Landlords can jack up rents every time a student leaves, Minister confirms
Landlords will be able to hike up rents to market rates every time a student leaves private rental accommodation voluntarily, Housing Minister James Browne confirmed. He said that creating special provisions for cohorts who may have to move frequently, including students, junior doctors, and gardaí, would be 'unworkable' and 'unenforceable.'
The Government confirmed plans last week to overhaul the Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) legislation. One part of this was that landlords could increase their rents to market rates after a six-year contract came to an end. However, rents can also be raised at any stage if a tenant leaves voluntarily.
This raised questions about students who live in private rental accommodation for an academic year before moving on. Groups representing Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors also raised concerns about the impact on junior doctors who rotate between hospitals every couple of months.
However, the Housing Minister confirmed that no measures will be taken to protect short-term renters from rent increases.
Minister Browne said he was engaging with Higher Education Minister James Lawless to ensure that students in student-specific accommodation would be protected. However, he said that there 'won't be any special measures put in in terms of the private rental sector' for students, as it would 'become impossible to police or to manage in those services'.
He continued: 'There's always, I suppose, challenges like that. Students, nurses, gardaí, doctors, consultants. There is no special exemptions in current law for people in that particular situation and there won't be under the new legislation either as drafted.
'I think to try and engineer into the legislation that a landlord would then have to identify what that person's role [is]… Are they a student? Are they a full-time student? Part-time student? What qualifies a student? It will be unworkable and I think it would be unenforceable.'
The Cabinet also agreed to sign off on former HSE Chief Paul Reid as head of An Coimisiún Pleanála. Mr Browne confirmed to the Irish Mirror that Mr Reid will be paid €50,000 a year and was 'not aware' of any allowances. He stated that Mr Reid has 'governance and management experience'.
The Housing Minister also stated that he is 'very hopeful' that the legislation extending RPZs nationwide will be passed by the end of the week.
The Dáil will debate the legislation on Wednesday where it is expected to pass all stages. It is then expected to be rushed through the Seanad on Thursday. Minister Browne said that landlords not currently covered by RPZ legislation 'can't simply hike up rents' but there 'may be a few landlords who haven't done a review, might be carrying it out at the moment'.
It follows suggestions from Labour's housing spokesman Conor Sheehan that there was anecdotal evidence of landlords attempting to increase rents before the RPZs came in.
In the Dáil, Leaders' Questions were dominated by housing ahead of the 'Raise the Roof' protest outside Leinster House from 6pm. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that the Government's plans for the rental sector include " forcing ripped off renters to carry the can for your failure' and a 'rent hike Bill.'
She said: 'All renters will be subject to big hikes over time. Those moving into new build properties will be hit with massive market rent from day one, while those who move frequently for work and education and regularly enter new tenancies will be absolutely hammered.'
Taoiseach Micheál Martin argued, however, that the reforms meant that 'renters will have stronger protections than ever before' as the whole country will be subject to rent increase caps.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik accused the Government of 'chaotic decision making, u-turns, drip feeds and hasty rewrites of flawed press releases'. She added: 'Anyone watching will be wondering when you're going to take political responsibility for the housing crisis. You're the Taoiseach, you're in government, your party and Fine Gael have effectively governed together for the best part of a decade and yet you are resorting to throwing critiques at the opposition for not building homes.'
This led to a heated exchange between Mr Martin and Ms Bacik, as the Taoiseach told her that Labour 'could have been in Government' following the last election but 'didn't have the courage'.
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