Government to introduce 'safety net' for at risk renters once eviction ban lifts
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said the measures will mean that there is "no gap" between the unwinding of the evictions ban and the introduction of what he described as "innovative measures to increase and improve tenants' rights".
The Government is to introduce a "safety net" for at risk renters from April 1 when the eviction moratorium is lifted.
The range of proposals, which were put forward by the Green Party, will include a measure that would see councils purchase homes currently occupied by tenants in receipt of Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).
This would effectively convert those private rental properties into social housing as part of an expanded “tenant-in-situ” scheme.
For those not in receipt of State supports but at risk of homelessness, an Approved Housing Body (AHB) or council will be able to purchase the home and rent it to them on a “cost rental” or not-for-profit basis. This has been dubbed a cost-rental backstop.
The ABH or local authorised will step in if a tenant cannot afford to buy the home themselves and this will be operated on an administrative basis from April 1 until legislation is passed.
It comes as a Sinn Féin motion calling on the eviction ban to be extended until the end of January next year will be debated later on Tuesday.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said the measures will mean that there is "no gap" between the unwinding of the evictions ban and the introduction of what he described as "innovative measures to increase and improve tenants' rights".
For those tenants who are in a position to purchase their rental home if it goes up for sale, a third option will be available. This group of people will be given first refusal on buying their home and can apply for the State-backed shared equity scheme which will reduce the up-front cost of purchase by up to 30%. Alternatively, they can apply for the Local Authority Home Loan, a subsidised mortgage targeted at low and middle-income households.
However, it is expected that this measure will take longer to implement and will not be in place from the beginning of next month.
Additional Government funding will be rolled out to back up these schemes which are aimed at preventing homelessness.
Mr Ryan added: "This eviction ban, every single party agrees that you can't extend it forever and a day, Sinn Féin agree with that, the other opposition parties agree it."
