Exemptions to rent rules agreed by Government last week should be considered for student house-shares, Minister for Higher Education James Lawless has indicated.
A spokesman for the Kildare North TD said one option under examination would prevent landlords from hiking rents in these properties at the same rate as the wider market.
In addition to protections for purpose-built student accommodation, Mr Lawless believes a particular policy for houses shared by students should be added on to reforms to the rental market agreed by the Government last week.
He said students should not be “inadvertently disadvantaged” by the new rules.
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In a sign that Ministers are already looking to carve out exemptions from the changed regime, a spokesman for Mr Lawless said reforms to encourage housing supply should protect renters such as students who have “particular and unique circumstances”.
The reforms were criticised as they would see existing properties rented by people who move regularly – such as students – subjected to more frequent rent reviews.
Landlords will be permitted to reset their asking price to the market rate if a tenant voluntarily exits a lease signed after next March early, or every six years otherwise.
As many students leave their accommodation at the end of an academic term, this would mean the rent for the property could be reset to market rates at that stage.
Officials in Mr Lawless’s department and the Department of Housing have been asked to explore a “targeted solution” for students, the spokesman said.
“Some options could include a designated ‘student tenancy’ category which may function in the same way as current RPZs with rent levels tied to a property as opposed to a tenancy,” he added.
Under the current rent pressure zone (RPZ) system, rent can move up by only 2 per cent annually or in line with inflation - whichever is lower.
It is expected that purpose-built student accommodation will be exempted from the changes, but housing in residential areas, which is often let to students during term time, may need extra protections, the Minister’s spokesman indicated.
Restrictions on rent resets when students voluntarily vacate accommodation at the end of the academic year could also be explored, the spokesman added.
It is understood that other options could see more conditions put on the resetting of rents dependent on investment in a property.
“While the RPZ reforms are designed to strengthen protections across the board, we must ensure that students are not inadvertently disadvantaged by the new structure,” the spokesman added.
“The Government’s intention is to protect tenants while encouraging new supply. Students, as a high-turnover group, must be explicitly considered in this balance.”
With the Opposition continuing to criticise the Government’s latest rental market policies, it is expected that legislation to extend RPZs nationally will come before Cabinet this week.
