Generation Rent: 'Owning a home has more to do with luck than hard work'
Andrew Kennedy is facing moving back in with his parents in rural Limerick if he can't find a place to rent in Cork City. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Andrew Kennedy is a 30-year-old IT professional and is facing eviction. He must quit the house he shares on Cork's northside in May, giving him just a couple of weeks to find somewhere new. If he can't, he will have to return to live with his parents in a rural part of Limerick.
Kelly-Anne Healy is 37 years' old, works full time, but is forced to live in her childhood bedroom in Blackpool. She worries about the impact living at home has on her parents, and says trying to get on the housing ladder as a single person is even more challenging.
At 45, Waterford native Jennifer Mannifold cannot afford to buy, or even rent independently. She has to share with two flatmates, and fears if she loses her accommodation, she will lose her job as a tour guide, and basically lose everything.
At 51, Cristina Galvin is paying almost €1,200 for a one-bedroom apartment in Galway. She moved back to Ireland to take up her dream job, but says the cost of renting and how tenants are treated may force her to emigrate.
Maria Ovchinnikova is renting in Cork City, and unable to save to buy a home. Neither is she able to move back in with her parents as they both died, and the rest of her family are in Russia. She fears what will happen if she has to leave her rental property as there are so few rental options available.
Andrew, Kelly-Anne, Jennifer, Cristina and Maria have detailed to the what it is like to rent in modern Ireland. They say the cost, the precarious nature of being a tenant, the lack of affordable options and the fact they can never see a situation where they will be able to buy their own home is leaving them crippled with anxiety.
They are urging the Government to completely overhaul the rental sector and make it easier for people in the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, to get on the property ladder.
Chief executive at housing charity Threshold John-Mark McCafferty said organisations like his have been working overtime to meet demand from those locked out of the property market.
Mr McCafferty said becoming a homeowner in modern Ireland had become more about luck than about hard work.
“It begs the question about whether it’s only the 'bank of mum and dad' that can facilitate people in gaining access to homeownership. Obviously, that's only open to certain families with sufficient funds and certain resources. It perpetuates this lie that if you work and study hard you will gain access to home ownership on a kind of meritocratic basis.
"If someone is lucky enough to be assisted by their mum and dad then it’s less to do with hard work and more to do with luck.”
He said among the challenges facing renters is not just the high cost of rent, but also the shortage of supply, the condition of some properties being offered, and difficulties around the retention of deposits.
“There seems to be some moderation in the increase in rents but they are still a very high base for many people,” the Threshold boss told the .
“Affordability of rent has been an issue for people since the beginning of the recovery and this has only intensified over time against the increase in the rates of rent hikes.
"Prices are challenging for people trying to move into the private rental sector while balancing other costs they might have. Increases in the cost of living over the last two years have exasperated this issue.”
“The availability of rental accommodation has been an increasing issue of concern on a number of fronts. This is because we obviously have an expanding economy and growing population. Household formation and trying to move out of the family home has become more challenging for people than ever. It’s very difficult to find accommodation.
"Many landlords are leaving the market, resulting in the end of tenancies. It means that a lot of families are losing their homes through no fault of their own. The rise in short-term lets is also contributing to a restricted supply.”
Substandard conditions is another issue Threshold has been dealing with in recent years.
“These are issues that in a way were always and continue to be of concern to a certain proportion of tenants. Things like standards and repairs and energy efficiency can be challenging to deal with. Whether there's damp or mould, a property has to meets all the standards required.
"Families and individuals need to be able to rent with dignity and security so that is an ongoing issue.”
Deposit retention also continues to be a problem.
“Some landlords are retaining deposits even though the tenant has fulfilled all of their obligations and one knows they are eligible for the deposit to be reserved. That's always been an issue for a number of tenants.
"In neighbouring jurisdictions, they have tenancy deposit schemes. This involves a dedicated organisation that will return the deposit. If those deposits were held by a third party, we believe that would take a number of unnecessary disputes out of the RTB’s [Residential Tenancies Board] hands and it could be dealt with through a specialist unit.”
Efforts by the Government to prevent homelessness for renters have been welcomed by the charity.
The tenant-in-situ scheme is among a number of supports which have been rolled out to help renters. The scheme facilitates local authorities to purchase homes from landlords whose decision to sell will result in an eviction.
However, Threshold wants the Government to do more by setting an ambitious goal of buying at least half of the suitable rental properties where tenants are subject to eviction notices.
Meanwhile, groups around the country are taking matters into their own hands in an attempt to level the playing field for future generations.
Cork Student Housing Co-operative comprises a group of students and alumni from third-level institutions in Cork City who are working to provide not-for-profit student accommodation. Members are taking the lead of so-called “co-operative models of mutual aid, self-help, solidarity and democracy” across the globe.
Secretary of the initiative Dáibhidh Ó Luinín explained how it works.
“We are trying to get a housing co-op for students up and running in Cork City to try to address the general issue of housing. It’s a different style of living. The people who live in the accommodation would be the landlords effectively. They more or less manage the property themselves.
"There isn’t a single initiative like this one in Ireland, which is why we are very keen to get it off the ground. We see places like this in Switzerland. It’s not just the rent that’s an important factor in this. Living conditions are also a key priority.
"We want people to have an active voice and more importantly be able to stay warm because they are not being killed by high rent. We are trying to ease those pressures while creating a community at the same time.”
At 51, Cristina Galvin fears Ireland’s rental crisis may leave her with no choice but to emigrate.
It's a situation she never imagined while working to improve her employment prospects in the UK. Cristina had moved to Wales in 2017 to gain experience in trauma services before returning home to her native Galway four-and-a-half years later.
Despite a well-paid position working as a university counsellor, she finds it impossible to balance paying rent with saving.
Pressure in the rental market has forced the Galway City resident to reassess her future. Cristina is currently paying €1,150 for a one-bedroom property which is set to rise to €1,200 in the coming months.
Cristina explains she initially moved home to be close to family.
“A job had come up with a student counselling service in Galway. I did part of my training there. It looked like a really good salary but I would be better off in Wales on a lesser salary without having all my money going on rent. I can’t even afford to put my name down for a house. I am trapped renting.
She said the situation was a source of “major stress.”
“For the first time in my life I thought I would be able to relax around finances. Instead, it’s had the opposite effect. It’s been a major stress and that’s why I sometimes think that maybe I’m better off emigrating.
"The talk around the subject generally is that you have done something wrong which feels deeply unfair. This is a systemic failure. Shelter is a basic human right.”
Ms Galvin said the Government must act.
“I am beyond outrage. I am despairing. It leaves you feeling like you don’t have a place in society. I’d be looking to move somewhere where you are more respected as a person. This is why I am looking into other possibilities.
"There are reasons why so many kids are moving to Australia and New Zealand. There are better conditions, better pay and better housing. I have been seriously considering New Zealand.”
She said the cost-of-living crisis had added to difficulties for renters.
“Nobody ever expected the prices of gas and electricity to go up so much as they did. The hike in grocery cost was not expected either. Then you have the rent on top of that.”
Cristina spent nine months searching for accommodation before finding a place to rent.
"If I knew the extent of the housing crisis at home I don’t think I would have moved because the rent is well over double what I was paying in Wales and it’s maybe triple what I was paying for a prime location in Salthill in a prime location in 2017.
"The housing stock is so limited in terms of one- and two-bedroom apartments. While searching for a place to live I did feel discriminated against. I looked at so many different places.
"Of course, it’s in a landlord’s interest to make sure the rent is paid. That why two wage earners are normally favoured over a single person. It’s understandable because they want security but it can make life very difficult for a single person looking to rent.”
Nothing could have prepared Andrew Kennedy for the sense of dread and uncertainty he felt after receiving a notice to quit the home he shares on Cork’s northside.
The 30-year-old is facing a May eviction date and he is struggling to find alternative accommodation, with a a string of disheartening viewings and lack of available properties on Daft.ie
If unable to source a new house share, Andrew may have to give up the life in Cork he has worked so hard for and move back home with his parents in Limerick. It’s not a outcome the IT professional likes to dwell on.
“I can’t let it affect me,” Andrew told the . “However, if I still have nowhere in the next few weeks I will really start to panic.”
Originally from Limerick, Andrew says living in Cork presents more opportunities for him.
“At this stage I feel like it’s not going to happen,” he said of finding a new home. “Sometimes, I wonder what's the point in living in this country. I’m constantly checking the internet and 99% of the people who make contact are scam artists.”
He recalls what it is like trying to source other accommodation.
“Any viewings I’ve been to have had loads of other people interested. I have heard back from one or two thanking me for their time. It’s very stressful at the moment.
"I grew up in a quiet place in the countryside where there isn’t a lot going on. It would mean a loss of opportunities.
"The reason I moved here was to create a bit of a life for myself. When I first moved down here, rent was cheaper. There was a lot more availability. Now, all we’re doing is clutching at straws.”
Hidden terms and conditions are also creating difficulties for house hunters, including Andrew.
“I have been looking at house shares but rooms are being snapped up. Some of them are only 'Monday to Friday' rentals yet they still come in at a cost of €800 a month.
"I often work weekends so I wouldn’t be able to agree to something like this. To be honest, I think that asking a tenant to move out every weekend should be made illegal.”
He wants the Government to take action to solve the crisis.
“It’s more frustrating really because Government policies are a joke. My main goal is to eventually buy, but the prices are insane so this could take another while.
"The only way out of this is to build more social housing but this is going to take time since the cost of materials has gone through the roof.
"I’ve been to Italy and Spain where they have lots of apartments. It makes me think about why the same can’t be done here.”
Andrew said he was doing his best to stay positive and proactive. “It makes me angry but I am not the only one. There are other people in my shoes.”
"When you’re single, people think you have this fancy life, but there’s not much you can do from your childhood bedroom."
Kelly-Anne Healy might be speaking for an entire generation of adults who find themselves in limbo due to low housing supply and spiralling property and rental costs.
Living at home with her parents in Blackpool has forced the 37-year-old to put her life on hold. During her teenage years, Kelly-Anne said she was led to believe hard work reaps rewards and success.
She recalled balancing school with working three nights a week — in addition to weekends — at a fast food outlet. The Cork native has not stopped working since and now holds a customer service role in the automotive industry.
However, she said high rents and property costs have priced her out of the market.
“I’m not work shy or seeking handouts but the Government has to help us,” she said.
"The typical Irish families we knew before were suited to three- or four-bedroom houses. They never consider one-bedrooms even though it’s easier to house someone in an apartment block over a housing estate.”
Renting as a single person presents its own complications, said Kelly-Anne.
“I am just as tied as anyone else is. It’s not like a landlord is going to halve the price for me. It’s going to be the same price regardless of whether it’s a couple or a single person. Rent isn’t something I can afford at the moment.
"Sharing also isn’t an option for me at my age. If I was in a house share situation there’s a strong chance I would be sharing with college students and that’s not something that would suit me at my time of life.”
Kelly-Anne said not being able to afford a place of her own is impacting her parents.
“I’m always conscious of my parents and their privacy. They are only in their 60s so they are still a young couple. It means I am stuck in one room a lot. My dad is the biggest worrier in the world and I know it’s difficult for him seeing me so stressed. He can see it in me. He’s even converted a room for me and set up a couch and television to make it feel more like my own.”
Kelly-Anne has tried to put her name on the list for a council house without success.
“Houses are unaffordable at the moment. I was refused a place on the council list when I got on to them two years ago. It’s not something I would have done before because I am working full-time but with the way things have gone it seemed like my only option. I can’t get on the list for Hap.
"I know I’m not going to get a house straight away, but it would be nice to even put my name down. People might say that I have adequate accommodation but it’s not my own home.”
After years of precarious living situations, the current rental crisis continues to be a huge source of anxiety for tour guide Jennifer Manifold.
At 45 years' old, the Waterford native said the only way she could afford to rent is with two other housemates. Jennifer said she is one of the lucky ones — €500 a month is a modest sum in contrast to what many other renters are paying in Cork city.
However, it also means she is not left with enough disposable income to save for a place for her own.
She described the situation as “depressing.”
“I try not to think about it. I lived abroad for a while during the Celtic Tiger and can still remember people urging me to come home and buy a house. It makes me laugh to think how times have changed.
"It’s a little bit depressing because even if I wanted to rent by myself there is no way that I would be able to with the money I’m on. This is in spite of having a full-time job. I am trapped here for now.”
Exploring the option of renting by herself was disillusioning for Jennifer.
“For €1,200, you might get a crappy bedsit in Cork. That’s if you are really lucky. There are plenty of them that go for more. Even student accommodation that would have been €280 back in the day has since climbed to €900. I don’t know how young people even pay for it.”
Jennifer said many renters are at risk of homelessness.
“if I don’t have this accommodation there is nothing else. There is a strong chance I wouldn’t get anything for the same price. I’m a tour guide so I don’t get a lot of money.
"For many people, their life is based around their accommodation. I’m not the only one feeling like this. I don’t think many landlords could ever understand the level of anxiety that comes with this kind of insecurity.”
She said many of her friends and acquaintances are in equally precarious situations.
“I have been collecting horror stories. People I know have been asked extremely personal questions while just applying for accommodation. One of my friends was asked if he had a girlfriend and any allergies that his flatmate should know about. These are questions that nobody would have dreamed of asking years ago that landlords can now get away with it.”
She believes the rental crisis is having a huge impact on society.
“All this is doing is creating a divide that makes poor people poorer and rich people richer. This is creating such anxiety for people. This is something that many people in a position of power would not be able to understand.”
For Maria Ovchinnikova, living at home with her family is not an option.
The 26-year-old from Russia, who grew up in Cork, lost her both of her parents at a young age. She is currently making the most of a house share but is unsure if she can see a future for herself in Ireland.
Maria is paying €625 per month for a room and says she often wonders if she will ever be able to enjoy the luxury of her own space. She explained the current challenges of trying to rent in Cork.
“It's fine if you can move in with family, but some people don't have that privilege,” she said.
"It's possible to sign up for council housing but you would be waiting a decade at least to receive any kind of accommodation.”
She said in addition to the cost, and the shortage of rental options, tenants often face unrealistic regulations imposed by landlords.
“Landlords have all sorts of rules and policies in the lease, which is fair, but sometimes it becomes a joke.
"I was viewing a house a few years ago with two guys. We were told that we weren't allowed any visitors even though we wouldn't have even been living with the landlord. It's tiring being made to feel like a guest within your own home.
"Realistically, you need luck on your side to find any accommodation because so many people are looking and so many places are so dear. I found my current room by sheer luck because a girl reached out to me on Facebook after I posted in several groups. This was after two months of searching.”
Maria said she was shocked by the condition of some of the properties she had seen advertised.
“I don't have a problem with someone wanting to make some money off a property they own, but so many landlords see renting properties as an investment and not an opportunity to give people basic shelter.
"I still remember seeing a property online for students located in the countryside. The landlord said it could fit eight adults, and the bedrooms had bunk beds in them. It was nothing short of a hostel. The rent was €400 per person with bills not included.
"There are rent pressure zones, but there should be more laws and regulations put in for the prices, conditions, and policies of rentals. More housing should be in the hands of the State too and not privatised.
"Ultimately, shelter is a basic human need. It shouldn't be treated as a business.”
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