If the Government fails to act, we will see devastating outcomes for people facing eviction
The latest figures from the Residential Tenancies Board paint a deeply worrying picture of what’s to come now that the Government has lifted the ban on evictions, according to Social Democrats Housing spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan.
“The report showed that 4,741 Notices of Termination were served in the third quarter of 2022 – this is nearly triple the number served in the previous quarter. The majority of landlords (60%) who served notices did so because they wanted to sell the property.
“The exodus of landlords from the rental market is symptomatic of the Government’s failure to get to grips with regulating the sector. Constant chopping and changing of the rules, combined with an under-resourced and ineffective Residential Tenancies Board, is deeply frustrating for both landlords and renters.
“With thousands of households due to be evicted in the coming months, the Government needs to step up and rapidly expand the tenant-in-situ purchase scheme. Reports today showed that less than 3% of the 460 homes offered by landlords to the four Dublin local authorities have been purchased.
“The Minister for Housing needs to issue clear directions to local authorities to buy these homes where tenants are at risk of being evicted.
“Homeless services are operating beyond capacity as it is. If the Government fails to act, we will see devastating outcomes for people facing eviction.”
March 10, 2023