2nd September, 2021
The Government announced the “Housing for All” plan this afternoon. It is an extensive set of documents and contains items that affect the private rental market. 
The document contains the following plans: –
- Bring forward legislation with provisions to address long-term security of tenure expected (Q4 2021)
- Extend Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) protections to end 2024 and link rent increases to Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (Q3 2021)
- Implement Minimum BER standards, where feasible, for private rental properties, commencing in 2025 (Q1 2025)
- Examine the creation of a system of holding rental deposits, informed by international experience (Q2 2023)
- Increase enforcement of registration of tenancies by Residential Tenancies Board (RTB)
- Extend changes in the Rent Supplement income threshold in line with the adjustment of PUP rates under the National Economic Recovery Plan
- Retain the rent limit flexibilities in the Rent Supplement Scheme
- Expand data-sharing arrangements between RTB and Revenue Q1 2023
- Provide additional resources to the RTB in order to make available trained RTB facilitators to intervene at an early stage to prevent disputes escalating between parties (Q2 2022)
- Review the recommendations of the Working Group on the Tax and Fiscal Treatment of Landlords (Q3 2022)
- Retain market-based settings for first rent of new properties to the market for the duration of RPZ protections or any successor restrictions
- Examine the potential extension of the role of estate agents to include an initial inspection of rental property (Q4 2022)
- Support diversification of housing stock and increase availability of rental stock by supporting the development of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation by Technological Universities
- Legislate through the Residential Tenancies Acts for default conciliation as part of the dispute resolution process within the RTB (Q1 2022)
The documents can be viewed on the Government website.