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Updated 3.55pm
LANDLORDS WILL BE barred from increasing residential rents for two years under new plans to tackle the housing crisis announced by the government today.
Property owners will also be required to give longer notice to tenants of rental increases or eviction as part of long-awaited proposals announced by ministers Alan Kelly and Micheal Noonan.
“I hope it works,” Finance Minister Noonan said today as the government ended weeks of speculation and infighting over measures to tackle soaring rents and lack of housing supply.
The increase in the rent review period will mean that anybody whose rent has been increased this year will not face another hike until 2017. This 24-month review period will be in place for four years before it reverts back to 12 months.
“Legislation will require 24 months between all rent reviews, in what is among the most signifiant overhaul of tenants’ rights in the state,” the government said today.
It’s also been confirmed that the amount of notice a landlord must give a tenant of a rent increase will be extended from 28 days to 90 days.
The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) will be given new powers to ensure landlords inform tenants of their rights.
Evidence of a landlord’s justification for any rent increase, such as the market rent for similar dwellings in their area, must be provided to the tenant.
Other initiatives being rolled out include:
In a blow to Environment Minister Kelly, his initial plan to link rent increases with the level of inflation for a three-year period – known as rent certainty – was vetoed by Noonan in recent weeks.
However, Kelly said today these measures amount to rent certainty for landlords and tenants, insisting it is a “comprehensive package” that he is happy with. Noonan said it would provide “security of tenure for tenants”.
There have been calls by a number of housing and construction industry groups for the government to get ahead of the crisis, with little being offered in last month’s Budget, other than the announcement of the construction of modular homes in parts of Dublin.
Ahead of today’s annoucement, Ibec group Property Industry Ireland, called for government to create a cabinet minister for housing.
“Creating a senior ministerial housing portfolio would create some much-needed leadership in this policy area. It would also help demonstrate a commitment from government to the speedy resolution of the crisis in the Irish housing system,” said PII director Dr Peter Stafford.
He said at least 25,000 new homes need to be built each year to meet demands. At present, just half of that are being built, he said.
- with reporting from Christina Finn
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A star in the making. Good on you Sarah
Well done
Just persevere. Do your best and be proud!
Great run from Andrew Coscoran also
6th in the 3000m
there’s no medal for sixth
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: You know your stuff.
@john kenny: do you wear a little pair of panties?
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: you got gold, for being the best clown
Hope she’s not reading this, she done her best today was not her day, she was placed and proud.
@Phillip Smyth: I doubt she gives a s*** what the bitter little reprobates have to say.
She did herself and her country proud which is more than these saddos will ever achieve.
@Fergus O’Donnell: dead right Fergus do know if she receiving
@Phillip Smyth: do you know if she’s receiving plaudits for her finishing she seems to be getting raw deals this is not right
@Phillip Smyth: She finished sixth of 12 in a world final. First European home. Exactly as anyone who knows the sport would have predicted.
can’t comment on genocide in gaza, Israel’s a disgrace
@Joe Doyle: release the Hamas held hostages and remove the reason for Israel being in Gaza
@Joe Doyle: The excellent UK radio station LBC constantly covers almost daily what’s happening in the Middle East and allows its listeners to voice their opinions on the matter unlike here in Ireland, public debate on anything is blatantly and deliberately ignored by our media, free speech in the Irish version of democracy I’m afraid is non existent, our last general election is a perfect example of that where the general public were completely ignored by our pathetic media both radio and Television and not facilitated in any debate whatsoever to voice their opinions.
@James Gorman: Hamas was created by Israel and no one else, ever hear of the expression James “Divide And Conquer”?, now do yourself a favour and investigate how Hamas was created and financed but first take off the blinkers, perhaps you may also check out “The Bibi Files Documentary” that has exposed the horrible individual and his family that are in power in Israel, It will also give an insight into some of the extreme far fight racists in Netanyahu’s government.
Sixth lol
@Mr. Biggins: u couldn’t run a bath
@Mr. Biggins: Imagine how meaningless your life must be to spend your time on here trolling. What a los*r.
It’s a pity that she didn’t have the kick on power in the final three laps. It’s a learning curve and she did Ireland proud.
Sarah is tough as nails
have your say