Rents to be frozen until 2017 under Government proposals

Tenants will not face rent increases until 2017 under new housing proposals unveiled by the Government.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly unveiled a housing package on Tuesday after months of discussion between the two departments.

Mr Kelly denied it had been a bruising affair and insisted he was satisfied with the package – despite his proposals to link rent increases to inflation being dropped.

He said: “I was committed to doing something in the whole rental area. I think this is rent certainty.

“What we have here is rents being frozen for two years. I believe the supply side is going to take a couple of years to come on. What we need to give is certainty to people who are renting and this does that.

“I am very satisfied with that.”

The proposals ensure those who have faced a rent increase in 2015 and will now not have one until 2017.

There will also be an obligation on landlords to provide more evidence that rent increases are in line with market rates.

Those landlords who claim they are selling their home or moving a family member into their property must sign a statutory declaration declaring their intentions.