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IRELAND COULD SEE a huge spike in the number of people evicted from rental accommodation when the current ban on tenancy terminations expires, housing groups have warned.
On Saturday, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy indicated that the government would extend a rent freeze and the temporary ban on evictions introduced in March to protect renters during the Covid-19 crisis.
The two bans currently run until the end of June, and a decision on extending them beyond that date is expected be made by Cabinet following the government’s publication of a roadmap for lifting Covid-19 restrictions last week.
But a significant rise in the number of households receiving the Rent Supplement welfare payment in recent weeks has led to concerns that many will become homeless when the eviction ban is lifted.
It is believed that many of those currently on the support may be accumulating rent arrears debt during the crisis, which they may not be able to pay when the ban ends.
There are also worries that many renters work in low-paid or precarious jobs, with no guarantee their working hours will return to normal, leading to an inability among this cohort of people to meet their monthly rent.
Figures obtained by Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin via a Parliamentary Question show that there was a 15% increase in the number of people on the scheme since the government brought in restrictions on work and travel in March.
The figures show there are now approximately 18,200 households in receipt of the welfare payment, an increase of almost 2,500 households since 14 March.
The scheme is a means-tested welfare subsidy for those living in private rented accommodation, who cannot afford to pay their rent because of a substantial change in their circumstances.
It differs from the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), which is the payment made to those qualified for social housing support and on the local authority’s housing list.
Although HAP is paid to individuals via their local authorities, the Rent Supplement scheme is paid by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP).
Additional figures show that 3,778 applications for Rent Supplement were received in the period from 12 March to 18 April.
It comes as housing charities say they have experienced a significant rise in the number of people contacting them after losing their jobs or being put on reduced hours since the beginning of the government’s restrictions.
Threshold Chief Executive John Mark McCafferty told TheJournal.ie that the profile of those contacting the charity had noticeably changed since the restrictions were imposed.
He explained that the ban on evictions meant that the charity has seen a notable drop in the number of people contacting Threshold because their tenancy has been terminated.
“What we’re seeing instead is people calling us who have never come to us before, who’ve never had any problems in the rental sector because they’d always been working,” he said.
“There’s been a significant drop in income for people, with the context of rents having been historically very high and quite unaffordable for a large portion of the population.
“It’s a perfect storm for the risk of rent arrears, which leads to a risk of a rise in the number of tenancy terminations whenever the emergency rental measures expire.”
Change to eligibility criteria
McCafferty also explained that many of those who have contacted the charity after being laid off are young, single, and working in the hospitality and service industries.
“A lot of them will be in house shares, where for example they’re renting a property with other people, and the lease was signed on the understanding that there were four people in the house paying €2,000 a month between them,” he said.
“In the last six weeks, people in these houses have left to go and mind an older family member who’s cocooning or who’s had to self-isolate at home, so that there are maybe only two of four people left to pay the full €2,000 rent on their own.”
However, despite the 15% rise in the number of households in receipt of Rent Supplement, the government has been criticised for not advertising the scheme more widely.
TheJournal.ie understands that a circular issued to social welfare offices in March gives welfare officers more discretion in allowing individuals to receive the payment.
Under previous rules, only those who lived in private rented accommodation for six of the previous 12 months could avail of Rent Supplement.
However, it’s understood that the circular allows those with shorter tenancies, who can prove a loss of income related to the pandemic, to receive the payment at the discretion of local officers.
The application form for the payment has also been shortened in recent weeks.
No eligibility changes have been advertised on the DEASP’s website or social media channels, nor were they issued in a press release to the media.
Asked to comment, a DEASP spokesperson said that internal circulars are used as guides to provide clarity to welfare officers and are not intended for publication.
Keeping cost down
Ó Broin previously suggested that the changes to the scheme had not been advertised as a deliberate attempt to keep the number of Rent Supplement claims and cost of the benefit to the department down.
He called on the DEASP to publish the guidance issued to social welfare offices so that renters know if they are entitled to the payment.
“The Covid-19 rent supplement payment is a vital support to renters who have lost their jobs,” he said.
“I don’t understand why the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection are not doing more to promote it.”
A spokesman for the department said that anyone whose income has been adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and who requires financial support to meet their rent can apply for Rent Supplement and should contact their local social welfare office.
Along with Threshold, Focus Ireland called on Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party to commit to retaining the ban on evictions and rent freeze in the new programme for government.
“The last month has demonstrated these measures huge potential to address the homeless crisis,” the charity’s Advocacy Manager Roughan Mac Namara said.
“What we need to do now is to help more people who are homeless to make the most of these short-term opportunities and make a lasting move out of homelessness.”
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Remember someone is going to have to pay for all this..
@Padraic: SF didn’t get a majority at the election
@Padraic: legally they also decided not to take the last pay rise granted to public sector employees.
@D Mems: But they are supposed to live on average industrial wage and got elected on that pledge. But Dessie the singer Ellis trousered the full 98,000 thousand and Gerry bagged his 17,000 pension plus lump of 50 thousand plus for a few years as a td
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Itrp
@Ruairi O Gorman:
Perhaps a Compulsory Purchase Order? We could buy back Irish houses from international vultures at a non-inflated value?
The govt was thinking of doing it for buying *land* from Irish people. So why not do a CPO to take back our homes into the hands of Irish again?
@bmul: read the comment again but this time slowly, Padraic didn’t say SF got a majority
@Ruairi O Gorman: Of course we are going to have to pay for it but it is better that rent supplement is paid instead of tenants being evicted and made homeless.
@Ruairi O Gorman: Ruairi We will all pay for it. But it is necessary and unavoidable.
@Geraldine Glynn: no that wasn’t a pledge, if you did a bit of research you’d know that rule was relaxed and it’s up to the individual.
Gerry deserves a pension, just like any other TD. What he doesn’t have is multiple pensions like many many ffg old and new politicians. Enda Bertie and Cowen have a pension pot of nearly 9million between them worth close to 130000 a year each. Those three men are responsible for the austerity imposed on us the past 12years and they get to take that home yearly for a piss poor job, yet the ordinary Joe has his pension age increased on a regular basis.
How Bertie was allowed keep his pension I’ll never know.
@Ruairi O Gorman: it’s almost as if we don’t have billions of unpaid tax tied up in a legal case the government refuses to win or something.
The ultra rich can start paying their fair share.
@King B: But you wouldn’t expect double standards David to criticise FFG would you, only SF.
Myself and my wife haven’t worked for the past 7 weeks.3 kids but still paying our rent in full.our Landlord still has his bills to pay. He called us yesterday to see if we need anything .they are not all bad
@pauly f: You work for your income, they take your income passively, because they had enough money or credit to be in a position to purchase a property.
And if they have a mortgage (bills), you’re paying for it without getting any equity in the investment. There’s no such thing as a “good landlord” I’m afraid. But it’s nice that you’re OK with buying your landlord his/her house.
@O’Mhorda Alec: you don’t get any equity in a shop when you buy from them either. When my family restored buildings that were falling down by investing work and taking a financial risk apparently that is passive actions. Our tenant of 30 years are great full they had a place to live because the state never provided a place in that time.
Have your moral view all you like but don’t pretend what you are saying is fact.
@Craic_a_tower: you get what you buy in a shop.
You’re neglecting to accept that you had the ability to invest and take fanancial “risk”.
A fact is a fact. No pretending around here.
@O’Mhorda Alec: you don’t sound like the brightest button in the sewing box.
@Sean: not the sharpest rock on the beach yourself.
@O’Mhorda Alec: people have the ability to be doctors and I don’t begrudge them the ability. Being able to to do something requires work such as being able to understand how much work is required to restore a building. You are suggesting ability comes out of thin air and just given to people. You pay rent for a service which you receive. No different from a shop or a plumber. Facts don’t change but you want the person getting the service of accommodation to get equity for some reason but not in any other service or product.
@O’Mhorda Alec: so what is your answer full socialism. Can you give me an example of anywhere that has worked
@Craic_a_tower: whatever helps you sleep at night Lord.
@james foley: I’m talking about not being at the mercy of a private rental sector driven by “market rates”.
But god forbid anyone mention socialism. The pitch forks will be out.
@O’Mhorda Alec: really that is what you are going to say? There is nothing I feel guilty about. Can I ask what you do for a living so I can see what moral superiority you think you have?
@Craic_a_tower: Listen, you’re attempting to tell me that being a landlord is an active service provided as opposed to a passive income stream.
It’s not personal.
Tenants purchasing an investment property for their landlord, which is incredibly commonplace, is not right. Rent, is not cheap.
Private landlords, could probably do with not being a part of modern society. Everyone should have somewhere to live, regardless of their income. Not everyone has the ability to purchase a home, it has nothing to do with “working hard”.
@O’Mhorda Alec: you do realise a lot of people cannot afford to buy a house due to being incredibly young or not having the finances to do so. There are rent to buy schemes if you want equity. You talk about risk, there is far less risk renting than owning, negative equity, building repairs, running costs etc. You talk an awful lot of drivel… There should be no renting? What’s the option, 50% homeless?
@O’Mhorda Alec: can you show me one case of a tenant purchasing a property for a landlord? You saying that is what they do is not reality. It is you making a claim and I have pointed out that you are selectively choosing to see it that way. It is not a fact if it is you can show one of these legal agreements where tenant purchases the property for the landlord. It is nice how you are ignoring the tax paid on rent. Close to half of all rent goes to the tax man. If you think being a landlord is passive you are very very misinformed. I have dealt with drug abuse, domestic violence, violent attacks, theft, vandalism etc… it is not passive.
What do you do that is morally superior? Landlords and property development is not going anywhere and is required more than ever in Ireland.
@Craic_a_tower: You’re having a laugh pal. The 150k paid to my landlord over the last 6 years covers the mortgage payments and gives a nice profit on top.
Your 50% tax is due to earning an income that’s over a tax threshold. Do you know who else pays tax? Literally everyone. Including lowly tenants.
Do you know how many tenants have been abused by their landlords? Have a chat with someone from Threshold.
But thanks a million for providing a house. Hope you’re not screwing someone out of half their income.
@Craic_a_tower: Literally any other profession is morally superior to being a Landleech boyo.
@O’Mhorda Alec: ridiculous thing to say. I have a house 3 bed and I have rented it out for €600 per month because there is a shortage of houses in Dublin. Out of the money I pay for the broadband and the bins. So there are landlords who care. Not like the government who still want huge amounts of tax for doing something they should be doing
@O’Mhorda Alec: you said tenants purchased properties for landlords but that isn’t fact. You paid for a service and got it. You didn’t have to pay maintenance on the property or the furnishings. Noticed again you didn’t say what you do for a living unless you are saying you don’t work. You can rent or provide your own accommodation price is not determined by what you earn. There are bad and good both tenants and landlords have fair laws and apply them. To assume all landlords are bad and an inability to understand reality compared to an ideal means somebody is unlikely able to comprehend and just always be unreasonable.
@Craic_a_tower: Many a tenant has purchased a property for a landlord via their extortionate rent. You can’t claim to know what repairs I’ve carried out on my rental property that I’ve paid for nor the furnishing that I furnished it with. What I do for a living makes no odds to this conversation, whether I be a GP or a fisherman. Price is determined by the market and what landlords choose to charge, you may not be aware, but tenants don’t actually have a lot of choice, it’s not a renters market. It’s pretty clear that you have zero intention of looking at the other side of the coin on this one.
Would you like to tell me what rent you charge your tenants? Do you deem it reasonable? Do they deem it reasonable? Do you know how much of their income you’re taking? Do you think you deserve it?
@O’Mhorda Alec: why would I answer any questions from a person that won’t answer mine! Prove a tenant has purchased a property for a landlord because that is what you said. Of course what you were arguing was that by paying for a service that meant the landlord could buy a property. No different from a shop that manages to buy property for their business from their services. You have ample time to reason why they are different but you choose not to. I can say what the landlord has to provide by law and if you are doing repairs and furnishing out of pocket you aren’t getting good service and I would wonder why you don’t stick up for your tenant rights. You do have a choice as does every tenant I have yet to force anybody to rent from me. You said a fact is fact yet you don’t use facts
@Craic_a_tower: Hop off your defensive high horse for a hot second and read what I’m writing properly.
Obviously, I’m saying that a tenant is providing the income necessary to pay for the mortgage.
Not that the tenant is buying the house. I think it would be great if the tenant was buying the house!
It’s clearly been a very very long time since you’ve been a tenant, or maybe you never have been one. Perhaps you’ve never been faced with a shitty landlord or been in a situation where you feel that you don’t have a choice between a bad landlord and the street.
You’re operating from a position of privilege, recognise it.
@O’Mhorda Alec: I suggest you read back and realise what you have being saying and read what I said. Fact is fact. You say I have never looked at the other side of the coin but that would mean I would have to ignore the world around me. Have to ignore all friends and family . We all have choices you chose to lump all landlords together as bad people and think they are all leeches and have stated it. You are the unreasonable one exaggerating the very nature of paying for accommodation. You have never dealt with a drug addict tenant who just put his girlfriend in hospital and threatening to stab you. I know not all tenants aren’t like that. Why haven’t you stood up for your tenant rights? You are operating in a belief you understand finance and tax on rental and it is clear you don’t.
Rents should have been deferred during the crisis, not just frozen. Rents, mortgages, and utility bills should all have been deferred entirely while people are being asked not to do business. It makes no sense that so many peoples’ incomes have been paused by law but their financial obligations have not.
@Patrick FitzGerald: deferred means postponed till a later date. I think you mean cancelled or written off as a bad debt?
@Patrick FitzGerald: and how then would you propose utilities are paid for, they too have employees and costs that need to be paid. Private landlords are also running a business, if they own multiple properties, you expect them to write off the debt at a cost to their own families without support, or the accidental landlords with 1 propertu who had to upsize as their families got bigger and are reliant upon the rental income to pay the mortgage, what about them?
@Patrick FitzGerald: but sure they couldn’t do that, then the fulture funds wouldn’t be able to take another sway of homes and business properties etc
@D Mems: if they own multiple properties then yes, they should write it off as owning several properties is for very wealthy people who can afford it. For accidental landlords? Anyone who upsized is not an accidental landlord, if anything it’s the people who were forced to downsize due to going into arrears and yes I feel sorry for them. Anyone who upsized and still owns another property more than likely only has a mortgage on one of them.
@Aidan: Owners of multiple properties, run as a business, would be asset rich but maybe cash poor, and the business maybe in heavy debt, as many businesses are. Accidental landlords bought a 2 bed at the height of the boom, as that’s all they could afford, but then as families were started had to get larger properties but due to downturn were in negative equity and couldn’t sell, that’s not a choice, that’s a necessity and in many cases are tenants of the family home.
@D Mems: kind of ridiculous that it can be a business though really isn’t it D Mems? Renters paying for investments without gaining equity in it. I mean… Let’s call it what is. People buying other people houses that they can in turn… Just squeeze buckets of passive I come with.
Is there anything else like it? Great scheme.
@O’Mhorda Alec: yes there are loads of business that operate the same model. If you take a taxi you do not gain equity in the taxi car when you hand over your money. When you stay in a hotel you do not gain equity in the hotel. I could go on.
@Sean: which ones new are choices and which are necessary? Is needing somewhere to live optional?
The private rental sector never provided *housing security*. Even before this crisis.
The neoliberal private housing sector always impacted low-earners, even before this crisis. How long have we been saying this?
And while there’s uproar when low-earners do get assistance, there’s no uproar when the taxpayers’ money is given to those who already have *assets* and high-earnings.
Just keep support for people who need it. Government doing a great job.
Let’s back the the talks.
@Geraldine Glynn: David got the virus and asked you to hold the fort while he’s laid up ?
@Tommy Roche: Anyone who makes fun of this deadly virus is a simpleton. People are dying you plank.
This is not an amusement.
Reflect.
@Geraldine Glynn: Relax, Geraldine, humour is a widely reported and well validated coping mechanism.
@JusticeForJoe: Well Mr anonymous.I don’t laugh at cancer jokes. He is not jokng. He is troll attacking.
And you are complicit.
@Geraldine Glynn: Do one, David.
@Geraldine Glynn: your a beef patty short of a hamburger David.. A bit like the government you and concannon, peddle silly defensive retorts to protect your masters incompetents
Won’t be worth working for all will be tax…
Serious issues ahead … Greens want tax, FFG want tax… 100 years and we voted change. Look what we get in Irish democracy.
Gonna be trouble…
@Gary O CONNOR: SF of course have access to the money tree so they’re sorted. No tax hike necessary to pay for their socialist utopia.
@Gary O CONNOR: 75% of the electorate did not vote for this imaginary change the Shinner Trots on here keep mentioning.
@D’oh: I don’t suppose you’ve ever considered the fact that the ultra wealthy haven’t been tapped for tax yet?
@Peter Clancy: what are shinner trots? That doesn’t even make sense. How could a Republican be a Trotskyist?
The name is a unified stable government which is what we need. Two civil war parties coming together to serve the nation.
Just like the Good Friday Agreement.
Hope
@Geraldine Glynn: Do you reckon Geraldine would be mortified to find out you’ve been using her account to post nonsense for all to see?
@Peter Denham: Are you Petra. Do you get off on bullying women.. Do you have a proble with views you don’t agree with.
Do you have problems you shouldn’t air in public
Reflect.
@Geraldine Glynn: you’re entertaining if not nothing else, I’ll give you that.
@Peter Denham: Bully
@Geraldine Glynn: what’s with all the “reflect”. Genuinely curious.
@Denis Reidy: They the people who attack me with vitriolic comments can’t accept a contrarian view.
Reflect means just think about your postings.
In a word…. Behave and be respectful.
@Geraldine Glynn: Go on, Davey boy. Call someone a shinner. You’re dying to do it, I can feel it.
@Geraldine Glynn: Dude! Is that you?!!! How are you keeping!!??
If the government weren’t taking such a big chunk then maybe the rents wouldn’t be so high
@Peter: they would be. It’s due to supply and demand. The price is also driven by real estate investment trusts which pay take on profits, not rent. These taxes are not very high.
@Peter: tax increased during the last recession and rents decreased.
The only competent department this bunch of clowns have presided over is revenue for twenty odd years and they want to give us another dose. Stop voting ffg. They have already sandled the children but their children will be next
What new name could be given to this new government with the trinity of Leo,Micháel agus Eamon.
@Michael Maher: M.E.L…. The Melancholics
@Michael Maher: Eamehaleo!!!
@Michael Maher: Mickeylemon
@Michael Maher: Common Unified National Treaty Shower.
We need you not to work, here’s half your wage and work away with your bills and rent.
Traffic jam back up and renters landlords banks country all skint together
Imagine if they had just BUILT PUBLIC HOUSING how much money we would save rather than pouring more and more of our state revenue into foreign vulture funds.
Murphy should donate the inheritance he received from his father, who stole it from the late Gay Byrne’s account.
It’s what Gaybo would have wanted.
have your say