Threshold: A generation will never own a home

Housing support agency Threshold has called on the Government to introduce a national strategy for the private rental sector amid expectations that a generation of people will never own their own home.

Threshold launched its annual report for 2014 yesterday, which showed that it dealt with 21,270 housing queries on behalf of clients last year, while 1,516 people contacted Threshold with concerns about rent reviews, an increase of 372 queries from the previous year.

Threshold chief executive, Bob Jordan, also said the body had directly advocated on behalf of about 5,000 people in its tenancy protection service so they could receive additional rent supplement on a case-by-case basis that allowed them to remain in their homes.

Almost 90% of Threshold’s clients last year were living in private rented accommodation, and more than one third were families with children.

According to the annual report, there has been a 50% increase since 2011 in the number of queries relating to tenancy termination, and an 88% increase in the same period in the number of queries relating to invalid notice. There were also 1,836 queries relating to sub-standard accommodation, and 40% of those who contacted Threshold in 2014 were in receipt of Department of Social Protection payments.

Earlier in 2015, Threshold held a conference on “Generation Rent”. Mr Jordan said that, such was the level of the housing crisis, the Government should develop a national strategy for the private rental sector, giventhat many people will have little chance to own their home in the near future.

Mr Jordan said Threshold works on behalf of clients to secure enhanced rent supplement payments, in light of rental increases they cannot afford; it operates only in the greater Dublin area and in Cork City; and that while community welfare officers elsewhere in the country may apply similar discretion, the Department of Social Protection should consider the need for enhanced payments generally.

“Ultimately, we would like to see that rolled out nationwide,” he said.

Mr Jordan said that rent supplement levels were essentially frozen at 2013 levels, yet rents had spiralled since then. However, with recently introduced rent certainty regulations, he said the Government could afford to raise rent supplement without the fear it would be “gobbled up” by landlords, making little difference to tenants.

“With rent certainty measures, it could work and make a difference for people,” he said. “If rent supplement levels are not going to go up now, when are they going to go up?”

Threshold has conducted a number of surveys in recent years which indicate that around half of all rent supplement recipients were paying a “top up” to landlords from other payments to keep a roof over their head.

At the same time, demand for social housing has increased, not least through the “recent phenomenon” of families becoming homeless as they get squeezed out of the rental market.

But he said a comprehensive strategy for the private rented sector would help tackle issues such as security of tenure, long-term rent certainty, quality of rented housing, and difficulties in the buy-to-let sector.

www.threshold.ie

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