Eviction surge exposes Government’s housing failure
Eviction surge exposes Government’s housing failure - The Labour Party
Labour’s Housing Spokesperson Conor Sheehan TD has today responded to RTB reporting of a surge in evictions, with over half caused by landlords selling up. Deputy Sheehan said the figures show how landlords are exiting the market before new rental rules take effect in March, and warned that the Government’s piecemeal approach is failing renters. He called for urgent funding for the tenant-in-situ scheme to be reinstated and for renters rights to be strengthened in the upcoming housing policy, whenever it is published.
Deputy Sheehan said:
“These figures make for grim but unsurprising reading. We have been warning for months that landlords would rush to sell before the new rental rules come into effect in March. By delaying the changes until next March, as predicted, Government may have caused a run on landlords leaving the market. What we are seeing now is the reality of those warnings coming true – more families and individuals facing eviction, with little certainty about what will happen next.
“Government has made much of its tenant-in-situ scheme, but the truth is that funding is nowhere near where they need to be. We know the scheme can work – when local authorities can step in, homes are saved and tenants avoid eviction. But because the Government has refused to adequately fund its own scheme with the resources it needs, too many renters are falling through the cracks.
“The surge in landlords selling up shows just how fragile our rental market has become. Instead of tinkering around the edges, we need bold, urgent measures to protect renters and keep people in their homes. Labour has been crystal clear: tenant-in-situ must be properly funded, and renters must have enhanced protections. The tools exist – what’s missing is political will.
“The message from Labour is simple: Government must immediately restore funding for tenant-in-situ in its forthcoming housing policy, and it must legislate for stronger renter protections now. The eviction crisis cannot wait until March. Government must act today to keep people in their homes.”