Nearly 60% of rental properties inspected by local authorities last year failed to make the grade.
In Donegal, Louth, Offaly and Limerick City council areas, none of the premises that were visited passed inspection.
Figures from the Department of the Environment show nearly 17,900 inspections were carried out around the country in 2013.
However, 31 local authorities are not covered in the figures, because either no inspections were carried out there or no information was passed onto the department.