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NEWLY ANNOUNCED MEASURES by the Government to address the ongoing housing crisis will only stagnate the market and have a “chilling effect on both housing supply and investor confidence”, according to the national residential landlords’ association.
The Irish Property Owners’ Association (IPOA) is to address the Housing Committee this afternoon. It will highlight its concerns regarding the impact on the rental sector of various measures recently announced.
In June, the Government announced its “major reforms” that it would be implementing in an attempt to “boost investment” to increase the housing supply. One of the most spoken about measures was the entire country falling under the umbrella of a Rent Pressure Zone – aside from new build apartments.
Of the IPOA’s concerns, it will particularly highlight the definition of a “large landlord” as being unsuitable due to it being based on a landlord’s tenancies rather than the number of properties owned. This, it will argue, will impact the most affordable rung on the property ladder: house shares.
House shares are particularly common for students, recent graduates, and people on lower incomes. The IPOA will say that the classification of a landlord with four tenancies – which it believes could potentially all be within one property – as a “large landlord” and is therefore subject to different regulations will dissuade landlords from renting their properties to multiple separate people.
The IPOA will also state its opposition to tenant-in-situ sales. It will cite Property Market Intel research that states that selling with tenants in situ – with the new property owners essentially inheriting the tenancy agreement from the former landlord – reduces the value of a property by up to 40%.
The most pressing issue, its spokesperson will say, is the restriction on who landlords can sell their properties to. It will flag massive drops in investment by landlords. It will also say that the Government is opening the door for economic evictions, as it may be more profitable for landlords to keep their properties vacant until the regulations kick in next March so that they can sell without tenants in situ.
“We now face a nine-month freeze until 1 March 2026,” its spokesperson will say in the opening address. “The uncertainty faced by landlords, paired with the market restrictions, could have a chilling effect on both supply and investor confidence.
“It is not reasonable to expect private landlords to shoulder the responsibility for lifelong housing provision. That is the role of the Government.”
Countering the IPOA, national housing charity Threshold will say that it believes that the security of tenure elements of the proposals are “fair and balanced”.
“It will give tenants at least six years of security if their landlords is a small landlord while still allowing these landlords will still be able to take possession of their property at certain points. The proposals also recognise that larger landlords operate on an entirely different financial model.”
It will say that alongside changes to Rent Pressure Zones, the proposed limitations on no fault evictions will enable the Government to “potentially transform the rental landscape from one of short-term uncertainty to longer-term stability.”
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Every supermarket in Holland has had this since before I arrived 28 years ago. We pay a deposit on our bottles, plastic and glass and we get our deposit back when we return the bottles
@John Brendan Mullen: That was also a thing in all eastern european countries. It disappeared as soon as multinationals hit the market. Problem with recycling does not lie with people but with companies who are constantly looking at how to increase profit.
I remember well returnable sturdy plastic bottles for coke/fanta etc… Companies figured out that it is cheaper for them to make single use cheap plastic bottles than to bother with shipping and cleaning returnable bottles for another use.
@Pat Patovic: It’s still a thing in Germany, old eastern for that matter, most prevelant in off licences/drink shops. Great system…
@John Brendan Mullen: it’s everywhere in Denmark too
@John Brendan Mullen: when I was staying with my aunt in Boston in 93, she used to take her empty cans to the supermarket and they had a counter near the entrance that gave you money off vouchers for your shopping for every can you returned!! Don’t know how much it was but enough to make her keep empty cans.
@John Brendan Mullen: same here in Germany
These machines have been in the Netherlands since at least 1994. We’re only 25 years behind on this one…
@Kiernan Gildea: I arrived in Holland in 1991 and they were already there.
@John Brendan Mullen: They had them beside the Red Sea when Moses parted it.
@Alan McDonald: is that how all the plastic ended up in the ocean?
@Alan McDonald: ha ha ha ha excellent
@Alan McDonald: brilliant
We had a glass bottle return in my Mam’s shop back in late 70s and early 80s and everyone brought back their glass and the various companies took em back for reuse then Tetra Pak and plastic became the norm and wiped the glass out. I always thought milk tasted nicer out of glass pint bottles. We also had a far cleaner countryside cos every child would be fighting over dumped bottles Togo and get 10p which would buy a good few sweets
Go deas le feiceáil. Ba chóir ceann a chur i nach siopa
@Séan Ó Nuanáin: Ta me Mahogany gas pipe. Nil aon Fáine Or agam!
These should be common place in every town village and city in Ireland.
No brainer!!! Why the hell is this only happening now??
@Devilsavocado: it’s Ireland
@Devilsavocado: we’re leprechauns. If it makes sense we will deny it for as long as possible until one day many years later someone will have a lightbulb moment…. Meanwhile the world’s moved on….
I’m 54. As long as I recall this was standard for glass bottles since I was small. Later plasticbottles and cans were added to the system.
This was in Finland.
@Nina Wallenius: time to return to glass bottles
Country is awash with glass
A broken bottle in the sea has majorly less impact on the environment than a plastic straw
@Means of escape: what about the energy used to make and transport the glass bottle? Also the natural resources used to make the glass bottle?
@John Horan: I may be wrong but I think the recycling process for glass is easier. Transport is more expensive as heavier but I think the environmental impact would still be less with glass
I remember politicians saying it wasn’t feasible to do this in Ireland. More down to the fact that they are to lazy and in bed with Multinational companies
I seen this in Germany 13 years ago and Ireland only gets it first one now typical ireland
Why cant we just be like the rest of the world and get actual coins for bringing bottles back? The homeless in germany and canada as i witnessed even go through the bins to get bottles. Less rubbish, more recycling and keeps people fed. Vouchers is a step indeed but it’s better to get that 25c back off the bottle. All adds up.
In Ireland they’ll probably set up a company first.. ‘Irish Plastic’, spend a lot of money on consultants, charge supermarkets a lot of money installing the machines….and then don’t follow through….
This is great to see but I guarantee you some little knackbag will put his hand in it, get injured and mammy will sue. Joe Duffy will hop on the bandwagon, call it a disgrace and the whole thing will be cancelled. This is ireland remember.
It’s a start but why does it take us so long to do everything that is good, surely these machine can be fitted in every town by Christmas
No where in this article or trial does it.mention a bottle deposit. Otherwise, at 10c a bottle refund, this is not viable.
@Lar Meyler: because it’s a trial….
@Diarmaid O’Riordáin: it’s 100% viable tax the bottle makers and allow normal people to recoup the money for recycling them
This is even a thing in some US states like Michigan. Has been for years.
8 cent after Tax
About fekn time …Simple idea
Great idea! I am living in frankfurt we have them over here really encourages ya to recyle plus you get paid
What can be done with the voucher? Is it cashed out in a shop?
Probably got to give 50 bottles back just to get the 10c.
But you are paying for the recycling. Look on the bottles for the recycling sign, that means there is already a levy to pay for the recycling. Rip Off Ireland at its finest
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