Govt considering new laws to prevent evictions

The Government is considering ways to prevent tenants in buy-to-let properties from being evicted and made homeless by banks and receivers.

It is reported today that officials from the Departments of the Environment and Finance are discussing new laws in the area.

The country's 26 circuit courts are dealing with a soaring number of repossession orders relating to buy-to-let properties.

According to today's Irish Times, their role in the homelessness crisis is of mounting concern to officials.

The new laws being discussed would propose that banks and receivers have a "duty of care" towards tenants, and would be prevented from evicting someone who had nowhere else to go.

Housing charity Threshold says tenants currently have a right to between 28 and 112 days notice of eviction, but when a bank or receiver has been involved in the past, sometimes they have got just a few days to get out.

Also in extreme cases, the charity says some tenants have come home to find their locks changed.