Govt publishes new tenancy legislation

The Government has published new legislation giving tenants greater security in private rented accommodation.

The Residential Tenancies Bill gives tenants who are renting a property for more than six months the right to stay there for up to four years.

The bill only allows landlords to evict tenants on limited grounds.

It also says rents must be set on the basis of the open market rate and can only be reviewed once in any one year.

Environment Minister Martin Cullen said he hoped the bill would become law by the end of this year.

"I think it fundamentally transforms the basis of security for tenants in this country," he added.

The Irish Property Owners' Association, however, has criticised the legislation and claimed that most tenants do not want a four-year tenancy right.