A BILL WHICH would provide greater security for tenants from eviction will be brought to the Dáil today by Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit TD Ruth Coppinger.
The proposals would ban eviction on the grounds of sale, which the party says will provide greater security for tenants.
They reference recent figures published by housing charity Threshold, which show a large number of tenants calling in worried about an impending sale of their rental home.
AAA-PBP add that the bill is crucial because, in the case of Coppinger’s Dublin West constituency, almost a third of homeless cases referred to her relate to tenants being evicted because the landlord is selling the home.
A statement from the party said: “The Bill will seek to ban what Threshold have called termed ‘dubious terminations’ – such as on the grounds of sale by landlords, banks or receivers – it will mean sales can take place only with the tenants in situ.
The Bill will also provide for compensation for tenants should a landlord decide to evict them to use a property for a family member. This can act as a disincentive for landlords if they are simply using this loophole to evict a tenant in order to raise rent.
“It also provides for greater tenure for tenants by making leases indefinite after a period of two months and giving greater notice time of a year for the ending of a lease for a long-term tenant.”
The AAA-PBP add that that use of “legal reasons” for the termination of leases has been used to evict tenants only to replace them with new tenants at higher rents.
“It is a major driver of homelessness,” they add.
Coppinger recently held a press conference alongside a group of tenants from Tyrrelstown who are facing eviction from their home.
One resident detailed how he was facing a 28% increase to the rent for his home, and feared the landlord was trying to force him out.
Martin Malinovsky received notice of the increase from the property owner – European Property Fund – on 28 October. The rent of his home will rise from to €1,600 on 1 February 2017.
He said today he believes that this is an effort to push him out of his home so that the landlord can sell the property vacant.
“28% is an absolutely massive raise,” he said. “How could the landlord be allowed to raise it so much?”
The AAA-PBP conclude their statement by criticising Minister Simon Coveney’s new rental proposals, which will cap rent increases in designated zones of Cork city and Dublin city and county to 4% a year over a three-year period.
Coveney’s bill “ignored tenure” for tenants, the AAA-PBP said.
Their bill “will give tenants security”, they concluded.
Being brought forward for the first stage today, the Bill will be heard again on the first day of the Dail’s return during AAA-PBP Private Members time on January 17th.
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