Short term extension to rent freeze unacceptable – Moynihan
The short-term extension to the rent freeze by 11 days until August 1st is unacceptable according to Labour Housing Spokesperson Rebecca Moynihan.
Moynihan was speaking after it was revealed that the rent freeze and eviction ban will end on August 1st and that legislation which we haven’t seen the detail of will be enacted before the break.
Senator Moynihan said:
“An extension of the rent freeze by only 11 days is completely insufficient in the context of the Covid-19 crisis and will create more uncertainty for renters. We know rent freezes are constitutionally possible and the Minister needs to give renters the security they need by extending the rent freeze and evictions until next year”.
“The promised legislation must have stronger protection for renters, address the issue of rental debate and strengthen the role of the Residential Tenancies Board to address the power imbalance in the tenant/landlord relationship.
“Many renters are young people in insecure work that may have or will not be returning to work due to the Covid crisis. The Government has shown yet again by failing to extend the rent freeze and eviction ban beyond August they are willing to throw young renters to the wolves.
Senator Moynihan continued:
“The decision to leave the extension until the last minute and to only extend the eviction ban and rent freeze by a paltry 11 days shows how renters are not a priority for Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil or the Green Party.
“Renters need certainty that their rent will not increase this year and the Minister needs to put the common good ahead of hiding behind the constitutional protection of the property rights of a few and extend the freeze until next year.