The number of people using emergency homeless accommodation has reached a new high, based on the latest snapshot before the Government’s rental reforms were introduced, reports Breaking News.
The total rose to 17,308 at the end of February, up from 17,112 the previous month, reports Breaking News.
This figure includes 11,851 adults and 5,457 children, both of which are record levels.
The monthly figures from the Department of Housing do not capture people sleeping rough or those staying in hospitals, asylum centres, or domestic violence shelters, reports Breaking News.
The data highlights the mounting pressures on homeless services just prior to the introduction of the Government’s rental reforms at the start of March.
It shows that the number of people accessing emergency accommodation has nearly tripled over the past decade, from 5,811 at the end of February 2016, reports Breaking News.
The Government has stated that the reforms aim to provide greater security for renters and increase housing supply, while opposition parties argue the measures could raise rents by thousands per year and drive more evictions.
The legislation reformed Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs), which cap rents in high-demand areas, and extended these caps nationwide, linking allowable increases to the rate of inflation or 2 per cent, reports Breaking News.
Tenancies starting from 1 March must have a minimum duration of six years, after which landlords can raise rents beyond the cap to match the market rate.
Newly built apartments are exempt from the RPZ cap, reports Breaking News.
Large landlords, defined as owning four or more tenancies, are banned from carrying out no-fault evictions for tenancies beginning from March.
Smaller landlords can still end tenancies through limited no-fault evictions, such as in cases of economic hardship or to move in a family member, but in such cases they cannot reset the rent until the six-year period ends, reports Breaking News.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
