19/08/2015

Homeless Charity Calls For Emergency Rent Control Measures

Emergency legislation is needed to enforce an immediate rent freeze in the private residential sector, homeless and housing charity, the Peter McVerry Trust has said.

The trust has called on the Department of the Environment that emergency rent controls are needed until such time as the market undergoes fundamental reform and the issues surrounding future residential supplies are addressed.

Speaking about rising rents the CEO of the charity Pat Doyle said: "Peter McVerry Trust firmly believes that rents need to be frozen immediately. Since 2011 rents nationally have risen by 25%. In Dublin they have risen 36% during the same period. Rents are now running at 17 times the rate of the consumer price index.

"If the Government brought in emergency rent control it would at the very least provide space for the fundamental reforms that are needed in the private rental market to be discussed, developed and delivered. At the moment the private rental market is not affordable, nor is it meeting the needs of poor and vulnerable households. In fact it is now the primary contributor to homelessness in Ireland today."

The trust believes that without the emergency rent control measures more individuals, couples, families and children will become homeless in the weeks and months ahead.

(MH)

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