Rise in local eviction notices
Forty-five Cavan renters were served with termination notices in the last three months of 2022, figures from the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) have revealed, an increase of 33 on the previous quarter.
The news comes as the ban on 'no fault' evictions ended earlier this month and there were less than 20 properties available to rent in County Cavan in the private rental property market with rents ranging from €850 to €2,500 per month. The Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV) is calling for measures including tax breaks and changes to rent pressure zones (RPZs) to encourage landlords not to exit the rental market.
The period of notice required to end a tenancy depends on how long the tenant has lived in the property. The minimum requirement is 90 days for a tenancy that is less than six months in duration, rising to 224 days for tenants in place longer than eight years. While tenants could not be evicted during the 'no fault' ban, landlords could still file termination notices meaning the clock was already counting down.
Landlords intending to sell the rental property was the single biggest reason for termination notices being given to the RTB. It accounted for over 58.05% of cases in Q4, and 60% in Q3.
Landlords/family members intending to move into the property was the second biggest reason for termination in both quarters with at over 16%. This was closely followed by a breach of tenant obligations at between 15-16% for the second half of last year.
As of yesterday morning (Tuesday), April 25 there were just 17 properties available to rent in County Cavan on popular website Daft.ie. Of these, eight were three-bed properties with a price range of €950 to €2000 a month. There were also four houses with four bedrooms with a range of €1500 - €1800 per month, while there were two two-bed properties with a price range of €1,100 to €2,000 and one single-bed unit costing €850pm and one five-bedroom property with a price tag of €2,500pm.
The same site listed 13 properties to share in County Cavan with a price range of €325 to €950 a month.
Sinn Féin TD Pauline Tully said that renters are sick of the increases in rent.
“This happens all of the time, renters are tired of paying expensive rents. Often times landlords are able to pick and choose what tenants they pick and the renters themselves are being left with very little choice as they are being forced out of their rented properties and there is very little emergency accommodation.”
She’s accusing the government of going little to help the situation: “The government had the choice of extending the ‘no-fault’ eviction ban, but instead they sat on their hands. They say they are going to take alternative measures and although all ideas are welcome, it’s too late. There was an underspend of €1 billion on capital funding for social and affordable housing. They also need to sort out issues relating to planning and infrastructure such as wastewater treatment plants.”
Commenting on the volume of landlords exiting the rental market, she said the government has become too dependent on the private market.
“A lot of people bought houses in the Celtic Tiger and then couldn’t afford to sell them after the crash because they were in negative equity. Others became accidental landlords after inheriting a property. The government became too reliant on these for providing rented accommodation and didn’t build enough social housing and this is coming back to haunt them now,” suggested Deputy Tully.
It emerged this week that the Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, is set to temporarily waive residential development levies to cut costs for developers in a bid to urgently increase housing supply. It is understood the State will bridge the gap in revenue lost by local authorities because of the measure.
It was one of a number of initiatives contained in a housing package due to be signed off by the Cabinet yesterday (Tuesday). The multi-million euro measures aim to increase the supply of new housing, reduce the cost of building, and deliver affordable apartments.
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