Sinn Féin TD for Meath East, Darren O’Rourke, has said ” the government’s Rip-Off Rent Hike Bill will mean renters in Co. Meath could see rents jump by a shocking €3,636 a year. ” He said the government has ‘shafted’ renters with these new rules, as vulture funds and big landlords will be allowed to hike up the rents of 60,000 people every year. Sinn Féin will oppose this legislation tooth and nail, adding “We need to end the rip-off, ban rent increases and make rents affordable”.
Speaking after contributing to the Second Stage debate on the Residential Tenancies Bill in the Dáil, Teachta O’Rourke said; “The government’s Rent Hike Bill will allow vulture funds and big landlords to hike up the rents of 60,000 people every year. This will mean paying thousands more in rent from March 1st.
“This is the most profound change to rent regulation in a decade which will allow landlords to reset rents to market rates at the start of new tenancies and every six years after that. From March 1st of this year, more and more renters will be subject to this new market rent reset rule, meaning already unaffordable rents will be hiked up even further.
“For renters in County Meath, this means rent hikes of €3,636 a year – a shocking 22.2% increase compared to current average rents in the county. “Across the state, rents could jump by an average €3,000 a year. Meath is even worse. “This is truly scandalous. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Independents have shafted renters yet again. They are being made to pay the price for the government’s failed housing policy.
“Government should be focused on bringing rents down, not caving in to the demands of vulture funds and big landlords for ever higher rents. “Sinn Féin will oppose this legislation tooth and nail. Rents in Meath are already too high, renters simply cannot take further hikes. “We need to end the rip-off, ban rent increases and make rents affordable. The government are intent on doing the opposite.”
