The Social Democrats today set out detailed proposals for a Renters’ Charter to protect tenants and make sure that our rental sector provides secure and affordable homes.
The 12-point charter is being unveiled at the party’s second National Conference in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin.
The event opened last night with a discussion of issues faced by a generation of young people who are increasingly ‘locked out’ of secure futures, including affordable housing to buy or rent.
“This is a generation of young people growing up with one foot on the street because they can’t afford the deposit to buy a house and can’t keep up with ever increasing rents,” said the party’s co-leader Catherine Murphy TD.
“Even for the so-called ‘lucky ones’ who have secure jobs or well-heeled parents, they are facing into a future that is much less secure than that of their parents when it comes to finding a place to settle down and call home.”
Deputy Murphy said that a strong rental sector is a vital part of an overall housing strategy, particularly as one in five people are now renting.
The Social Democrats’ Renters’ Charter includes the following measures:
- Nationwide rent caps and strengthened regulation
- Extra protections for tenants in buy-to-let properties
- A deposit protection scheme to fix deposits at one month’s rent
- Limits on extra charges for bin collections, car parking etc
- A ban on rental bidding wars
- Minimum 90-day notice to quit periods (up from 28 days)
Deputy Murphy added: “Both landlords and tenants have rights but also responsibilities in ensuring good attitudes and behaviour within the sector. Our Renters’ Charter offers protections for renters to help create a rental sector that provides security of tenure as well as affordability.”
Download our Renters’ Charter.
27 January 2018
ENDS