Rent Certainty needed, not more of the same old policies

TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe TD has criticised the Minister for Housing’s proposals to extend rent pressure zone legislation until 2024 and to introduce limited reforms as “the Government wasting three more years on an ineffective policy that has done nothing to combat the rental crisis”.
 
Teachta Crowe said: “Minister Darragh O’Brien’s plan to extend the ineffective Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) legislation out to 2024 and to change the 4% rent cap to cap rises in line with inflation is simply wasting three more years on an ineffective policy that has done nothing to combat the rental crisis. “In 2016, my colleague and Sinn Féin Housing Spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin introduced a Bill that would have introduced real rent certainty for all tenants by limiting rent increases in line with inflation. “Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil failed to support this. Instead, the Fine Gael Minister for Housing introduced the failed rent pressure zone legislation, which did very little to halt rising rents.
 
“In the five years that followed, both these parties voted against the introduction of rent certainty five times. “The Minister’s plans to keep the RPZ legislation in place, while limiting increases to inflation, will do little to help tenants already struggling with high rents. “Furthermore, what about the 26% of tenants who live outside rent pressure zone areas? Those tenants will still be subject to the current flawed system, which is deeply unfair. “If this government was really serious about protecting renters, it would ban rent increases for an additional three years for all new and existing tenancies. “In Budget 2022, it should also introduce a refundable tax credit for renters, which would go towards recognising their difficulties and helping them with their rental costs.”