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Updated 8.40am
THE HEAD OF landlords group the Residential Landlords Association has warned his members may have to triple deposits demanded of tenants in response to new government proposals on water charges.
The Cabinet last night approved proposals to deduct outstanding charges from the wages or social welfare payments of non-payers.
That move had been well flagged in advance – but last night’s announcement also included a proposal obliging landlords to withhold deposits from renters, until proof of payment to Irish Water is provided.
Landlords had been lobbying against that move, and Fintan McNamara of the RLA said this morning it was an “outrageous imposition” – and would make them, essentially, “debt collectors for Irish water”.
The move had the potential to magnify disputes over deposits “hugely” he said, adding that in order for it to work properly, deposits would have to be trebled.
“We will try and have a meeting again with the minister to see if we can persuade him to change course on this,” McNamara said.
The government has stressed this is a “temporary role for landlords” until the PRTB takes over deposit protection.
Other measures
The proposed measures to deduct payments from wages or dole payments refer to the recovery of civil debt in general – but there will be specific provisions for the water compliance.
Under the proposals, creditors will be able to apply to the court for an order enabling either an attachment of earnings or deductions from social welfare payments.
Meanwhile, the legislation will allow the Department of Environment to strengthen the regulatory regime around the payment of water charges through measures not involving the courts.
As well as the deposit measure, it also means:
The government said the legislation will abolish imprisonment for non payment of debt for the vast majority of debtors.
Commenting this evening, Minister for the Environment, Alan Kelly, said “everyone has to be treated the same here”.
“We can’t have a situation where some people are paying their water charges while others simply refuse to pay. These measures are aimed at ensuring fairness in the application of water charges and will complement the civil debt procedures bill which will significantly reform the way all civil debt is treated in Ireland and move it way from what is a currently excessively bureaucratic procedure.”
First published 6 May, 10pm. With reporting by Daragh Brophy.
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There’s no traffic jams or pay parking online petrol tank still full and more time with children and walking the dog.
@Gerard Heery: Less stress, more money and no rip offs.
They want poeple out of their cars they won but at a price!
That’s a bit of a no-brainier. People have set budgets and if they send their money on-line then of course shop sales will drop. I do a lot of window-shopping and see items I want to buy and then go home and order them on-line at a cheaper price..
The high street is dead when it comes to shopping. It’ll only get worse.
There’s room for both high street shops and online retail.
Most people will want to try on a suit before buying it. It’s just most people don’t want to get completely gouged just because it’s being sold on Grafton St.
Got cashback over £70 sterling from flubit for all presents bought online last month. It’s a no brainer when you have the likes of Debenhams selling drones for €110 instore when you can buy them online in the UK for £25. People aren’t stupid.
Puma Kings €55 online. Enough said.
Nike air max 2017 €113 online , €175-€190 in the shops. Joke !
Reduce vat before , all is lost ….
Lets be real, even without the sterling collapse it’s better value to buy online from the UK than Irish stores. Irish business need to shape up, they’re part of a global marketplace now where people will gravitate towards the best offer.
Welcome to the new normal.
Well in all fairness shops have been robbing us for years. So if you can find what you want on the web then good luck to you. After all the amount you can save means more money in your pocket. There’s a massive gap in shop prices and web prices for the same product so why would you pay more.
Isn’t this what capitalism is supposed to be all about – market choices ?
The cost the the world of the climate change scam is equal to all internet sales worldwide annually.
have your say