A third of renters are spending 50% or more of their net income on rent, according to a housing charity.
Threshold has published the results of a survey of 500 adult renters about their income as part of its campaign to highlight the rights that private renters in Ireland have.
It found that 60% had their rent increased in the last year, and almost half (47%) of all renters said a landlord had withhold their security deposit unfairly – up 20% compared with last year.
Seventy-four per cent of renters said that it is common to have problems with mould or damp in their rental homes, which is up 57% on last year; and 27% of renters have experienced an unfair eviction, up from 10% last year.
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said the Fianna Fail party is “acutely aware of the pressures that renters are under” as part of Budget 2023 negotiations.
“They’re a very important group of people that I would like to be able to help, but that is obviously based on discussions that we are having and will have over the coming weeks to see what we can do to help.
“I’m also very aware of the high cost of rents that are out there and the proportion that many renters are paying in their net take-home pay.
“So without highlighting exactly, because these are things that need to be agreed, what I would say to you that from my perspective as Housing Minister, from Fianna Fail’s perspective, that renters are central in my thoughts right now and in our discussions that we’re having with government colleagues.”
Threshold said that rent increases and landlords exiting the market, particularly small landlords who would provide more affordable accommodation, was putting further pressure on financially-squeezed renters.
John-Mark McCafferty, chief executive of Threshold, said that the rental rights campaign was important at a time which is “very critical, very challenging in the private rented sector in terms of rent levels and security of tenure and quality of just availability of housing in the private rented sector”.
Launched by Threshold and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, this is the second year of the Own Your Rights campaign.
The campaign is designed to raise awareness of how Threshold can provide tenants with the immediate and urgent assistance they require at a time of unparalleled need for renters.
Mr McCafferty added: “In the face of all the challenges and all the issues facing private renters and their families, it’s to reassure private renters and say ‘Look, Threshold is here. We’re free, we’re confidential, we’re in your corner’.
“We will assist, we will advise, we will give tailored advice, we will represent if necessary, and we will protect tenancies, and thereby preventing homelessness.”
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