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Rent increases can only be linked to inflation from today. Shutterstock/Ingus Kruklitis

Landlords can no longer hit tenants with 4% rent hike from today, but SF criticises delay in law

The Bill was signed by the president last week but the regulation only commences from today.

FROM TODAY LANDLORDS can no longer apply a 4% rent hike and must instead link any rent increases on properties in Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) to inflation.

Sinn Fein’s Eoin Ó Broin has said it is an “absolute disgrace” that Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien waited a week before signing the commencement order of Section 6 of the Residential Tenancies Act.

He claims this has resulted in landlords still being able to hit tenants with rent reviews of 4% and 8% in some cases, over the last seven days.

The Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021 was brought forward to the Dáil by the housing minister last month.

It was passed in both the Dáil and the Seanad last week and was signed into law by the  President Michael D Higgins last Friday.

The Bill ensures rent increases must now be in line with the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP).

Recently, there were concerns that landlords would impose rent increases of up to 8% on tenants once the temporary ban on evictions and a rent freeze set during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic came to an end. 

However, this law will not allow for an 8% rise. 

The Residential Tenancies Board confirmed the new rent increase rules only come into operation today, on foot of the necessary commencement order being signed by the housing minister yesterday.

Accordingly, any valid notice of rent review now served in relation to a tenancy in a Rent Pressure Zone cannot provide for a rent increase that exceeds inflation.

A spokesperson for the minister said because Section 6 created a new offence it had to be lodged with the Supreme Court.

“The Act was enrolled by the Supreme Court and published on the Irish Statute Book on 15 July 2021 and the minister immediately made the necessary commencement order to bring Section 6 of the Act into operation from today – 16 July,” they said. 

The commencement order was done “as quickly as it could be done”, they told The Journal.

Ó Broin said: “It is an absolute disgrace that Minister O’Brien waited a full week before Commencing Section 6 of the Residential Tenancies Act. This means that for a full week after the passing of the legislation landlords were still able to hit tenants with rent reviews of 4%, 8% and in come cases 12%.”

“I have been inundated with calls and messages from such tenants desperate to know if such rent reviews are legally valid,” he added.

“Because of the minister’s delay in this any notice served before Friday 16 July is entitled to use the old RPZ annual 4% limit. And if the tenants did not receive a rent review in the previous two or three years the limit is 8% and 12%.

“Once again Darragh O’Brien has let renters down at the very moment he was promising to protect them,” said the Sinn Féin housing spokesperson.

It has been confirmed that any valid notice of rent review in a Rent Pressure Zone served prior to today can give effect to a rent increase of up to 4%.

The landlord can only increase the rent every two years, and must give a tenant proper notice of the amount of the proposed new rent and the date from which it is to take effect.

Landlords must use the RTB’s Notice of Rent Review Form when issuing a rent review - other forms of communication about the rent increase, such as emails, text messages and spoken messages are not valid forms of notice under the law.

Tenants must get at least 90 days’ notice of a rent review, meaning the new rent cannot then apply until 90 days after the notice has been issued.

The landlord must also notify the RTB of the revised rent so that it can update the registration details of the tenancy.

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    Mute Colm Lyons
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:17 PM

    No mention of the paint bombs thrown at the republican memorial in Lurgan?

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    Mute munsterman
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:18 PM

    @Colm Lyons: well said

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:05 AM

    @Colm Lyons: what’s that got to do with this particular vandalism? Bit of whataboutary….

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    Mute Frank Lloyd wright
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:44 PM

    Why are the journal not reporting on the ballymurphy inquiry in Belfast? BBC NI have coverage of this everyday.

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    Mute Beeb Stapelton
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 4:09 PM

    @Frank Lloyd wright: the BBC is a mouthpiece for Corbyn, and he is an apologist for the provos. always has been always will be. Under this dogma the pnly people murdered in NI were Catholic childeren.thus Ballymurphy is first on news forever.

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    Mute Cathal
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 8:48 PM

    @Frank Lloyd wright: Notice Tommy Gorman won’t do the reports on Ballymurphy,

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    Mute Jim Dunne
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:20 PM

    The memorial should be in the UK. I

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    Mute Oliver Jumelle
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:24 PM

    @Jim Dunne: it is! learn geography and history before commenting

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    Mute Tim Cookson
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:26 PM

    @Jim Dunne: It is in the UK isn’t it?

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    Mute Wild Goose
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:54 PM

    @Oliver Jumelle: No, it bloody well is not!

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:20 PM

    @Wild Goose:
    It is, you may not like but untill a majority, north and south, agree with you the 6 counties are part of the UK.

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    Mute Stephen Blood
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:29 PM

    @Patrick Nolan: it’s not part of uk that’s why it says on there passports United Kingdom of Great Britain and
    N. Ireland

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    Mute Squiddley Diddley
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:31 PM

    @Stephen Blood: That’s exactly why its part of the UK. The UK comprises Great Britain AND Northern Ireland, and we voted to accept that.

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    Mute Squiddley Diddley
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 3:00 PM

    Short history lesson from Wikipedia for those confused:
    ] The medieval conquest and subsequent annexation of Wales by the Kingdom of England, followed by the unionbetween England and Scotland in 1707 to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the union in 1801 of Great Britain with the Kingdom of Ireland created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

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    Mute Red Pirate 71
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 3:20 PM

    @Oliver Jumelle: it’s not. The UK is he very construct of British imperialist colonial oppression that caused the deaths of these working class soldiers as they did the bidding of their aristocratic officers. Learn history before posting.

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    Mute Ronan Sexton
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 6:29 PM

    @Red Pirate 71: It is. Jesus, it’s not that complicated.

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    Mute Mike
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 9:02 PM

    @Stephen Blood: Christ man, can you read what you’re writing. You literally spelled out for yourself that Northern Ireland is part of the UK! I think what you mean to say is that N Ireland isn’t part of GB.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:06 AM

    @Jim Dunne: why? It is already

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:06 AM

    @Wild Goose: haha in your mind ….

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:07 AM

    @Stephen Blood: cop on to yourself

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:09 AM

    @Red Pirate 71: can’t see a united Ireland for generations , sectarianism is alive and well on both sides.

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    Mute Ronan Skelly
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:22 PM

    It shouldn’t be there in the first place

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    Mute Yurty Tim
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:58 PM

    @Ronan Skelly: Why not? Isn’t that where they were blown to bits by two fellas hiding in a bush at the other side of the the water

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    Mute James Wallace
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 7:55 PM

    @Ronan Skelly: of course it should. A group of young lads died in a senseless, unnecessary conflict, young working class lads who most likely joined the army out of financial necessity. Their families are at least entitled to this memorial.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:10 AM

    @Ronan Skelly: why not? Very interested in your logic

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    Mute Ronan Skelly
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:21 PM

    The memorial should be in England, not Ireland

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    Mute James Wallace
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 7:56 PM

    @Ronan Skelly: simpleton

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:11 AM

    @Ronan Skelly: bollocks

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    Mute Windom Earle
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:09 PM

    Attacking any monuments/memorials is the lowest of the low. We’ve seen a number of Blueshirt monuments attacked in recent years here. Disgusting behavior.

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    Mute jamesdecay
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:50 PM

    @Windom Earle: which blue shirt monuments? (Apart from Leo, obviously).

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    Mute Ronan Skelly
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:20 PM

    What do they expect? Perhaps they should have this memorial in their own country.

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    Mute James Wallace
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 8:17 PM

    @Ronan Skelly: it is

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:15 AM

    @Ronan Skelly: it is or are you still in denial? Get used to it pal, while the majority want to stay in the UK they will and good luck to them. When they want to change it will be their decision , not rabid keyboard warriors. Ever think for a minute that BOTH sides would have accept the other sides heritage, Orange AND Green ? Can you see that happening? Serious question !

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    Mute Cooking School
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:39 PM

    This is a prime example of the disgrace of educational segregation in N Ireland. Why is it we can’t get the kids educated together and break this “us and them” identities forever?!

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    Mute David Garland
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:49 PM

    @Cooking School: Stick to the cooking.. Segregated education has nothing to do with it.. The British Army is still covering up the Atrocites it carried out North and South of the border.. There are marches all over the UK to show solidarity with a Solider who murdered Catholics during Bloody Sunday.. Maybe that’s why British Solider memorials are been destroyed..

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:28 PM

    @Cooking School:
    Neither the DUP or SF want to de-segregate NI schools because it suits both extremes to re-enforce the “them versus mentality” to maintain support at the sectarian head count that NI elections usually are.
    That’s why, despite what they will say in public, the recent surge in support for the alliance party will worry both SF and the DUP.

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    Mute CJ Stewart
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:50 PM

    @Patrick Nolan: yep..stick to the cooking ..

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    Mute Yurty Tim
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:56 PM

    @David Garland: *being

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 6:24 PM

    @CJ Stewart:
    ??

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    Mute Cathal
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 8:53 PM

    @Cooking School: Free Presbyterians have their own schools, be like letting the Klan teach your kids, still had corporal punishment in the late nineties, maybe still have.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:16 AM

    @David Garland: or maybe just mindless vandalism?

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    Mute Ronan Skelly
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 2:21 PM

    The memorial should be in their own country

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    Mute James Wallace
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 8:17 PM

    @Ronan Skelly: it still is

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    Mute ÓDuibhír Abú
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 1:10 PM

    Monument’s for Flowers to wither and blow away, ‘till another day.!!

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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Jun 3rd 2019, 11:41 PM

    Sometimes these memorials are used as a way to provoke hatred, remembering the group of men as the British army who were responsible for the killings of Bloody Sunday, Ballymurphy as well as the Dublin and Monaghan killings. What if this memorial was to those who died in the IRA? Facts get washed away to create a false history, history is used to create culture and actions based on beliefs not facts.

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    Mute Jim Dunne
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    Jun 4th 2019, 3:30 AM

    It’s because we read history and geography , we know that the six counties,/the province/“ulster” , is NOT part of the UK.
    And any soldier who unfortunately lost their life there are part of a colonial oppressive army of occupation.
    So no irish person needs a history lesson from a myopic ignorant English man

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jun 4th 2019, 8:18 AM

    Actually Northern Ireland IS part of the UK, like it or not and only NI people can change that.

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