THIS WEEK THERE was more talk from Environment Minister Alan Kelly that some form of ‘rent certainty’ could be on its way.

This came alongside a draft report that showed there is still a large amount of unsuitable property being let out in the country’s capital – with major issues arising from family homes being converted into multiple-occupancy dwellings.

The Big Movers

Rent control?

Environment Minister Alan Kelly has announced that he plans to introduce some form of rent certainty.

This would be aimed at stopping tenants suffering from the sharply increasing rents that have been seen during the housing crisis.

Environment Minister Alan Kelly Brian Lawless / PA Archive/Press Association Images Brian Lawless / PA Archive/Press Association Images / PA Archive/Press Association Images

As part of this, he also said that he intends to introduce incentives for landlords who offer tenants longer-term leases.

Rental property inspections

A draft report by Dublin City Council and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland on rental flats in Dublin has found that 84% of them failed to meet minimum standards.

It was also seen that half of all of the properties inspected were not of an adequate size.

Speaking about this, councillor Mannix Flynn, said, “Behind a lot of what would be petite façades, in Georgian Dublin and indeed in Rathmines and Ranelagh, there is a horror story to be told.”

Nice place

One of the plushest resorts in the country has come onto the market.

Castlemartyr Resort in Cork

The five-star Castlemartyr Resort in Cork is available for €13 million.

It was reportedly the site of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s honeymoon and is known for having played host to a number of other high-profile guests.

Under Construction

• IKEA has announced that it plans to start doing home deliveries. 
• Calls have been made for Eircom to remove its phone boxes from Dublin city centre, as it is said they have encouraged anti-social behaviour.  

Powerscourt in Enniskerry Irish Welcome Tours / Flickr Irish Welcome Tours / Flickr / Flickr

• This week TheJournal.ie took a look at some of the most beautiful gardens the country has to offer. 
• Mount Juliet, the prestigious golf resort in Co Kilkenny, is set to get a €10 million revamp.  

Des Res

This week the former home of one of Apple’s co-founders Steve Wozniak has sold for $3.9 million (€3.44 million) after being on the market for two years and coming down in value by more than $200,000 (€177,000). The property was listed and de-listed numerous times due to concerns about who the buyer would be, Business Insider reports.