Alan Kelly: Rent freezes would be possible

Labour leader hopeful Alan Kelly has rubbished claims that freezing rents is unconstitutional and released previously undisclosed government advice which supported a temporary stop to landlord rate hikes.

Citing “key advice” he received as housing minister with the Fine Gael-Labour coalition, he said: “A nationwide rent freeze is entirely constitutional. There is no doubt about this legally. It can be done through extending the period under which rent reviews are possible, preventing rent increases for tenants in future.