High and rising Laois rents an 'abject failure' claims local representative

High and rising rents in Laois represent an abject failure by Ireland's to biggest political parties, according to an aspiring public representative.

Bryan Corrigan, the Labour Party's representative in the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District, was responding to the Daft report. Mr Corrigan believes hardworking renters in Laois continue to be squeezed by a tight rental market where rents have risen by 14% in a year according to Daft.ie.

"There has been an abject failure by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to address the rental crisis in Laois, the catastrophic nature of which is borne out by the statistics published by Daft.ie.

"Nationwide, renting is increasingly becoming unviable for many people. In Laois, where the average rent is €1,150, too many people are struggling and Government has totally failed to stand up and be on the side of renters. 

“We know that the crisis is disproportionately impacting younger generations and families. People are trapped in an endless rental market nightmare as they can’t afford to save for a deposit whilst keeping up with monthly payments.

"Renting remains utterly unaffordable. Coupled with poor supply, renters remain at the mercy of landlords. That's why Labour is urging Government to wake up and implement Labour's Renters' Rights Bill which would, among other measures, introduce a transparency register so prospective renters can see what rents previous tenants were charged.

"Increasing transparency in the market is just one of a range of measures currently lacking.

"Outside of the County, it’s staggering to see the lack of rental homes available for renters, and the huge annual increase in rents in places like Dublin and Limerick where many Laois voters are forced to commute to work daily. Rents are rising nationwide, but so too is the cost of living, the price of groceries, meanwhile wages just aren’t keeping pace.

"We’re coming up to the two year anniversary of Housing for All. The crisis we find ourselves in when it comes to the rental market demands a step change in policy approach with a renewed focus on the rental sector.

"In response to Parliamentary Questions put down by Labour leader Ivana Bacik, the Minister for Housing confirmed that no plans are in place to reintroduce the eviction ban this winter. This is an utter failure of politics. Homelessness continues to rise and the least this Government could do is provide certainty to all renters that they will have a roof over their heads this winter.

"Renters are not transient, they are not just young. Renters are single households, families, older people. They must have access to affordable, quality accommodation with security of tenure. This report is another reminder of Government’s failure to protect them," he concluded.

Check out the only place to rent in Laois listed on Daft.ie as local rents surge

Apart from rising rents Daft.ie highlight the falling number of properties available to rent in Laois.