A Laois TD has said that new rent rules “will lead to a further hike in already sky-high rents,” describing the proposed new rules as “a recipe for chaos in Laois for families and communities.”
Independent Republican TD and member of the Dáil Housing Committee, Brian Stanley, told the Committee that he felt “compelled to comment” on the new rent proposals.
“The new restrictions, such as they are, or rather the changes, will mean there are no controls for new builds and no controls for new tenancies when tenants change,” Deputy Stanley said.
“This is going to drive up already sky-high rents. This is really going to increase them further. They are going way beyond what ordinary people can afford.”
It follows the news that landlords will be allowed to reset rents at market rates every six years for new tenancies signed after March of 2026.
In introducing the changes, the Government said the reforms are designed to increase the supply of homes by “boosting investment.”
Deputy Stanley issued a warning on the new rent rules, saying: “There will not be no-fault evictions, but there will be so-called fault evictions because people will not be able to pay the rent.
“They will owe so much in rent landlords will be able to get them out. Once they are free that is another group of houses and flats where rents can be increased. This is a recipe for chaos for families and workers.”
The Housing Commission was established in January 2022 as an independent body to examine Ireland’s housing system and to make recommendations to shape long-term policy.
It made several recommendations for a new approach to the housing sector in Ireland, estimating there was an undersupply of over 250,000 homes across the country.
The Laois TD referenced the possibility of linking energy ratings to rent prices, saying “That at least was some kind of half-decent proposal.”
But he continued to criticise the rules, saying: “Most tenancies end voluntarily. People move on. They get housed by a local authority, purchase a house, move to new rental accommodation or they have to go to a larger house because of family size.
“The other side of that is people downsizing, and then some people are just emigrating because they are giving up.
“When all those tenancies change over it is a free-for-all in terms of what landlords can do with the rents. The Daft report last year showed Laois had the fastest increase in rents outside Dublin.”
The Government designated ‘Smaller landlords’ as those with up to three properties, saying they are still entitled to evict tenants in certain circumstances, such as financial hardship or a desire for a family member to move into the property.
However, no-fault evictions have been banned for landlords who own four or more properties.
“Those renting a house or apartment are being told by some there is a problem with profitability. Pull the other one,” Deputy Stanley quipped.
“There is nobody who really believes that. The charging of rents of up to €3,000 within the Pale and over €2,000 outside the Pale means huge profits are being made.
“That is €36,000 per year in rent alone for a bog-standard house. Families and workers who are on €400 to €700 per week simply cannot afford that. One week’s pay is completely wiped out on rent.”
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