THE AVERAGE RENT paid by those renting a property from a private landlord has increased by 37% in the six years to 2022, according to the Census results.
The results of last year’s Census show that those in the private rental sector were paying an average of €272.91 in rent per week in 2022.
This is compared to an average of €199.92 in 2016 and €171.19 in 2011.
The average weekly rent for those living in a flat or apartment in a purpose-built block was the most expensive, at €317.89, followed by a terraced house, at €286.33.
For those renting a property from a local authority, the average rent increased by 14% to €77.92 per week since 2016, when the average was €68.50.
The number of properties rented from a private landlord has also increased since 2016, up 7% from 309,728 to 330,632.
Meanwhile, over 109,000 households were living in private rental accommodation where the weekly rent paid was €300 or more.
This was more than double the 48,933 households who were paying an average weekly rent of €300 or more six years earlier.
Last year, 35,729 households were paying between €300 – €350, while €21,565 were paying between €350 – €400.
52,293 households in private rented accommodation were paying over €400 per week in rent last year, compared to 13,232 in 2016.
34,890 households renting in the private sector did not state what their weekly rent was.
Only 714 households renting a property from a local authority were paying €400 or more per week in rent last year.
Last year, nearly four times as many households in private rental accommodation were paying more than €400 per week than in 2016.
The number of owner-occupied properties continued to fall from almost 70% to 66% in the 11 years to 2022.
Since 2016, the number of occupied properties owned with a mortgage or loan fell by 1%, from 535,675 to 531,207.
However, the number of properties owned outright without a mortgage or loan increased by 11% to 679,718.
Occupied properties rented from a local authority have also increased, from 143,178 in 2016 to 153,192 last year.
Commenting on the figures recorded in the census, Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan said they painted a “disheartening picture of the struggles faced by people hoping to buy a place of their own”.
“In 1991, almost 80% of households were homeowners – one of the highest rates in Europe. This number has fallen consistently since then and now sits at 66%,” he said.
“While continuing to pay lip service to home ownership, this Government has actively pursued policies that are detrimental to people’s chances of getting a place of their own.
“Instead of putting resources into building affordable homes, the State has incentivised extortionately expensive Build to Rent schemes through sweetheart tax deals for investment funds.”
O’Callaghan said the decreasing number of homeownership rates “present a ticking timebomb” and that “genuinely affordable” homes must be built.
“The Government must stop throwing money at developers and instead focus on building homes that people can actually afford to buy,” he added.
In a statement to The Journal, a spokesperson for the Department of Housing said: “The Government acknowledges rents are very high in many areas but supply, which is key to addressing our housing needs, is increasing.
“The government’s Housing for All Plan is having a real impact. More homes are being built and bought than in a generation. Last year we saw the most number of homes delivered since 2008, up 45.2% on 2021,” they said.
The Government has also introduced a range of measures to specifically support renters, including a tax credit of €500 per renter each year to end of 2025, with the aim of putting money directly back in the pockets of renters. This government has also enacted legislation to cap rent increases at a maximum of 2% in Rent Pressure Zones.
“The Department welcomes today’s publication of CSO Census data and it will inform our current work with the ESRI to update our National Planning Framework and Housing for All targets.”
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