Dáil Bill aims to link rent increases to the Consumer Price Index

A BILL which aims to link rent increases or decreases to the Consumer Price Index will be debated in the Dáil on Tuesday. Sinn Féin says its Rent Certainty Act 2016 will provide greater protections for both tenants and landlords in the volatile rental market.

Speaking to reporters at Leinster House, the party's Housing, Planning and Local Government Spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD said:

“We've seen three reports now all pointing to skyrocketing rents across the country. It's now on average €17,000 to rent in Dublin and €8,000 elsewhere. We think this is a sensible Bill and all parties in the Dáil should support it.”

Ó Broin noted that rental inflation is on average up 9% at a time when inflation in general is at 1%.

The Dublin Mid-West TD noted that both Fianna Fáil and Labour are on record supporting similar pieces measures. 

He called on the Government to support the Bill and said any amendments or concerns can be ironed-out in Committee Stage.

Eoin Ó Broin says the two-year rent review introduced by the previous Fine Gael/Labour government – which only allows rent to be increased once every two years – did nothing to ameliorate the spiraling cost of rent:

“The uncertainty caused by the spat between Alan Kelly and Michael Noonan actually made things worse as landlords jacked-up rents ahead of the introduction of two-year rent reviews. We're not seeking to change the two-year rent review, but the crucial thing here is rent certainty.”