It seems that it’s a landlords market again as we’ve been hearing reports of a rental property drought in parts of Dublin which is pushing rents sky high.

In coastal areas of south Dublin, for example, you will be hard pressed to find a decent two to three-bed semi for less than €2,000 a month.

A colleague has been looking for a two- or three-bed house in the Dun Laoghaire/Monkstown/Glenageary area with a budget of €1,400 a month but found it an impossible task.

When she finally came upon a house in Sallynoggin asking the top end of her budget, it was snapped up before she got the chance to view it.

When she went to view a house in south Wicklow, the landlord had two sheets full of names of people lined up to view it.

When we asked Sherry FitzGerald Sheehy if they had any houses in South County Dublin on their books at €1,400 a month, they said not a single one - the nearest was a four bed in Cabinteely, Dublin 18 for €1,500.

Estate agent Owen Reilly said that tenants are no longer as transient as they once were and the majority are renewing their leases, leaving a shortage of rental stock. On the northside of the city, there’s a similar situation along the coast in areas such as Howth, Sutton, Clontarf and Raheny.

He says tenants are staying put because they aren’t buying property in any great numbers

“We now have as many enquiries about rental properties as we do about sales,” said Reilly.