Renting nationwide has worsened in the last two years for people on supplements.
A new study called ‘Locked Out of the Market IX’ by the Simon Communities in Ireland has found that 91.5% of homes to rent are “beyond the reach” of people on state housing benefits.
Looking at the 538 properties available to rent between 1 and 3 November 2018, the current results show a major increase by comparison to the 53% of 1,150 homes, which were unaffordable back in May 2015.
The report also found that there were no properties to rent for single people during the period, while only two were available to couples who use the Rent Supplement/ Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme.
Revealing that the number of properties has dropped considerably, the report says that properties available for people on rent supplements has dropped to 8.5%.
Commenting on the study, Niamh Randall, the spokesperson for the Simon Communities in Ireland said that rent supplements “must be increased to allow households in receipt of these payments to compete in the Private Rented Sector.”
“Increases of at least 4% in Rent Pressure Zones are necessary, as the majority of rents in these areas will increase by the 4% allowed. The benefit of the July 2016 increase in limits has now clearly been eroded. 91.5% of the properties on the market are above these limits.
“So if someone is coming to the private rental market for the first time, it is unlikely that they will be able to find a home. While discretionary uplifts are available, these are managed on a case-by-case basis, which is not an adequate policy solution. It is extremely stressful for families and individuals and resource-intensive to undertake.”
Speaking about the problems faced by single people renting, she said,
“44% of people on the social housing waiting list are single and don’t currently have dependants in their care. In the absence of being able to afford to buy a home the private rental market is their only option. The 3,286 single people stuck in emergency accommodation have little or no hope of securing a rental accommodation home this Christmas.
“Some landlords are now asking for three months’ rent in advance. People on housing benefit or low incomes or those leaving homelessness cannot provide that.
“Often they will not be able to provide an employer reference or a previous landlord reference. 8,500 people remain trapped in emergency accommodation; many of them coming from the private rental sector where they were unable to afford to stay in the homes that they already had.”
Calling for the immediate introduction of full rent certainty and security of tenure, she finished by saying, “Those trapped in emergency accommodation need affordable homes with support where needed (housing first). Critically we need the State to build social and affordable homes at the scale required.”
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