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THE GOVERNMENT IS aiming to enact a Bill that would ban 51-week student leases in time for the Dáil summer recess.
This would mean that the legislation is in place for the upcoming academic year which starts in September.
The typical academic year lasts around 35 weeks and runs from September to May.
However, some student accommodation providers enforce minimum 51-week leases which results in students paying rent over the summer months even if they are not there.
Speaking to The Journal at the time, then Higher Education Minister and current Taoiseach Simon Harris said it was something he felt “very strongly about” and committed to amending legislation to crack down on the practice.
He added that it highlighted the need to “build our own student accommodation” rather than being reliant on the private market.
When approached for an update by The Journal last week, Harris remarked that the legislation is a “priority” for Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien and current Higher Education Minister Patrick O’Donovan.
Ministers O’Brien and O’Donovan will today bring a memo to Cabinet to expedite the legal change and ensure students are only required to pay for student specific accommodation for the duration of the academic year.
The aim is to have the Bill passed by both Houses before the summer recess, which will require the cooperation of the opposition.
-With additional reporting from Jane Matthews
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So given the general demand for rental accommodation, this could have the effect of reducing the volume of accommodation on offer to students
@Gerard Hayden: not necessarily because the landlords can make a fortune by putting their apartments on Airbnb over the summer
@Jipangu: I hadn’t thought of that. Good point.
@Jipangu: not in rent pressure zones, which I’m sure all colleges are.
@david foley: correctiin they can up to 90 days, sorry.
My property, my rules :)
@John D Doe: Then why do you need planning permission to alter your property, or change its use?
Your property, state rules.
The government has just signed off on a great reduction on availability for students. Private rental market isn’t allowed use all the mortgage interest as a cost, 4% fixed max rental increases despite huge intereat hikes, inability to evict non rent paying tenants and RTB… you’d almost think they didn’t want the sector.
@Brian Keelty: The government have been getting rid of landlords for years now through their ridiculous interfering with the private rental sector starting with the elimination of bed sits and then the introduction of the worse than useless RTB. Just look at all the rentals that are for sale throughout the country! Keep going with present policies and will end up with non Irish corporations controlling the rental market and paying 10% tax. How can governments be so thick?
If this relates to student only accomodation (designated by tax) then I get it, otherwise is he insane, no one wants to rent to students as it is
@David Plant: Student landlords will be able to make a fortune renting to tourists during the summer.
As they do in other countries.
Well done!
Housing Crisis Solved.
Ban high rents altogether and huge taxes. Cost living now were most expensive in Europe on lots things. Punishing those want work and rewarding ones that dont ever intend to
“In time for the upcoming academic year”
Too late then, as most people have had to go searching & paying for the scarce over priced properties weeks ago, it’s typical of this Govt, that they think people are going to be looking for properties in September & the start of the academic year. It’s all fluff & deflection & deliberately delayed, as so many of them are landlords themselves or beholden to some lobby group. Nobody in Dail Eirinn gives a sh*t about working people, this country is finished as it no longer pays to get up in the morning, work hard & pay your taxes, all our political class too occupied with Woke shite than the bread & butter issues.
have your say