The national housing charity Threshold, has today (06.11.15) welcomed a reported deal that has been agreed by Government to address the issues of rapidly increasing rents and housing supply. The deal outlines a number of measures including limiting rent increases to every two years instead of annual rent reviews and introducing a tax incentive for landlords to take people on rent supplement payments.
There will also be an extended notice period for rent increases and a requirement on the part of the landlord to justify the reasonableness of rent increases. According to Threshold, this combination of measures will significantly improve the position of very vulnerable tenants in Ireland.
Speaking this morning, Senator Aideen Hayden, Chairperson of Threshold commented: “Threshold has been increasingly concerned by the significant rise in the number of clients contacting our services who are at serious risk of homelessness due to rent increases.
“According to recent reports, 70 to 80 families a month are facing homelessness in Dublin alone and for many of these families the fear and stress of losing their home has had devastating effects. These developments should have a huge impact and make a significant difference to people’s lives.
“It will be a great consolation to many families living in fear of a rent increase, which might lead to them losing their home, that this legislation is imminent. There are also many ordinary working people who will breathe a sigh of relief today, particularly those who hope to save for their own home. The measures will, in effect, stabilise rents for a period of two years.
“In the coming months Threshold will be leading a debate on the future of the rented sectors. We strongly believe that there can be no return to ‘business as usual’ when it comes to meeting the needs of the increasing number of people relying on the rented sector for their accommodation. Future measures for the period beyond the two year rent freeze must include measures to link rent increases to the Consumer Price Index.
“We would urge the Government to bring these measures forward as emergency legislation in the days immediately following a Cabinet decision, which is expected next Tuesday.”
