Latest news with #RPZs
Dublin Live
2 days ago
- Business
- Dublin Live
No exemptions for student rent hikes under new housing rules
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info 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 today [weds] 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'. Hundreds of people gathered outside Leinster House on Tuesday evening for the Raise the Roof protest. The group heard from political parties and trade unions calling for a change in the Government's housing policy. Ms McDonald said the protest had gathered to 'call out the Government' and their 'spoof and outright lies'. She accused the Government of 'normalising' homelessness. She said: 'This housing crisis now affects every family, affects every aspect of Irish society. We are in this together, and we are strong, and we will face them down, call them out, force their hand. 'Housing a home is a human right. Dignity is a human right. Our renters cannot be again put to the pin of their collar and screwed because the Government wants to lick the boots of cuckoos and vultures and big investment funds. 'Our message today to Micheál Martin and Simon Harris is, lads, the game is up. 'The people are at the gate.' Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. 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RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Bill passed extending Rent Pressure Zones across country
The Dáil has agreed to pass a piece of legislation without a vote which will extend Rent Pressure Zones across the country. The bill will go to the Seanad tomorrow and it is expected to be signed into law by President Michael D Higgins on Friday. The Government rejected amendments to the bill which were tabled by Sinn Féin and Labour. The legislation will mean that all current renters will be covered by a 2% annual rent hike cap once the bill is signed by the President. Wider changes to the rent rules will be introduced next March and this will require further legislation to be passed in autumn. Opposition parties have stated that they will not support these more extensive rent reforms which will allow landlords to reset rents to market rates every six years. Minister for Housing James Browne has said that renters will get greater security of tenure as part of the changes. Sinn Féin's Spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin earlier described the legislation as "an utter shambles" and "utterly defensible". He told the Dáil that he has never witnessed such a "haphazard, ramshackle, back of the envelope" approach to a crucial policy, adding that it is a "farce". Minister of State at the Department of Housing Christopher O'Sullivan, who introduced the bill, said that the Government was moving fast because tenants need protection and this will be delivered by extending RPZs. "This is an immediate and concrete protection against high rent inflation," he added, claiming that it would create certainty, stability and clarity for the sector. Mr O'Sullivan added that "this will come as a great sigh of relief" to many of his constituents in Cork South-West. However, Mr Ó Broin described the Government move as an "assault on renters" who "will be the losers". Ministers, he added, "scrambled around" to add references to students to the bill after failing to mention them in any advance briefing. "It is the Fianna Fáil rent hike bill," the deputy said, adding that the party's solution to rising rents "is to keep those rents rising". Mr Ó Broin also said that the move amounts to the dismantling of Rent Pressure Zones and "rips the heart out of the RPZs". He claimed that "in the best case scenario" the proposals will create a modest increase of (housing) supply in high-value areas "and everybody else will be left behind". Security of tenure changes will benefit a small group of tenants, Mr Ó Broin conceded, but said they will create more complicated and difficult rules that can be exploited by rogue landlords and will lead accidental landlords to make mistakes. All this will add to the workload of the already overloaded Residential Tenacies Board (RTB), he said. Mr O'Sullivan defended the bill, claiming the Government is aiming to strike a balance in its approach. "We aim to attract investment, but we know that tenants deserve and need fair treatment," he said. The minister noted that a larger landlord - with four or more tenancies - cannot end a tenancy created on or after March 2026 via a no-fault eviction. "No-fault evictions will be restricted to smaller landlords and outlawed for larger landlords," Mr O'Sullivan said. The minister added that rent resetting would be allowed only in specific circumstances. "This will come as a great sigh of relief" to many of his constituents in Cork South-West, the minister added. Minister of State John Cummins said that 17% of tenancies are outside RPZs. He emphasised the role of enforcement and noted that the RTB has launched "several in-depth investigations into serious, deliberate and repeated breaches of rental law". The board investigated 16,052 tenancies for excessive rent hikes and €70,911 was returned to tenants following 114 compliance interventions, he added. Connolly accuses Govt of normalising homelessness "We have turned language on its head", Independent TD Catherine Connolly said of the Government's claim to protect renters, when the reailty is that it is normalising insecurity and homelessness. "We are in serious trouble as a republic. More and more in Ireland, there's a lack of faith in anything the Government says," she told the Dáil. "We stopped building [houses] in 2009," Ms Connolly said, adding that the housing crisis is a consequence of repeated decisions made by successive governments which treated housing as a product and simply backed the market. She said that her office is struggling to manage the level of housing problems that constituents are presenting with.
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Minister accuses opposition of whipping up 'false anger' on Rent Pressure Zones
The opposition has been accused of 'whipping up anger' and creating 'confusion' over the Government's plan to reform Rent Pressure Zones. It follows suggestions that the Government will be 'jacking up the rents for tens of thousands of hard-pressed renters from March 2026 onwards'. Legislation to extend Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) nationwide was expedited through the Dáil on Wednesday and will be rushed through the Seanad on Thursday in a bid to get the legislation signed into law by the end of the week. The change will mean that no landlord across the country will be able to increase rent by more than two per cent, or the level of inflation, whichever is less. A new regime will come into place from next March, which will create six-year tenancies. Once these are up, or if a tenant leaves the property voluntarily, landlords can increase their rents to market rates. Housing Minister James Browne confirmed on Tuesday that rents for students who live in private rental accommodation for the duration of an academic year will be able to be increased if they leave the property voluntarily. The RPZ plans were torn to shreds by the opposition, with Sinn Féin's housing spokesman branding the announcements in recent weeks as 'utter shambles'. He said: 'In my entire time in Dáil Éireann, I have never witnessed a more haphazard, ramshackle, back-of-the-envelope process for putting in place widespread reforms that are going to impact tens of thousands of people. 'While I understand Ministers and Ministers of State have to come here and defend this farce, privately they must be absolutely reeling. 'The credibility of the Government's housing policy has once again been exposed as an absolute sham. 'Only five months into the job, the Minister's own credibility has been badly damaged.' He continued: 'Let us call it by its name. It is the Fianna Fáil rent hike Bill. This is Micheál Martin, who initiated this process and pulls the strings of his Minister, jacking up the rents for tens of thousands of hard-pressed renters from March 2026 onwards.' In response, Minister Browne accused the opposition of He said: 'What the opposition are trying to do, in a really dishonest way, is trying to deliberately create confusion and to whip up false anger among people, to whip up anger among people for pure political ends, putting politics before people. 'It's such a dishonest way to approach things, so it is.' Minister Browne further said that while there had been a lot of criticism, the opposition had failed to put forward alternative solutions.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Bill to extend Rent Pressure Zones 'an utter shambles'
The Dáil is debating legislation to extend Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) across the country. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025 is expected to be passed by the lower house of the Oireachtas today and go to the Seanad tomorrow. Sinn Féin's Spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin described the proposed legislation as "an utter shambles" and "utterly defensible". He told the Dáil that he has never witnessed such a "haphazard, ramshackle, back of the envelope" approach to a crucial policy, adding that it is a "farce". Minister of State at the Department of Housing Christopher O'Sullivan, who introduced the bill, said that the Government is moving fast because tenants need protection and this will be delivered by extending RPZs. "This is an immediate and concrete protection against high rent inflation," he added, claiming that it would create certainty, stability and clarity for the sector. Mr O'Sullivan added that "this will come as a great sigh of relief" to many of his constituents in Cork South-West. However, Mr Ó Broin described the Government move as an "assault on renters" who "will be the losers". Ministers, he added, "scrambled around" to add references to students to the bill after failing to mention them in any advance briefing. "It is the Fianna Fáil rent hike bill," the deputy said, adding that the party's solution to rising rents "is to keep those rents rising". Mr Ó Broin also said that the move amounts to the dismantling of Rent Pressure Zones and "rips the heart out of the RPZs". He claimed that "in the best case scenario" the proposals will create a modest increase of (housing) supply in high-value areas "and everybody else will be left behind". Security of tenure changes will benefit a small group of tenants, Mr Ó Broin conceded, but said they will create more complicated and difficult rules that can be exploited by rogue landlords and will lead accidental landlords to make mistakes. All this will add to the workload of the already overloaded Residential Tenacies Board (RTB), he said. Mr O'Sullivan defended the bill, claiming the Government is aiming to strike a balance in its approach. "We aim to attract investment, but we know that tenants deserve and need fair treatment," he said. The minister noted that a larger landlord - with four or more tenancies - cannot end a tenancy created on or after March 2026 via a no-fault eviction. "No-fault evictions will be restricted to smaller landlords and outlawed for larger landlords," Mr O'Sullivan said. The minister added that rent resetting would be allowed only in specific circumstances. "This will come as a great sigh of relief" to many of his constituents in Cork South-West, the minister added. Minister of State John Cummins said that 17% of tenancies are outside RPZs. He emphasised the role of enforcement and noted that the RTB has launched "several in-depth investigations into serious, deliberate and repeated breaches of rental law".
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
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'.
