Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD has this today published the general scheme of the Fair Rent and Protection of Renters Bill 2020, which would prohibit rent increases for three years and make it illegal to evict tenants in buy-to-let properties on the grounds that the property is to be sold.

He said:

“The scheme of the Fair Rent and Protection of Renters Bill 2020 that I have published today will prohibit rent increases for three years and is an update to legislation we published last year.

“Under the new Bill, current rents in existing tenancies will be capped at their rate on the date the new legislation is enacted and new tenancies will be set according to the Residential Tenancies Board rent index.

“The prohibition on rent increases will run for three years and can be extended by the Oireachtas. There will also be an annual review mechanism built into the legislation.

“The Bill also recognises that one of the leading causes of family homelessness is eviction from homes when landlords decide to sell up and issue a vacant possession notice to quit to tenants.

“Our Bill amends the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to give greater protection to households renting from buy-to-let landlords and it would no longer be legal to evict tenants in buy-to-let properties on the grounds that the property is to be sold. A sale could take place, however, with the current tenant and any remaining portion of the tenancy agreement remaining in place.

“We saw this week that Dublin ranked as one of the most expensive places to live and to rent in Europe. High rental costs are not limited to Dublin, however, as urban centres across the State have unsustainably high rents.

“We also see that despite the government knowing that high rents are crippling workers and families, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail failed to deliver a single affordable home to rent despite the cost rental model being government policy.

“The prohibition on rent increases proposed in our Bill will give renters some breathing space.

“The ban on the issuing of notices to quit in buy-to-let homes is a measure that was proposed by Focus Ireland and put forward in the Dáil by Sinn Féin in the Dáil last year, however Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil failed to support it.

“Sinn Féin in government will also prioritise the delivery of affordable homes to buy and to rent on public land to tackle the affordability crisis.”