We need real action on tenants rights

Labour spokesperson on Housing Jan O’Sullivan TD, has reiterated her call for a rent register to be introduced, following the publication of the Threshold Annual Report, 2018

Speaking today Deputy O’Sullivan;

“Areas covered by the Rent Pressure Zones are seeing rent increases well above the 4% maximum required and for cities like Limerick and Waterford which are not included, rents have risen by 20% in the past year.

“What we need instead is a nationwide control on rents that links them to the cost of living as Labour proposed in a Bill that was voted down by the Government more than two years ago. I would now go further, because the situation is so desperate for so many people, and impose a freeze on increases until there is some stability in the market, particularly in our cities.

“Our legislation also called for a Rent Register. The current situation whereby a new tenant has no way of knowing what the previous tenant paid cannot continue. It makes a mockery of the law and gives no protection when a tenancy changes.

“A Rent Register is the bare minimum we can give tenants so that they have a change to access fair rents. And given the rate of rent increase with the governments failed ’Rent Pressure Zones’ it is needed to help implement the governments own policies.”

“The government has to open its eyes to the reality and take action.”