Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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A number of targeted measures and initiatives are being developed to provide better security of tenure and greater rent certainty for tenants, as well as enhancing the supports and services available to both tenants and landlords through the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) particularly, to facilitate the development of a more vibrant and sustainable rental sector.

Inter alia, these initiatives include:

- the recent extension of Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) protections to the end of 2024 and the prohibition on rent increases exceeding any general inflation, as recorded by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), which will be re-examined in the light of prevailing inflation rate;

- the bringing forward of legislation to address long- term security of tenure including by providing for tenancies of indefinite duration, subject to legal advice;

- to enhance tenancy protections for those living in dwellings that are affected by a receivership situation;

- amending the Residential Tenancies Acts to provide for default conciliation as the first step in the RTB’s dispute resolution process;

- increasing enforcement of registration of tenancies by RTB;

- the development and publication of a standard tenancy agreement by the RTB; and

- reviewing the recommendations of the Working Group on the Tax and Fiscal Treatment of Landlords, which was chaired by the Department of Finance.

The necessary legislative change will be progressed through the Housing and Residential Tenancies Bill 2021, which I intend to bring forward before the end of this Dáil term.

The Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 introduced measures in July 2021 to better protect tenants with affordability challenges by extending the operation of RPZs until the end of 2024 and prohibiting any necessary rent increase in a RPZ from exceeding general inflation, as recorded by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP). This measure significantly reduced the level of permissible rent increases for the estimated 74% of all tenancies which are in RPZs. The linkage with HICP aims to safeguard continued investment in the sector by existing and new landlords to deliver the much needed supply of high-quality rental accommodation while protecting against a significant increase in rental inflation in the coming years.

When introducing these measures, I was very clear on the need to carefully monitor inflation. At that time, HICP inflation averaged 0.73% p.a. over the previous 3 years but had risen to 1.6% p.a. in the year ending June 2021. I needed to revise the RPZ rent control relatively quickly in July, on a basis that could be independently verified. The Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 also provides that an index, other than HICP, may be prescribed for the purposes of restricting rent increases in RPZs. Given the continuing rise in HICP inflation, up to 3% p.a. in August, I will consider all the legal options available to me to ensure that effective rent controls are legally in force in RPZs to cap the rate of any rent increase where the general inflation rate is too high. Any necessary provision relating to rent control in RPZs will be considered in the context of the impending Housing and Residential Tenancies Bill 2021.

My Department is currently examining this matter and the advices of the Office of the Attorney General will inform any changes in this area.