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'It's time the government delivered rent certainty to tenants'

Rents across the country have leaped massively once more according to the latest figures from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB).

PastedImage-64356 PRTB PRTB

Updated 09.15 am

CHAIRPERSON OF RENTERS’ rights group Threshold Aideen Hayden has called on the government once more to introduce rent certainty for beleaguered tenants.

Rents outside Dublin actually showed a stronger rate of growth than those in the capital in the first quarter of this year, according to a new report by Private Rental Tenancy Board (PRTB).

The analysis paints a similar picture to what has been seen in other reports – rents are still very much on the up.

“It is now critical that the Government delivers on its promise to bring rent certainty to the private rented sector,” Labour senator Hayden said.

Those who choose to rent or who have been forced to rent their home because they have no other option, simply cannot afford rent increases of this level.
In Threshold’s experience, the figures published by the PRTB tell only half the story because they mask the severe problems experienced by tenants living at the lower end of the market, where competition for accommodation is at its most desperate.
Threshold regularly assists tenants who are facing demands for 20-40% increases in rent, which they simply cannot afford.
The family homelessness crisis in the capital is the inevitable consequence, with 40 families a month now becoming homeless.

Threshold Annual Reports Senator Aideen Hayden samboal samboal

Hayden said that she ‘welcomes’ environment minister Alan Kelly’s commitment to bringing rent certainty proposals to cabinet.

Kelly announced earlier this month plans to tie rents to inflation in an attempt to put the lid on sky-rocketing housing costs.

The Minister wants to temporarily introduce the rent control alongside other measures to stop tenants suffering amid the housing crisis.

Kelly also planned to bring in incentives for landlords who agreed to offer tenants long-term leases like those commonly available elsewhere in Europe.

“However, it is now time for specific measures that will provide this certainty and protect tenants from unsustainable rent increases,” Hayden said.

The Government’s promise that a deposit protection scheme to safeguard tenants’ money will soon be enacted is also welcome.

The PRTB report shows that rents nationally rose by 6.9% compared to the same period last year. The average amount paid for apartments is now €878 (up from €815) and €814 (up from €765) for houses.

Annual growth within Dublin remains strong, now standing at 9.6%, with €1,325 for a house and €1,205 for an apartment being the average price paid.

Prices outside of the capital remain much lower, the PRTB describing the market as “subdued”.

However, there are some signs of life. The report says:

“The latest findings [...] suggest the driver of growth changed in Q1, 2015, with rents outside Dublin showing a stronger rate of increase than Dublin rents.”

For properties outside Dublin, rents in Q1, 2015, were 1.5% higher than in Q4, 2014. The growth in rents outside Dublin primarily reflects the apartment market, up by 2.1% on a quarterly basis, while rents for houses outside Dublin were up 1.6% when compared to Q4, 2014.

growth Highlighted the uptick that caught the PRTB's attention. PRTB PRTB

And how are rents looking in relation to their boom-time peaks?

By quarter 1, 2015 rents nationally were 16.9% lower than their peak. While the peak-to-trough in the Dublin market was similar to that experienced nationally, the strength of the recovery in Dublin means that rents are just 7.5% lower than their highest point.

The PRTB’s report was compiled by the ESRI using actual rents paid.

Additional reporting by Cianan Brennan

Read: Almost 85% of Dublin flats fail to meet basic standard in inspection >

Opinion: Student accommodation is an absolute disaster in this country – when will government respond? >

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    Aug 19th 2016, 5:14 PM

    Dublin Corpo have ordered a big whale barrow to help move it.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 5:16 PM

    Bahahaha i lol,d

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    Aug 19th 2016, 6:30 PM

    Stealing that joke. Good man

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    Aug 19th 2016, 7:21 PM

    Tis true, then they’re taking it to the whale weigh station!!

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    Mute Free comment ratings
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    Aug 19th 2016, 8:01 PM

    You can steal a joke? Bahhahaha. I haven’t heard that since I was 5.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 9:59 PM

    Come on…lets go poke it with a stick..

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    Aug 20th 2016, 12:03 AM

    Cracking reply sir

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    Mute Alan Kelly's Ego
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    Aug 19th 2016, 4:39 PM

    I failed to stay away from a beached whale in coppers one night. Take heed folks, it ain’t pretty

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    Aug 19th 2016, 4:43 PM

    She probably feels the same way about you.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 4:50 PM

    Alan , I laughed at that. . Even though I probably shouldn’t have …

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    Aug 19th 2016, 4:58 PM

    I have no doubt she did Andy. It turned into a very awkward situation for both of us. That’s why the warning must be heeded

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    Aug 19th 2016, 5:27 PM

    ah no one of the Egyptian TV news anchors….RIP

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    Aug 19th 2016, 8:17 PM

    Did you lose your wedding ring.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 4:42 PM

    Risk of infection from everything these days. Away off and see the dead stinky whale if yis want.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 4:43 PM

    Your a fool.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 4:48 PM

    *You’re

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    Aug 19th 2016, 5:13 PM

    Niall. Did you just on here to correct people.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 5:42 PM

    Didn’t know this was english class. Nothing better to do than comment on peoples grammar?

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    Aug 19th 2016, 5:54 PM

    He was pointing out how foolish to make a grammatical error when calling someone a fool. People’s grammar is not the issue.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 8:19 PM

    Their there they’re.

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    Aug 21st 2016, 10:54 AM

    People’s grammar….

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    Aug 19th 2016, 5:17 PM

    “Stay away from the whale if you don’t want to get Moby Dick!!”

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    Aug 19th 2016, 5:26 PM

    Is Minke southsoider speak for Manky?

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    Aug 19th 2016, 8:26 PM

    “Warning, some viewers might find pics offensive” FFS nanny state in all its glory, look at the milennials, offended by their own shadow!

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    Mute Neal not Neil
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    Aug 20th 2016, 9:01 AM

    It’s just good manners. You cover your mouth when you cough and you do people the basic courtesy of warning them before you shove a picture of a corpse in front of them.

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    Aug 20th 2016, 9:02 AM

    Also, The Journal is not a state.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 10:22 PM

    Death by plastic? Other dead whales have plastic trapped in their stomachs – plastic is a serious problem for the oceans.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 4:51 PM

    So close, Paddy.

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    Enjoy your fish and chips folks. The oceans have been well and truly raped. #theydiewedie

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    Aug 19th 2016, 6:08 PM

    I am always amazed how officialdom gets all excited by something as common as a beached whale.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 5:40 PM

    Brown Bread

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    Is that Mary Harney? Stay back lads, she’s only playing dead….

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    Aug 19th 2016, 5:27 PM

    Hope DLRCOCO have seen this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vmnq5dBF7Y

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    Aug 20th 2016, 1:01 PM

    So sad at absolute lack of humanity evident. Appallingly insensitive.

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    Aug 19th 2016, 8:05 PM

    Tasty!

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    Aug 20th 2016, 9:36 AM

    Interesting to see all the gas build up that causes it to bloat and float

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