Tenants In Fear Of Losing Their Homes - NABCO

Many tenants in private rental accommodation are afraid of losing their homes, according to research by NABCO, Ireland's co-operative housing provider.

The Housing Sentiment Survey finds major differences emerging between the experiences of Dubliners and the rest of the country.

Social housing tenants were also asked about their experiences and they rated security of tenure and affordable rents as being among the best things about their accommodation. Social housing tenants were positive about their communities as a whole, rating their location, type of neighbourhood and proximity to friends as key benefits.

The survey also asked people about proposed new rules from the Central Bank requiring 20% deposits from home purchasers. The response was overwhelmingly negative, with 9 in 10 people believing that the rules would make it harder for people looking to buy a home and only 15% believing it would benefit the wider housing market.

Renters in Ireland spend 30% of their income, on average, on their accommodation. People on low incomes of less than €20k and people over 55 are spending a higher proportion of their income on rent (34% and 36%). Dubliners in private rental accommodation spend 35% of their monthly income on housing.

42% of Dubliners have seen their rent increase in the last 18 months, and in the rest of the country, 19% have had this experience. 67% of Dubliners expect their rent to increase in the next 18 months, while 29% of people in the rest of Ireland expect their rent to go up. In total, 44% of all renters expect their rent to go up in the next 18 months.

23% of all tenants are afraid of losing their home. The figures are worst for those with incomes of less that €20k where 45% of people are afraid of losing their home. Nearly one third of tenants (32%) did not know if they had any formal lease and only 7% identified themselves as having a Part Four tenancy.

Speaking about the first Housing Sentiment Survey, NABCO CEO Kieron Brennan, said: "This survey is the first of its kind in Ireland, looking beyond the price of housing to try to explore the experiences of people in their homes. We've found ample evidence to show the full scale and extent of the housing crisis in Ireland and its impact on families.

"Nearly one in four tenants in the private rental sector are afraid of losing their home, while many households are spending an unsustainable portion of their income on rents and are unaware of their tenancy rights."

(CD/JP)