April 11, 2013

Sinn Fein Housing spokesperson Dessie Ellis TD has blasted the Minister for Social Protection for setting unrealistic limits for rent supplement. He made his comments as it was announced by the CSO that residential rents have increased 3% in the past year.

Deputy Ellis said;

“In Budget 2012 Minister Burton increased the contribution for tenants on Rent Supplement by 25%. These are people who were already struggling to make ends meet and have nothing more to give. The move put many at risk of homelessness and undoubtedly forced many out of their homes also.

“Now the people on Rent Supplement are being sent letters telling them that their rent is too high and that they must get it lowered. They are told to renegotiate or find new accommodation.

“Is the Minister living on a different planet? Rents have continually gone up as this government refuses to deliver housing.

“Rents have risen 3% in the last year. Landlords have their pick of tenants and can ask what they want for their properties. The ordinary tenant has no power or ability to drive a lowering of rents.

“Minister Burton must change how Rent Supplement is administered so that the department negotiates rents with landlords and drive a better deal for tenants and the public purse.

“Penalising the poorest tenants in the country for high rents is not acceptable in the short term though and limits must be revised to address the reality of rents on the ground.”

ENDS

April 16, 2013

Sinn Fein spokesperson on Housing Dessie Ellis TD has called on the Minister to work to develop a binding code of conduct to avoid rental tenants be evicted in the event of repossessions. He made his comments during a debate requested by him in the Dáil today.

Deputy Ellis continued:
“Across the state and especially in Dublin we are facing a crisis within a crisis. This is the problem of landlords who are not paying their mortgages and in doing so are jeopardising the housing of potentially thousands of people.

“In the last few weeks I have personally dealt with five families in Dublin who are facing eviction due to the repossession of their rented homes. The lenders want to sell and wash their hands of the property, in some cases forcing the landlord to evict the families before they take over.

“I spoke to Emma, a mother of two from Drimnagh: 13 years on waiting lists afraid to leave her home to go to speak to the council because she might come home to find that she has been evicted.

“The long term solution is to provide sustainable public housing which is not endangered by the whims of the market, lenders or profit driven landlords. The more immediate solution is to force lenders to enter into a code of conduct in relation to tenants, especially those with an assessed social housing need who are particularly at risk of homelessness in the event of eviction.

“Banks need to honour tenancy agreements in conjunction with a strategy from Local Authorities to ensure that no tenant is left homeless. As we face increased repossessions due to government policy this will only become worse if nothing is done.”
ends