Sinn Féin Publish Rent Certainty Bill – Ó Broin

Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin has this morning published the Rent Certainty Amendment Bill. This Bill will provide greater protections to tenants and landlords from volatility in the rental market as it will link any rent increases or decreases to the Consumer Price Index.

Speaking this morning Deputy Ó Broin, a member of the Dáil committee on Housing and Homelessness said:

“This morning’s DAFT report on the rental market confirms that Alan Kelly’s measures to deal with the crisis in the rental sector have failed.

“Rents are now higher that at their Celtic Tiger peak. The statewide average is €998 while in Dublin average rents are between €1,300 and €1,663.

“The crisis in the private rental sector is getting worse. It is creating increased financial hardship for many families. It is pushing some families into homelessness.

“The measures introduced by Minister Alan Kelly last year are not working. Indeed according to some experts they have made matters worse.

“There is now an urgent need to introduce rent certainty legislation to stabilise the market. This would be good for both landlords and tenants.

“The Bill I am publishing today seeks to do this. Linking future rent reviews to the Consumer Price Index would create a level of stability in the market and prevent dramatic increases or decreases in rents.

“Ultimately however the crisis in the private rental sector will only be addressed by increasing the supply of housing and in particular social housing.

“Too many families who should be living in Council housing are instead forced to live in the private rental sector subsidised by the state. This is adding additional pressures on the rental market.

“Government needs to increase the level of investment in social housing and work with local Councils to increase their stock through an initial focus on acquisitions and refurbishments while new build projects are being developed.

“In the meantime I am urging Minister Coveney to support Sinn Féin’s Rent Certainty Bill or to introduce his own legislation to create the stability that renters and landlords so desperately need.”