ownership lease

A holiday let

A dwelling in which the landlord is also resident

A dwelling in which the spouse, parent or child of the landlord is resident and there is no written lease or tenancy agreement

A dwelling that is occupied rent free

If a dwelling is available for renting but has not yet been let, there is no requirement to register.

Might consider keeping rent under the threshold where no tax liability as opposed to any amount over the limit which makes total amount taxable.

Thanks guys, I had a feeling he was wrong.

You should still double-check to ensure that you are not caught by the provision in the tax code that disallows deductions for mortgage interest relief against rental income if the tenancies haven't been registered with PRTB. This risk may be remote, but if it exists at all, you should address it just in case.