The Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has today called on the government to immediately introduce nationwide rent caps as figures published by Daft.ie show that rents across the country have yet again reached an all-time high.
Today’s Daft.ie report states that the average rent nationwide for the last quarter of 2017 was €1,227 per month, with Dublin rents at €1,822, up 10.9 per cent.
Deputy Murphy said:
“These figures show that rents are continuing to rise to totally unsustainable levels across the country. In Dublin, rental costs have skyrocketed beyond levels not seen since the Celtic Tiger and are now 26 per cent, or almost €380 a month (€4,500 a year) higher than their previous peak in 2008.
“How much more evidence of astronomical and unaffordable rents and lack of supply does the Minister for Housing need to see before he acknowledges that the rental market is entirely broken and that an emergency response is now needed?
“Rent pressure zones were supposed to curb rent increases by capping rents in key urban areas. It is now beyond time for the government to face facts – rent pressure zones have failed and the only way to make rents affordable is to apply proper rent certainty measures.”
Deputy Murphy called for an immediate linking of rents to the Consumer Price Index until there is sufficient housing to drive down rents.
She added:
“The Social Democrats recently published our Renters’ Charter, a 12-point plan that would provide real breathing space and more security for all tenants. We need to see nationwide rent caps that are properly policed by strengthened regulation.
“Our recent Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2018 extends the minimum notice period for termination of tenancies and strengthens tenants’ rights in relation to how rent caps are currently monitored and applied.”
12 February 2018
ENDS
The Social Democrats Renters’ Charter outlines what we will do to strengthen renters rights.