‘National emergency’ as further rent rise predicted will push people into homelessness

The Simon Community has warned of a “national emergency” as rising rents push people into homelessness.

The warning comes on the back of figures from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) which show monthly rents for private sector accommodation across the country are 8.6% at the end of September compared to the same period in 2014 — houses were 7.7% higher and apartments were 9% higher than in the third quarter last year.

In monetary terms, the PRTB’s quarterly rent index shows the increase nationally was up from an average of €830 per month to €901. Apartments rose from €866 to €945 and houses rose from €810 to €873.