Landlords hit out at rental proposals

The Government has been urged to incentivise tenants to move to rural areas or lift the blanket ban on bedsits instead of imposing de facto rent controls on properties.

The Irish Property Owners’ Association (IPOA) and the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) made the comments as they said the move could cause a mass retraction of properties from the rental market — and may even breach their constitutional rights.

Under plans outlined at Labour’s party conference at the weekend but yet to be formally unveiled, Environment Minister Alan Kelly said he wants to put in place measures by the end of this year which would see rents effectively frozen for three to four years.