Today’s designation of Greystones and Drogheda as rent pressure zones is a relief to people renting in those areas – but what is actually needed is a pegging of rent increases to the Consumer Price Index, the Social Democrats said today.
The party’s co-leader Catherine Murphy TD, said:
“The fact that Greystones and Drogheda are now added to the list of rent pressure zones is no doubt welcome news for people renting in those areas. This will mean that tenants’ rents cannot increase by more than 4 per cent in any one year, which will hopefully provide a level of certainty for tenants.
“However, the bigger picture shows that the rental market cannot be constantly tweaked – the introduction of rent pressure zones in themselves led to rents being increased in areas that were not designated for the reliefs. What is actually needed, as one of a set of measures to tackle skyrocketing rents, are steps to limit rent increases to increases in the Consumer Price Index.”
The party’s Greystones councillor and General Election candidate, Jennifer Whitmore, added:
“I have been critical of the design and implementation of the rent pressures zone programme since its inception in December 2016, and have raised the issue with both Minister Simon Coveney and Minister Damien English, when he visited Wicklow County Council.
“In particular, I believe that Greystones should have been included in the rent pressure zones from the beginning as the district sees one on the highest rents in the country. I am frequently contacted by people who need to leave the area as they can no longer afford the rents. Even this week, I heard of two tenants whose rents have increased by 30-40 per cent. I hope that this recent decision will mean that tenants in Greystones will now be protected from such significant rental increases.”
ENDS
19 September 2017