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Trump has regularly decried news organisations as being 'fake news'. Olivier Matthys/PA Images

Inside Veles, the Macedonian town that became a pro-Trump fake news factory

Hundreds of websites and Facebook pages were set up out of the town in 2016.

JOVAN GOT A pair of Nike sneakers and went on holiday to Greece, his reward for having helped turn the small Macedonian town of Veles into an epicentre of “fake news” during the 2016 US presidential race.

“That’s what the so-called fake news sites bought me,” said the 20-year-old who did not want to reveal his last name.

“I was earning about €200 a month… Only a few earn this kind of money,” he told AFP in Veles, home to around 50,000 people.

Once a thriving industrial hub, Veles has suffered decline since the break-up of the former Yugoslavia and, like the rest of the country, now grapples with rampant youth unemployment and mass emigration.

But two years ago, a new source of income unexpectedly opened up when investors offered money to locals for producing news stories in support of Donald Trump who was campaigning to become the 45th president of the United States.

Hundreds of websites and Facebook pages started to come out of Veles servers with the sole aim of tarnishing Trump’s Democrat opponents like Hillary Clinton or his predecessor Barack Obama.

The sites, many of which have since disappeared, distributed articles about Clinton’s alleged racist remarks on Beyonce or fake statements, in which she allegedly praising Trump’s honesty.

Jovan, a student at the Veles’s Faculty of Technology, was recruited in 2016 by one of dozens of local investors engaged in a clickbait race.

His work consisted of retrieving articles published mainly on right wing US websites, such as Fox News or Breitbart News, and then “adapting them, changing them a little, putting in a catchy title”.

Jovan says he “doesn’t know” if he contributed to Trump’s victory, adding: “I don’t care.”

What mattered to the young man, whose parents lost their factory jobs in 2003, was that for the first time he made enough money to afford things.

“We were writing what people wanted to read,” Jovan said.

‘I helped Trump win’

With lower living costs than Skopje — the only other city to offer a university degree in IT studies — students started to flock to Veles in recent years and get involved in clickbait sites.

Until 2016, they primarily focused on celebrities, cars and the lucrative beauty industry.

The sites helped generate income in a country where youth unemployment is a whopping 55%.

“Young people understood how Google algorithm worked and they were experimenting for couple of years with ways of making money from ads,” IT expert Igor Velkovski told AFP.

But as the US presidential race heated up, politics suddenly became a new attractive target.

“Trump started to mean revenue. When Trump stories turned out to be profitable, they understood that conspiracy theories will always gain an audience,” Velkovski said.

Web designer Borce Pejcev, 34, helped create many of the pro-Trump sites:

It became clear that the conservatives were better for making money, they like conspiracy theory stories, which are always clicked before being shared.

Digital consultant Mirko Ceselkovski makes no secret of the fact that he helped advise people like Pejcev on how to create fake news.

“I helped Trump win,” his business card reads.

“I just taught them how to make money on internet and how to find an audience,” Ceselkovski told AFP.

The more clicks, the more Google Ads money… it’s a click-ruled world.

shutterstock_441771898 Lake Mladost, near the city of Veles in Macedonia Shutterstock / Aleksandar Vasilevski Shutterstock / Aleksandar Vasilevski / Aleksandar Vasilevski

‘Vaccines kill’

Even adults with steady jobs joined the fake news industry, including English teacher Violeta who only gave her first name.

During the US election campaign, she almost doubled her €350 monthly salary by working just three hours a day.

“I know it’s wrong to take a side job which consists of saying ‘Vaccines kill!’, ‘The Holocaust did not exist’ or promoting Trump,” said the mother of two.

But when one is hungry, one doesn’t have the luxury to think about democratic progress.

Violeta said some of her own students were regularly “arriving late and sleeping in class” because they too were writing for those websites.

While Jovan has stopped producing fake news, his friend Teodor continues to work for a company that runs hundreds of lifestyle websites.

Teodor is earning 100 to 150 euros monthly, almost as much as his mother, a part-time worker in a textile company.

“Blame me if you like, but between that and putting stories on internet, I choose the second option,” Teodor said.

© – AFP 2018

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    Mute Thomas Maher
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:29 AM

    Just to be clear here, landlords do not cause homelessness, government idealology does

    1089
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    Mute Paraic
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:32 AM

    @Thomas Maher: Ex-Landlords.

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    Mute Tony Garcia
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:33 AM

    @Thomas Maher: Tell this to liberals… Everytime government tries to fix something, it makes it worse…

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    Mute Daithí Ó Coinnigh
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:38 AM

    @Tony Garcia: what is a liberal, some strange americenteic word?

    67
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    Mute G Manning
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:49 AM

    @Tony Garcia: this government? Probably. Governments in general? Nonsense.

    17
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    Mute Dominic Leleu
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:50 AM

    @Thomas Maher: Market and Greed are the main factors. A landlord has the right to sell his property. The prices are not justified. The taxes are another factor when they rent.

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    Mute davey boy
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:26 AM

    @Dominic Leleu: The taxes are a good reason they sell.

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    Mute Thewestisbest
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:04 AM

    @Thomas Maher: 56% surveyed come from outside Ireland?

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    Mute mr magoo
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:05 AM

    @Thomas Maher: my landlord offered me a 3 year lease signed & all. Now they’ve decided to sell and I’ve to be out of here with my four kids by June 30th. I have not found anywhere else to live. This is purely down to the landlord.

    43
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    Mute The Great Unwashed
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:12 AM

    @mr magoo:
    Refuse to move. If you have a signed three year contract the landlord doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

    42
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    Mute mr magoo
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:21 AM

    @The Great Unwashed: apparently he has as he gave me “sufficient” notice. 56 days. I’ve been two years here.

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    Mute Thomas Maher
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:33 AM

    @mr magoo: and if government built affordable and social homes youd have no problem finding alternative accommodation

    49
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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:41 AM

    @mr magoo: he can’t break the contract and use the statutory notice periods unless in the contract. In saying that the fact you can’t find another place is nothing to do with the landlord. So to say it is “purely” down to the landlord is simply incorrect. It is down to the lack of supply. If one shop closed you wouldn’t say it is their fault you can’t buy food or have to commute farther to buy food.

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    Mute Sk19
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:14 AM

    @The Great Unwashed: it’s his house . He bought and paid for it . He should be entitled to do with it as he sees fit .

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    Mute Dominic Leleu
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:22 AM

    @mr magoo: my biggest fear. Good luck to you. Really.

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    Mute Sean May
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    Jun 13th 2019, 11:31 AM

    @mr magoo: Very sorry to hear this, Mr Magoo. Might I suggest that you approach your nearest Citizen Information Centre to see if they can help or steer you in the right direction in terms of legal advice? You could also contact Focus Ireland and/or the PRTB to see where you stand. (Apologies if you have already tried these routes, but this is the best that I can advise for now, based on my own knowledge. I hope that things work out for you and your family and I wish you all the best.)

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    Mute Mary Lyons
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:01 PM

    @Thomas Maher: A fair few landlords Thomas are politicians, are they the ones you are referring to?

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:07 PM

    @Mary Lyons: congratulations on rolling out the tired lazy idea that TDs are looking after themselves as landlords. If it were true the laws and taxes would favour them when it doesn’t as posted here several times.is it a favour to yourself to make yourself pay more taxes?

    21
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    Mute The Great Unwashed
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:12 PM

    @Sk19:
    If he signed a legally binding contract with a tenant, he relinquished the right to ‘do as he pleases’.

    21
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    Mute Scorpionvenomm
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:20 PM

    @Thomas Maher: the amount of tax you have to pay being a landlord is a joke and I’d say this is one of the reasons why landlords are selling up

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    Mute Karl Cranny
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    Jun 13th 2019, 2:04 PM

    @The Great Unwashed: BS, if he wants to sell he can break the Lease, he just needs to give certain notice. Educate yourself.

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 3:26 PM

    @Karl Cranny: You are wrong on that. A lease is a contract to stay a given time. Part 4 rights are separate and apply over an lease if better but it doesn’t reduce your rights in the lease. A 3 year lease being broken by a landlord is against the rule and he can’t evict. Looks like you are the one that needs the education.

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    Mute The Great Unwashed
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    Jun 13th 2019, 5:52 PM

    @Karl Cranny:
    Wrong. He could evict after a period of notice if it was written into the lease contract. If not he has to honour the agreement he signed up to.

    6
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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:36 PM

    @The Great Unwashed: You do need to educate yourself here because you are incorrect. Landlord and tenant both agree to the lease but the landlord can ask the tenant to leave if the relevant notice period is met. Likewise the tenant can leave and be entitled to the return of their deposit but must equally give the landlord the relevant notice. So it works both ways.

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    Mute sally
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:33 AM

    I recently asked my tenants to leave as I have to put my property on the market. Reason why – I can’t afford the massive rental income tax bill on a property I was making no profit on whatsoever. My tenants were good tenants, would have stayed there forever, I kept the rent low and accepted hap. Most accidental one off landlords who kept the rental market afloat are leaving for these reasons but what does the government do – bring in new regulations to scare even more of them into selling. I totally blame this government for the housing crisis as they are inept when it comes to knowing what to do.

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    Mute Mick paisley
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:45 AM

    @sally: I know a few people like yourself. One particular guy has a family of 5 renting his house for the last 8 or 9 years, rent has been kept under market value. The tax is getting too much for him so he’s selling up. He doesn’t live in the area anymore, so can’t move in himself. Like huge chunks of the country, the area has a shortage of housing – that family may end up homeless.

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:46 AM

    @sally: Then you made a bad decision to buy a rental property. The tax treatment has been the same for a long time now so you should have been aware and, of course rent has gone up, not down so you can’t blame that either.

    Two possible ways to profit from a property investment – rental income and capital appreciation, I’d imagine that you are benefitting from the latter if not the former in which case you are making a profit, just not a cash flow one.

    The government are responsible for many things but an individual making a poorly planned financial decision is not one of them.

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    Mute sally
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:58 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: actually i didnt buy a rental property. You should do some research on what accidental landlords are and actually read an article. They are normally people who had to move out of their properties because of a growing family or had to move because of work.

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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:04 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: I wish people would research their comments before posting. Tax policy did change. In 2009, a change to tax policy that stopped landlords from claiming full mortgage interest tax relief on their rental income (they were only allowed to claim only up to 75%) was introduced. This crippled landlords financially when they were already on their knees. This has been reversed in Budget 2019 but landlords won’t actually benefit until they go to pay taxes for 2019 in October/November 2020.

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    Mute sally
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:05 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: and before you comment again on something you obviously know little about many accidental landlords then couldn’t sell due to massive negative equity on their homes

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    Mute iohanx
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:09 AM

    @sally: capital and tax is really misunderstood in Ireland it appears

    33
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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:09 AM

    @Sean: 2009 – 10 years ago. I said taxation had been the same for a long time now.

    @Sally – nobody buys two houses ‘accidentally’ you make a decision to keep one. You could have transferred over the negative equity to the new mortgage and sold the house.

    If it was work or family size you could have sold. You decided to hold on to the house and buy another for whatever reason – that’s not accidental.

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    Mute iohanx
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:10 AM

    dare I mention the word, yield

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    Mute Maha Freeman
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:14 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: accidental landlords didn’t buy rental properties. They bought homes pre crash because buying was cheaper than rent also back then. But with recession people lost jobs, left the area to find new ones but were left in negative equity so the only alternative was to rent. I too am in that situation with a lovely family renting my home. But by the time I pay tax the property is a cost to me. I get no depreciation on contents because they were bought prior to me renting. And I won’t make a profit as prices in my area have stagnated well below the price I bought for it. Even if you do then your pay for Capital gains tax on a sale. This housing crisis is being perpetuated by diabolical leadership in governerment. Not landlords!!

    208
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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:16 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: Properties are long term investments and for landlords would have bought their properties before 2009 this change to tax policy moved the goalposts on their original investment decision. It is unfair to blame them for bad investment decisions in this context.

    But you are right that capital appreciation is probably the only way to make money given the high tax on rental income so many landlords are choosing to exit the market while the property values are high. And who could blame them?

    104
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    Mute Maha Freeman
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:22 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: Dara I have a feeling you were either too young or too fortunate to have been caught up in the property crisis initally. I presume my situation is much like Sally’s. You couldn’t sell.. Period. Houses were effectively worth nothing because 1st time buyers couldn’t get mortgages. Not all mortgage providers allow transfer of negative equity. And thirdly lots of accidental landlords have not bought a second home because they can’t get a mortgage on their own or they live in the area they now work which is expensive so they rent!

    119
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    Mute sally
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:23 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: are you assuming that every landlord has another house ? Wow

    127
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    Mute Paraic
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:32 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: Household charge introduced in 2012, LPT introduced in 2013, PRTB registration fees from 2013 (RTB from 2016), lowering of tax band, increase in income tax rates, USC… Then there were the legal changes, extension of part 4 agreement period from 4 years to 6 (anti-landlord) fines of up to €15,000 for minor breaches etc. I got out last October. You have no idea what you are talking about. Except maybe you are correct to say there are 2 ways to profit. Except the first way has been shut down.

    167
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    Mute Locojoe
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:36 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: Dara O Brien . You are wrong. The tax treatment on rental income changed dramatically about 10 years ago when loan interest ceased to be allowable for tax purposes.
    I suspect that you probably do not pay tax Dara so I will explain the implications of this change. The accidental Landlady’s rental income pays the loan & the loan interest and then pays tax / prsi at the full rate on the income that has been used to pay the interest & reduce the loan.

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    Mute Thewestisbest
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:10 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: Oh that’s ok so.At least the family made homeless by this selling landlord will have the consolation that he or she made a bad decision and were silly to get into the rental market.

    37
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    Mute Padraig O'Goire
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:26 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: clown….just jump on a comment without actually reading properly first

    38
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    Mute John Fahy
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:38 AM

    @sally: 100%correct , treating rental income as normal income and taxing it inequitably is forcing landlords out, not worth the hassle

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    Mute John Fahy
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:40 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: not correct , there is no incentive at all once you take the onerous tax treatment into account , the result is negative cash flow not balanced out by capital appreciation ( itself subject to ridiculous 33% tax ) landlords are voting with their feet out the door

    58
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    Mute Eamonn O Connell
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:42 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: where did she say she bought another property. Just stated she had to move out could have been crippled by rising interest and rented out till negative equity balanced out while renting a smaller property. Your haste to make a judgement has blinded you to being open to all possibilities

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    Mute John Fahy
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:42 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: you do not understand how the banking system works , ridiculous statement

    32
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    Mute Sarah
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:56 AM

    @sally: well there’s always the super landlord vulture funds to fill the vacuum…they pay zero tax…

    32
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    Mute Padraig O'Goire
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:08 AM

    @Maha Freeman: well said!

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    Mute Padraig O'Goire
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:11 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: You sound like someone that was still in nappies during the crash

    29
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    Mute Padraig O'Goire
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:13 AM

    @John Fahy: hit the nail on the head….how are government so clueless not to see this

    14
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    Mute Sk19
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:16 AM

    @Mick paisley: investors are not incentivised to buy. Developers not incentivised to buy , building regs and cost have squeezed the margin . Vicious circle stock isn’t built . It’s not just the social housing and fhb you need to incentivise the landlord and developers

    11
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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:58 AM

    @Padraig O’Goire: Aww, would ya listen to all the poor old landlords whinging that they can’t make a profit because of a tax change 10 years ago!

    Seriously, if you invest in a single asset class you’re running a risk that is highlighted in finance 101.

    If you took on an investment property before the tax change i.e over 10 years ago and still are in negative equity with a negative return on rent then you overpaid on it in the first place.

    Stop whining and live with it – jebus, everyone is a victim and nobody wants to take any accountability for their own decisions.

    Why did people invest such a large portion of their own money in one single illiquid asset class? Why did people borrow to do it?

    A lot of people on here need to go back and get a basic financial education – if you don’t have or can’t afford a contingency for decreased rents, increased taxes, vacancy periods, furniture, maintenance and repairs then you have absolutely no interest in being a landlord.

    Negative equity – deal with it, if you have to commute longer or have kids share rooms until you can come out of it then either suck it up or cut your losses and pay off the shortfall over a number of years – no difference between that and running a loss on rental income vs tax and loan repayments anyway.

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    Mute Pierre Lecake
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:59 AM

    @Paraic: Summed up nicely here. When I started tax was 40% and you could claim 100% relief on mortgage interest . Tenants could claim back 20% of rent paid. Now its 52% tax including PRSI and USC. Tenants can’t claim 20% on rent. You forgot to mention NPPR tax landlords had to pay before LPT came in. Then there is the forcing of landlords to accept the unworkable HAP scheme. The constant attacks on landlords by left wing populist politicians, the government funded Threshold who give illegal advice to tenants and everyone in general who has a vested interest in the homeless Charity industry.
    The fact the RTB is slow and cumbersome with an anti-landlord agenda. Have they ever fined a tenant and pursued them for breaches of contract. The fact a tenant can avoid paying rent, overhold and trash a property and not face any criminal sanctions is a disgrace. Who would be a landlord when all the cards are stacked against you?

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 11:24 AM

    @Dara O’Brien: let’s take everything you said as true. Then it is perfectly understandable that landlords leave the business as you suggest. Now due to this we have a housing crisis that is getting worse. That is the outcome of these expenses. Has this made things better for the country or worse? I think the fact it is the leading step to homelessness it is agreed landlords leaving the market is a bad thing. Your responses is this is a good thing and you don’t care about landlords even though in truth it is the public that are suffering as a result. Don’t forget a property sold from the rental market will have a lower occupancy rate so less people are housed too.

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    Mute Patrick Kennedy
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:04 PM

    Couldn’t agree more with your comments. The tax system is driving Landlords out of the market and forcing them to sell. No profit in it.

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    Mute sally
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:07 PM

    @Dara O’Brien: Eoghan Murphy is that you?

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:10 PM

    @Craic_a_tower: Not denying any of that at all and I never said it was a good thing from the point of view of the homeless crisis.

    But the fact is that we definitely have a cohort of people in this country that are simply not suited to being long term sustainable landlords. Until that is realized and we drop our national obsession with ‘bricks and mortar’ as a way to provide us all with a pension we will continue to have the same issue.

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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:32 PM

    @Dara O’Brien: Your original arguments were all built on sand though which makes me question any conclusions that you arrived at. I’d suggest you watch this small video.

    https://youtu.be/ulyVXa-u4wE

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:33 PM

    @Dara O’Brien: But you are denying that increase in costs via the government is the cause of renting property as unviable after people were locked in. Do you know any other businesses where there was an increase of over 10% on gross profit?
    Property investment is on a 40 year scale in a normal stable economy. They messed that up causing the housing crisis. You seem to still blame the investors as opposed to the crazy ideas brought in to keep the public happy. Nothing happens in a vacuum and people again laughed when they were told there would be an exodus by landlords. Weak willed politicians going with populist views because certain people that seems to include you aren’t aware enough of cause and effect.

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:52 PM

    @Craic_a_tower: sorry man but the housing bubble and subsequent financial crash in late 2008 was the cause of it – everyone and their mother wanted to invest in property and overpaid to do so without any basic financial understanding of the dangers of concentration risk.

    The governments changes from 2009 may not have helped but the damage was already done by then.

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    Mute •Lord Zimmerman•
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:54 PM

    @sally: Nail on head. Well said

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    Mute Dr. X (Official Continuity Faction)
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    Jun 13th 2019, 1:25 PM

    @sally: Tax on rental income hasn’t increased in the past 10 years, and in the same time period rent prices have doubled. If you can’t make that work for you it’s entirely your own fault.

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    Mute William Flynn
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    Jun 13th 2019, 1:27 PM

    @John Fahy:
    I agree, the income tax treatment is forcing smaller landlords to evict tenents.

    At least with normal income you tend to be only taxed on what you get, where as with rental income if the tenant doesn’t pay the rent the tax is still due on time.

    Other ways the tax system causes cash flow problems, preliminary tax, not allowing a sinking fund for repairs be built up pre-tax (except for large companies).

    It can often cost the landlord more to have some one in a property than leave it empty.

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 1:36 PM

    @Dara O’Brien: so the government increasing tax on charges had no impact on the market according to you at it was people’s greed. Now I am going to take it you never studied any form of economics because when costs go up prices tend to go up. In a situation where the government increase costs and there is no ability to increase price people leave the market. If there are obstacles to exit the market you may have to eat the losses until you can increase prices which you do and try and recoup earlier losses too. That is why rents went up then the government capped increases so people choose to leave the market now as they can. Your argument it’s root cause is the initial market has vague merit but the existing of the market is caused by making the investments so unviable by increased charges

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    Mute Karl Cranny
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    Jun 13th 2019, 2:07 PM

    @Dara O’Brien: Most are accidental landlords, i.e. bought the property to live in it originally, suffered during the crash and ended up renting it out because it was in negative equity.. So your statement makes no sense. Arrogant much? Bet you would have had that all planned out.

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    Mute Pierre Lecake
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    Jun 13th 2019, 3:17 PM

    @William Flynn: I’m pretty sure Revenue only tax you on what you have received. I have never heard of them taxing you on money owed to you. I know you have to pay preliminary tax but if you did n’t receive rent then you would be refunded the next year

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 4:11 PM

    @Pierre Lecake: you are both right and wrong. As a landlord you have to prepay some tax so you project your income. If the tenant doesn’t pay you can get it back but that takes time and you also still have to pay the mortgage

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 4:55 PM

    @Craic_a_tower: yes and if you can’t afford to cover prepayment and periods where the property might be vacant then you should not be a landlord. Property investments are illiquid and carry huge concentration risks – they are no different in theory than using all your resources to buy shares in a single sector or bitcoin.

    Property has a place in a balanced portfolio but Irish people are dangerously fond of it as an investment and when things like taxation change, they find out that it was a bad idea and then blame everyone else.

    A 10% increase in taxation treatment is pretty much the same as a 10% drop in rent from a cash flow point. Some people above are arguing that the tax issue was unforseeable when they got into property investment but surely a 10% drop in rent was foreseeable and if you couldn’t afford that then you should have invested elsewhere.

    I am not commenting on the housing crisis or the effect that landlord sales have on the renting population but I am commenting on the fact that until people start investing wisely and correctly and treat property investment as it should be treated, we will continue to have the same problems

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    Mute Dublin Northsider
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    Jun 13th 2019, 6:50 PM

    @Dara O’Brien: you may well be right in what you say but I think most folks just bought a house to live in. They didn’t invest in an asset class or balance their portfolio. And of course they had to borrow. But hey have a complete lack of sympathy if you feel like it.

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:11 PM

    @Dara O’Brien: the point about taxation was answering an issue brought up by somebody else. Again you have a failure to understand what has happened. Rents had dropped considerably more than 10% at up to 60% for some which a FURTHER 10%+ on the GROSS was taken away by the government. So tell me a business that the government treated even vaguely close to that? Tell me what other investments the government added such costs and taxes to. The article is about the effects of landlords leaving the market so if you want to ignore that you are in the wrong article. Tell me other business that can take over 70% drop in income too.

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    Mute Milk The Drones
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:30 AM

    Fine Gael policies here are directly contributing to homelessness. They’re financially persecuting the smaller one off landlords by driving them out of the market. All this in favor of foreign tax free vulture funds. It’s abundantly clear at this stage that they haven’t a clue what they’re at. Murphy is a wash out.

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    Mute jacquoranda
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:07 AM

    @Milk The Drones: It’s almost like the people who run our govt. have no real world commercial experience. It’s like that time they came up with the genius idea of trying to make it extremely difficult to evict renting families, in an attempt to protect them. Until someone with half a brain pointed out to them that this would have exactly the opposite desired effect as people would refuse to rent to families at all if they knew they could never evict them.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:40 AM

    @Milk The Drones: FG know very well what they are at. Deliberate policy. Small landlords are being pushed out in favour of corporate landlords and multi property landlords. The housing asset of the country is being handed over to foreign investors and big multi property landlords. FG care SFA about ordinary people, including small landlords. Mortgage to rent is what people have to look forward to. The days of ordinary people owning their own homes are long gone. That’s the legacy FG will leave behind them.

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    Mute Bill Clay
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:08 AM

    @Dave Doyle: ‘leave behind them’?
    FG are not going anywhere, they’ll be in power/opposition for a very long time to come.

    Or has amnesia kicked in already and local/euro election results forgotten already?

    I’m just waiting for he hilarious, ‘we’ll show them at the general election’
    Priceless.

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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Jun 13th 2019, 11:17 AM

    @Bill Clay: FG didn’t get back the 105 seats they lost in 2014 Local elections!They also lost 26 seats in 2016 General Election and since then the ongoing National emergencies in homelessness, housing and health has gotten worse plus more scandals since re Cervical Check, massive estimated overspend forecast on National Children’s Hospital and broadband,etc

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    Mute Dr. X (Official Continuity Faction)
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    Jun 13th 2019, 1:28 PM

    @Dave Doyle: Good riddance. Small landlords are far worse from a tenant’s perspective than large ones. At least vulture funds don’t kick you out of the house at two months’ notice because their kid needs it for college.

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Jun 13th 2019, 1:44 PM

    @Dr. X (Official Continuity Faction):
    But charge double the price for the privilege.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 13th 2019, 1:54 PM

    @Dr. X (Official Continuity Faction): They do when they want to up the rent.

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    Mute Dr. X (Official Continuity Faction)
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    Jun 13th 2019, 2:13 PM

    @Dave Doyle: Unlike small landlords then

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 5:00 PM

    @Dave Doyle: The problem with small landlords is that for the most part, they made an unwise investment choice.

    A reading of this comments section shows that they want a rental income stream sufficient to cover their mortgage and tax obligations whilst also covering periods of vacancy and maintenance costs and a bit of a profit whilst the asset also appreciates in value and all with no risk.

    There was an investment like that a few years back – it was run by Bernie Madoff.

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Jun 13th 2019, 6:37 PM

    @Dara O’Brien:
    In fairness most would accept that landlords should pay the same taxes as any other business, money earned from a rental should be treated the same as money earned from, let’s say selling vegetables, but then landlords should be allowed ALL legitimate expenses. It is one of the few businesses where you could be taxed on a loss.

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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:42 PM

    @Dr. X (Official Continuity Faction): small landlords can’t act in a cartel like fashion to increase prices in an area. Small landlords pay tax on rental income which returns to the State which pays it out as housing support to tenants (and builds roads, hospitals, etc). Institutional landlords pay close to zero tax and move their considerable profits offshore and out of the local economy. They have no personal relationship with the tenant.

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    Mute Kevin50
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:05 AM

    As an accidental landlord with a 4 bed house in a good area sold it. In my last year, Rent for the year was 13k which was below market price, take expenses ie tax, insurance, LPT, PRTB etc total 16k, total loss 3k. Gave 6 months notice and allowed the tenants stay a 7th month for free as they could not move into their new house until then. They were good tenants. I am not a social worker, that is a job for government, yet Landlords like me are portrayed as villains despite the fact we pay more taxes than most

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    Mute Peter Hughes
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:29 PM

    @Kevin50: How did you become an accident landlord…..go on give me a good laugh

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    Mute Niallers
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:58 AM

    Smaller landlords being taxed out of existence.

    If you rent a room out in your house you can earn about 14k tax free.
    If private landlords were allowed to earn this amount tax free you would see rental properties being built on a massive scale.

    Housing problem would be solved in a couple of years.

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    Mute Padraig O'Goire
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:22 AM

    @Niallers: Exactly….they could even have a scale on it i.e. can only get it for one or two properties so its the private landlord and not the business landlords that gains…..

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    Mute Peter Hughes
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    Jun 13th 2019, 11:31 AM

    @Niallers: No need to do that at all, just need to build homes for people. This and only this has the whole system rigged to purposely create this crime of high rents. Government and business are pulling the strings behind the scenes to make as many people slaves as possible…..we are in an era of pure evil, greed has taken over……..

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    Mute Karl Cranny
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    Jun 13th 2019, 2:29 PM

    @Peter Hughes: And who do you think will buy those homes? Probably with cash no less….

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 5:10 PM

    @Padraig O’Goire: So let me get this right – you want an investment that returns a positive cash stream all year every year whilst your investment continues to appreciate in value and you also want to be shielded from risk whilst doing it?

    Wanna buy a unicorn or some magic beans?

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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:01 PM

    @Dara O’Brien: you are definitely still in nappies with a comment like that. The value of property, like any other investment class, can go down as well as up. Hard to imagine I know but the upward trajectory of house prices isn’t guaranteed and is eventually met with a swift correction.

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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:08 PM

    @Dara O’Brien: and capital appreciation is just a figure written on paper. Until you sell the property it means nothing.

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:55 PM

    @Sean: Firstly, do you honestly think that I don’t know the characteristics of various asset classes? Really??

    Of course property rises and falls like any other but in the long term – it rises.

    Secondly, with regards capital appreciation not being anything until it’s realised – tell that to all the people in the boom who borrowed against their equity.

    I’ll keep a few of the nappy’s for you – you’ll grown into them soon enough.

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    Mute Adolf Galland
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:54 AM

    I flogged my rented house as soon as the PRTB passed on my details to revenue (the little snitches) So the income from it went from 700 a month to 380 a month (45% tax) When the shower unit and fridge went in the same month I was only allowed claim 80 quid back at the end of the year on an outlay of 800 smokes. So getting rid of the kip was just a huge relief.

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:10 AM

    @Adolf Galland: Just so you know the PRTB do not inform revenue so somebody you know probably reported you. Not sure why you felt it was ok to evade paying tax when other landlords pay it.

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    Mute The Great Unwashed
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:26 AM

    @Adolf Galland:
    This is why Ireland is fecked. People who are quite happy to complain about lack of government spending etc. etc. are also quite proud to be a tax evader.

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    Mute Adolf Galland
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:54 AM

    @Craic_a_tower: Yes they do, go to the prtb website, read the docs they send… They pass on the info almost the same day you register absolute nincompoop!!!

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:03 AM

    @Adolf Galland: No what it says is they share information. That is done on request not as a normal event. What happens is somebody reports you and they then ask PRTB for information. I am not a nincompoop who tries to evade tax and then complains about being caught.

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    Mute Adolf Galland
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:07 AM

    @The Great Unwashed: I went from renting a couple of rooms to renting the whole house just as the prtb came in. So I may have got away with a couple of months tax but that was about it. The substantive issue is still there. The mortgage at the time was something like 600 a month, the rent was 700 a month, and the tax was 380 a month. So to rent the gaff was actually costing me money out of my salary Lol. Hence we now have homeless people….

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    Mute Adolf Galland
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:13 AM

    @Craic_a_tower: No… When you register they share your details with revenue by default. Have you checked the compliance rate before and after the prtb came in. Take a look and stop talking nonsense.

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:20 AM

    @Adolf Galland: Nope. I worked on their system and know exactly how it works. How do you check a compliance rate on an unknown? The revenue office stepped up inspections and requests that was why their was an increase in tax registration. You were still trying to evade tax. Most likely a tenant reported you for your tax fraud.

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    Mute Seaniecp
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:28 AM

    @Craic_a_tower: there is information sharing between prtb and revenue.

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:36 AM

    @Seaniecp: yes there is by request like I said. They could have changed the system but the law hasn’t changed so I doubt it.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 13th 2019, 11:32 AM

    @Craic_a_tower: If you’re one of the rich you don’t even pay LPT. Built in loopholes for banks, vultures and the rich.
    https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/super-rich-avoid-property-tax-bill-930468.html?fbclid=IwAR36SIzzAKn_40-hzU1bnhjvBSlNZwTkicgKRaPClWYAgLExP2HFQSVTcLQ

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    Mute Adolf Galland
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:04 PM

    @Craic_a_tower: So your telling me that the prtb are sitting on all that lovely tax information and every month revenue don’t come asking for the prsi info of newly registered landlords. Listen stick to working on computers cos common sense never caught up with you.

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    Mute Seaniecp
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:05 PM

    @Craic_a_tower: yeah I reckon it has changed. I was living in my first property for years and when I decided to rent it out and move back home for a bit I was still I’m receipt of trs. Within two months revenue had stopped the trs as I was no longer entitled as the prtb had notified them that I had registered with them. This will have been done without request and long before my tax forms needed to be submitted which they were. I also sold the house, 1 for personal reasons and 2 because it’s not worth the hassle.

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:11 PM

    @Adolf Galland: Yes because of data laws which have not changed. You are a bit clueless on who works on systems and that they have to check with legislation with lawyers. How about you pay your taxes correctly.

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    Mute Adolf Galland
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:20 PM

    @Craic_a_tower: Omg you don’t listen. When I registered with the prtb I asked the girl did they share the information with revenue, she said Yes, it was sent to them once you registered. A month later I received my tax requests. No one reported me, it has nothing to do with data protection. Revenue can get ALL new registrations at the touch of a button. Read the comment of the chap above same thing happened to him. Ring the prtb they will tell you the same. Good bye I’m banning you!

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 1:17 PM

    @Adolf Galland: Let’s get this straight you in one moment say the PRTB reported you to revenue and you called them snitches for this. However you did ask them when you were registering they told you they send all records to revenue.
    Meanwhile a person who worked on the system and legislation says different.
    Now as you are accusing me of not listening but I was and your STORY is inconsistent. Don’t believe me fine but to believe you on what you have said would be very weird. Probably one of those people who think the PSC card has all your information on it

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    Mute Adolf Galland
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    Jun 13th 2019, 2:00 PM

    @Craic_a_tower: Sorry your absolutely right, I’m just trolling you because I’m lonely. Now do you wanna see a picture of my P E nis or not?

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 2:04 PM

    @Adolf Galland: I think what is on your head is clearly visable to the world

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    Mute Padraig O'Goire
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:45 AM

    There is no incentives to been a private landlord….anybody that has a second house is selling up and putting their savings/investment elsewhere…government needs to change how they tax private landlords.

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    Mute Chemical Brothers
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:55 AM

    The state ran and is running private landlords out of the marked with taxes not applied to any other legitimate businesses. No other businesses pay tax on a trading loss not even those renting commercial property.

    Homelessness is the consequence of government policy against landlords started by FF/Green coalition and continued by FG/Labour.

    And still clowns on here say TDs in Dail are looking after landlords when nothing could be further than the truth & small landlords are voting with their feet, exiting the market and thus we have a crisis.

    We had a stable private rental market for decades & it worked. Begrudgery & “socialism” killed it.

    Time to treat small landlords like any other business nothing more nothing less.

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:52 AM

    @Chemical Brothers: not really it is all weak political will and taking the lead from public opinion. The public are all for more restrictions and penalties on landlords. The public don’t want evictions made easier and forced payment for missed rent. It is political suicide to be seen helping landlords. As it is anytime there is talk of property somebody will pop up and claim the TDs are all landlords and/or doing favours for their developer/landlord friends.
    Don’t forget the public laughed at the warnings of a lack of housing and claimed it was a ruse to push up prices and get developers out of trouble. No need to name any party they are all the same on this and that is weak. The alternative is try and force people to stay landlords and keep renting.

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    Mute Pierre Lecake
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    Jun 13th 2019, 11:08 AM

    @Craic_a_tower: When the government restored the tax relief of mortgage interest from 75% to its original 100% you had Paul Murphy of PBP crying that it was “A landlords budget” .It would make you weep.

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    Mute Mark Brandt
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:19 AM

    the question should be – why are private landlords selling ?? could it have to do with taxing rental income at 50% ????

    the main reason for homelessness is the government – a blind person could have seen the result of Nama and selling off huge chunks of rental accomodation to vulture funds –
    its simple fact that once the middleclass / private landlords dissapear the country will be in trouble – longterm planning seems to be non existent – everyone for themselves and cash in on as many brown envelopes as possible

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    Mute Johanne Smith
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    Jun 13th 2019, 11:12 AM

    In New Zealand you cant buy a property unless you are a resident. This stops the likes of vulture funds buying property and thus raising the prices astronomically. Property owners are entitled to sell their property. It is up to the government to supply social housing. They should not be relying on private landlords for social housing. Also people in social housing should not get to stay in the same property for their lifetime when there is a change in circumstances, eg when children move out and there is only 1 or 2 people living in a 4 bed house. They should be moved to a more suited property for their needs. In other countries if tenants do not look after their council property then its taken off them which should be the case.

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    Mute Matrix1
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:59 AM

    Typical government bull , pass the blame onto someone else

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    Mute The Great Unwashed
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:22 AM

    Ok, this isn’t going to go down well but….
    Unless these houses are standing empty for months after a tenant is moved out (which they are not), how is this contributing to homelessness?
    One family moves out, another family moves in. The overall level of housing stock hasn’t changed.

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    Mute Sk19
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:19 AM

    @The Great Unwashed: exactly .
    The only way to solve it is the incentivise developers and landlords

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    Mute Lucy Rodgers
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:37 PM

    @The Great Unwashed: Economy on the up, jobs available resulting in inward migration and returning emigrants cause rising population and pressure on current housing stock.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Jun 13th 2019, 4:13 PM

    @The Great Unwashed: According to an unpublished 2017 report there’s 200,000 unoccupied homes all over the country. Homes that would see an end to the homeless problem. But may give rise to a problem for foreign investor corporations, big landlords, hotel and HUB owners.
    The fact that a Labour TD highlighted the unpublished report ids galling, given Labour was directly involved in creating the homeless problem. The homeless figures quoted are a figment of the government’s imagination.
    https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/theres-200000-empty-homes-ireland-11915348?fbclid=IwAR2j3X49tQS-OvM2vXKI8gSAmHOiCd8-Yj2dr7vf3eLL4jbt6i6WU1xspTc

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 5:19 PM

    @Dave Doyle: a lot of those are also owned by people who aren’t paying the mortgage yet won’t consent to hand back the property to allow it be sold.

    Still a huge amount of buy to let properties in massive arrears around the country – taken into receivership but unable to be sold until they wash through the courts

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    Mute The Great Unwashed
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    Jun 13th 2019, 5:57 PM

    @Lucy Rodgers:
    Exactly – housing stock is the issue, not one family moving out of a house and another family moving in.

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    Mute The Great Unwashed
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    Jun 13th 2019, 6:01 PM

    @Dave Doyle:
    Who do you think is buying individual houses sold by landlords, and if not by a family looking for a home to move into, do you think the new owner is leaving the house empty when they could be generating rent from it?? Cop on.

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    Mute
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:34 AM

    I rented a house for 3 and half years paid the rent, but when we signed for the house we where asked to sign a form to say the owner lived with us (she obviously didnt as her father was the estate agent and the family own lots of houses). We had to sign as we needed the house.
    Few years went by we got told the house was been sold, we had to look for other accommodation. 2 weeks after we moved the house was back up for rent at almost double what we paid.

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    Mute Thewestisbest
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:24 AM

    @: Is that typical behavior from landlords? I would suggest not.

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    Mute Sheelagh Reid
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:40 AM

    @Thewestisbest: we had exactly the same situation.

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:45 AM

    Report them so. Some people will always break the law and rules but it doesn’t mean that is all landlords. Do you see one car break lights and say all motorists always break lights?

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 5:24 PM

    @Craic_a_tower: you do if you’re a cyclist it would seem …

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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:05 AM

    I think anyone who had a rental property that they had to subsidise monthy who didn’t want to get rid of it would ned their heads checked. Vulture funds don’t pay any tax at all.. Maybe we should start setting them up ourselves. That said, Landlords pretending to sell to replace tenants with higher paying tenants need to be clamped down on too.

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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:13 PM

    @Rob Cahill: The problem is that the vast majority of them aren’t pretending. They are actually selling!

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    Mute Willy
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:29 AM

    Bankers debt to EU must be payed. Their bonuses returned . FFG are to blame with em. These are the simple facts. They can’t build either because EU ensured so with the greatest bankers bailout in history. More taxes is naturally the FFG way. Save the planet taxes and be sure water charges are coming back. Well they’ll try again. Suck it up people. Yee get what Yee vote. 100 years of FFG…..

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    Mute The next small thing
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:28 AM

    @Willy: so FFG are parties of the left seeing that it’s natural for them to want more taxes. Oh, our national debt is around 200 billion of which the bank bailout is around 35 billion, more evidence of FFG leftist policies. At least we won’t have the option to borrow when the next recession hits.

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    Mute Honey Badger
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:30 AM

    @Willy: Can you comment on English now. Thank you.

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    Mute Oscar
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    Jun 13th 2019, 8:58 AM

    Daras gone. Mum must have dropped him to school.

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    Mute sally
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:08 AM

    @Oscar:

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    Mute sally
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:09 AM

    @Oscar:

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Jun 13th 2019, 5:28 PM

    @Oscar: still here – school has finished for the day, I ate two crayons and i still make more sense than you.

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    Mute Gordon Walsh
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    Jun 13th 2019, 11:15 AM

    The government need to bring in tax incentives to stop accidental one off landlords leaving the market – but they won’t do that because other forms of additional income fall under the same category and they won’t want to touch that in any way

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    Mute Tony Maher
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    Jun 13th 2019, 1:36 PM

    Government stopped county councils from building council houses. Then depending on landlords to fill the housing gap. Then crucified landlords. So they had no option but to sell their property. Hence the homeless.

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    Mute Jack Wardell
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    Jun 13th 2019, 5:59 PM

    been a landlord of numerous units for the last 30yrs. I’m no accidental landlord but know when to get out. I’m selling up everything as I’m taxed to the hilt with the RTB the tenants best friend. I was a good and honest landlord. All my units have been snapped up by “cash” buyers, ie they won’t be back on the market. A total mess and I blame the govt and the revenue commissioners for gouging the market. The minister for housing is neutered by the left wing in fear. My last tenant demanded washing machines etc took me for €10k re rent, damage and legals ignoring determination orders. She is now in her own new house now compliments of the govt and can’t be sued as she has “nothing” bar a 2018 fiesta on the drip. …makes my blood boil

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    Mute Honey Badger
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:34 AM

    O when the bubble bursts the next time landlords won’t be able to give them away. 50 percent of landlords in Dublin are jackals. O the greedy little pigs.

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    Mute Maria Hickey-Fagan
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:39 AM

    @Honey Badger: some evidence to back up that stat, please?

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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:44 AM

    @Honey Badger: Landlords bad Tenants good. Constant landlord bashing is another reason why many landlords are packing it in. After all they are not making money and the Government keeps thinking up new populist ways to make their lives harder. I think you’ll find that the only thing worse than landlords are no landlords!

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    Mute Honey Badger
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:29 AM

    @Sean: Well Sean Someone has to own a house if not a landlord then anyone else. It always has to be someone.

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    Mute Oscar
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:45 AM

    @Honey Badger: Property prices are static over the last 15 years, and if there is a slump they will recover quickly.

    More concerning is the european economy, about to slip into recession with a banking crisis in full flight in Italy and the German econimy already in recession.
    Now why is the media ignoring this?

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jun 13th 2019, 1:40 PM

    Hard to blame them; tiny profit margins, taxed on rent and not on profits, and the system loaded in favour of rogue tenants.
    You’d want to be nuts to stay in that business.

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    Mute Ruby
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    Jun 13th 2019, 6:32 PM

    Wow landlords can’t seem to win. Keep their property and they’re accused of high rent, sell their property and blamed for homelessness.

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    Mute Ike Quirk
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    Jun 13th 2019, 2:51 PM

    Yes the gov policies have forced people out of the business. Big taxes , no protection for your property etc
    Sometimes the trendy and pc route only makes the problem worse
    If you want volumes of rental properties make it profitable and secure for the risk taker
    It’s kinda simple

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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Jun 13th 2019, 11:36 AM

    This is yet another Report re homeless families that highlights families becoming homeless after getting Notices of Termination from private landlords as a major reason for homelessness.
    The other Report April 18 highlighted that many families who have lost their private rented accommodation defer presenting to homeless services by moving in with friends or family.
    But I think a major reason is there seems to be no sence of URGENCY from Government for ensuring adequate effective policies for the provision of sufficient social and affordable housing stock.Instead the emphasis is on private landlords to provide social housing through HAP.But rents are very high &it was reported before that less than 10% of private rented accommodation is within HAP limits.
    Also ‘accidental’ landlords are at a serious disadvantage compared to vulture funds eg vulture funds exempt from tax.So more and more ‘accidental’landlords squeezed out and these vulture funds,cuckoo funds increasing obtaining properties,etc.
    There are 2 further dangers on the horizon:Brexit triggering another downturn and fact that population estimated to increase by over 1.85m over next 32 years.The National emergency in housing should have seen emergency legislation passed and emergency measures to ADEQUATELY tackle it before this.

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    Mute William Flynn
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    Jun 13th 2019, 1:45 PM

    It would be more useful to do a report on why landlords are getting tenants to leave, than the effect it has on a section of those who are asked to leave.

    If the HAP scheme was done properly landlords would be falling over themselves to use it, but the conditions attached are off putting for landlords and look like they were written for the convenience of the local government administrating the scheme.

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    Mute Shane Murphy
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    Jun 13th 2019, 10:43 AM

    A fifty percent marginal rate of tax is a total and utter disgrace! It even hits the working poor! But yeah , after eight years in power, fg really do “reward work “ L! O! L the housing catastrophe is an absolute scandal ,bear with fg on this though , they’ve only been in power eight years , the economy is booming , what’s the problem ? Could it be that pretty much all of them of are homeowners, never mind landlords , so they have a vested interest in rising prices ? The councils constantly blocking development are at least as guilty!

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    Mute Matthew Handibode
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    Jun 13th 2019, 3:46 PM

    Nice to see people putting the blame where it belongs instead of on independant landlords who are just doing what is best for them

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    Mute Ronan McDermott
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    Jun 13th 2019, 3:44 PM

    People are allowed to sell their property. End of story . Government needs to build high rises . Then you’ll see the real value of these slums on the market. Value would be sfa

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    Mute Mary Lyons
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    Jun 13th 2019, 11:47 AM

    Tenants should be given a guarantee by landlords that they won’t be selling or moving back in to premises for at least 5 years. Should be given 2 years notice and save some of the trauma people go through and a chance to choose other options.

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    Mute Padraig O'Goire
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    Jun 13th 2019, 12:37 PM

    @Mary Lyons: That would be possible for private landlords if they were not been forced out of the market and selling up due to obscene taxes and indirect taxes…..

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    Mute William Flynn
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    Jun 13th 2019, 3:26 PM

    @Mary Lyons:
    Giving such long guarantees to tenants would only work, if at the same time it was easy and quick to get some on out if they didn’t pay the rent or was causing other problems.

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    Mute Sean
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    Jun 13th 2019, 7:18 PM

    @Mary Lyons: it would be an excuse for rogue tenants to over hold and it would mean that properties couldn’t be sold or would lower in value because of existing tenant. In short it would further decimate rental supply as well as being constitutionally problematic.

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    Mute Neuville-Kepler62F
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    Jun 13th 2019, 9:39 PM

    The defective Irish Constitution needs to be updated and fixed to permanently solve the recurring Irish housing catastrophes. Cant rely on political representatives who vote for interests of lobbyists, vested interests, landlords, and themselves … certainly not the interests of citizens.

    https://www.change.org/p/housing-crisis-referendum-on-family-homes

    €35,000 per annum income are on MaxTax of 40% to pay for HAP and social homes but NO ACCESS to own their own homes.

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