Just 148 properties available nationwide within rent support ranges

Despite an overall increase in properties on the market, there was another decrease in the availability of properties for people on a low income.

Another stark decline in available, affordable rental properties across the country is placing more pressure on people at risk of homelessness and contributing to rising monthly numbers in emergency accommodation.

That’s according to the latest ‘Locked Out’ report from the Simon Communities of Ireland, which finds that a sharp contraction in rental supply following two years of upheaval is further exacerbating the chronic lack of affordable private rental accommodation. 

Despite an overall increase in properties on the market, there was another decrease in the availability of properties for people on a low income who are dependent on the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), the report found. 

There was a 22% decrease in the number of properties available for those accessing the payment in December when compared to October 2021. It also represents a "drastic" 83% less than the 906 available in June 2021. 

Despite an overall increase in properties on the market, there was another decrease in the availability of properties for people on a low income who are dependent on the support payment.

The ‘Locked Out’ report examines the experience of people on HAP, examining the availability of homes to rent over a three-day period in December 2021.

HAP limits

The report also looks at the availability of properties within HAP limits in 16 areas around the country for four household categories: single person, couple, family with one child, and family and two children.

Over the course of the three dates surveyed, there was a total of 1,349 properties available to rent at any price. This represents a "welcome" 33% increase on the 1,017 properties available to rent at any price in the October 2021 Locked Out study period.

However, just 148 of these properties were available within HAP limits, representing 11% of the total properties available. The majority of these were located in Dublin. 

The study found just nine instances of properties available within standard HAP limits for at least one of the four household categories. In more than a quarter of the 16 areas surveyed, there were no properties available to rent in any category within HAP limits. These were Athlone, the Galway city suburbs, Limerick City centre, Sligo Town, and Portlaoise.

Of the 148 properties available across the 16 areas, only Dublin City North, Dublin City South, Dundalk, and Waterford City centre had available one-bedroom units to rent within standard or discretionary HAP limits for single people.

“Despite the overall increase in housing stock, we can see that the escalating lack of affordability is placing more and more pressure on the most vulnerable in the rental market," said Wayne Stanley, head of policy at the Simon Communities of Ireland.

This is likely to affect those who are most at risk of homelessness and contribute to the rising monthly numbers accessing emergency accommodation. 

The distance between HAP rates and market cost means that "topping up is rife and becoming more unsustainable", he added. 

"We see it across our food services where people come in for food and support the last week of the month as they don’t have anything left. We must respond with solutions that will prevent individuals and families from being evicted into homelessness.”