Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this Labour Party Bill. Sinn Féin has been saying for a long time that real rent certainty is needed in this State which requires linking rent increases to the consumer price index, CPI. I particularly welcome section 4 of the Bill which deals with deposits. We are hearing so many stories of landlords demanding not one but two or even three months' rent as a deposit. Almost two thirds of tenants say that they have had difficulty getting their deposits back when their tenancies end. It is clear that some landlords see the deposit as a way of increasing rents without breaching the rent pressure zone rules and this must stop. Section 7 of the Bill deals with the serious issue of landlords ending tenancies because they are renovating properties. We have all heard of instances where the so-called substantial changes amount to nothing more than a lick of paint or a new carpet. Threshold has reported that almost one in eight eviction cases that it deals with are the result of landlords renovating properties. While there have been some moves to tighten up the rules in this area, this loophole in the law is still being used. There is a similar issue with landlords telling tenants that they have to leave because the property is required for a family member. The provision in the Bill for a tightening up of who is considered to be a family member is welcome. Section 9 provides for a rent register which is needed urgently because at the moment some landlords are using every loophole possible to get around the rent pressure zone restrictions. It can be almost impossible for a new tenant to find out what the previous tenant was paying in rent. In that context, a rent register would be very helpful in protecting tenants' rights and ensuring that they are not being ripped off.

I am happy to support this Bill because we need real action on protecting tenants.

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