The Irish Property Owners Association notes that Government leaders will tonight consider reforms of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) ahead of the matter being considered by Cabinet tomorrow; and note the details of the proposed two-tier reforms that have been briefed to media.
Based on the media reports, the IPOA is concerned that the Government’s proposed reforms are over-complicated and that the proposed 6-year minimum security of tenure will have a serious negative impact on private, non-institutional landlords, and on the rental market.
The IPOA fears that the Government may not have fully considered some of the implications and consequences of the proposals. Ahead of the leaders’ meeting tonight, the IPOA is calling on the Government to consider three practical questions:
- Has the Government considered the impact of, in effect, banning short-to-medium term letting of less than six years?
- Will the Government introduce exemptions for homeowner going into a nursing home who wish to rent out their home for less than six years?
- How will the Government protect and support owners of large, older houses with multiple tenancies who wish to sell the property?
Mary Conway, Chairperson of the IPOA, said: “The proposed changes are unfair on the individual who – for good reason – wishes to, and needs to, rent out their home for a short period and points to a flaw on the part of the Government thinking which – by going after institutional landlords – has ignored the implications for individual, private landlords.
We believe that in seeking to address political concerns about the role of institutional landlords (who are predominantly active in the Dublin region), the Government may be punishing individual landlords, particularly the types of landlords who are the drivers of rental supply in provincial towns and rural areas outside of the large cities.”