Locked Out of the Market, a quarterly report by the Simon Communities of Ireland, has established that nine out of 10 rental properties in Ireland were unavailable to recipients of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) last year.
It found that while the number of properties to rent increased from October to December 2021, this was still 51% lower than the number of available rental properties in December the previous year.
There were 1,349 properties available to rent at any price within their 16 study areas – an increase of 33% properties available to rent at any price in the October 2021 study period.
There were 148 properties available within HAP limits, representing 11% of total properties available. This is a 22% decrease of the 190 HAP-suitable properties available in the October 2021 report.
Just five properties were available within standard HAP limits for a couple or one parent and one child. There were only two rental properties available within standard HAP limits for a couple or one parent with two children across all 16 study areas.
Wayne Stanley, Head of Policy and Communications at the Simon Communities of Ireland, explained: “Despite the overall increase in housing stock, we can see that the escalating lack of affordability is placing more and more pressure on the most vulnerable in the rental market. This is likely to affect those who are most at risk of homelessness and contribute to the rising monthly numbers accessing emergency accommodation.”
“The distance between HAP rates and market cost means that topping up is rife and becoming more unsustainable. We must respond with solutions that will prevent individuals and families from being evicted into homelessness.”
LSL News.