A HOUSING CHARITY is worried that landlords will bump up rents before the Government brings in rules against unfair increases.

Threshold want the people to know their rights so they won’t be taken advantage of by landlords ‘frontloading’ increases.

At last weeks Labour party conference, Environment Minister Alan Kelly said he wanted to bring in a system of “rent certainty”.

The details haven’t been confirmed but it’s been suggested that landlords would be prevented from increasing rents beyond the consumer price index unless improvements have been made to a property.

Threshold’s Bob Jordan is warning that landlords may try and get in before this and introduce “retaliatory hikes”:

We are concerned that, in advance of any formal announcement by government, landlords may now move to frontload rent increases. Tenants must be protected from such retaliatory hikes in rent.

The proposals have been been given a cautious welcome by politicians but The Irish Property Owners’ Association warned that less, not more, government intervention is needed.

As well as bringing back bedsits, the IPOA made a number of suggestions they say will help increase supply and fight spiralling prices.

But Threshold are supporting the proposals and want tenants to be educated to guard against pre-emptive increases from landlords.

“If tenants are not made aware of their rights, there is a risk they may face even higher rent increases in unfair circumstances,” says Jordan.

“Threshold will vigorously defend any tenant who faces an unfair rent increase, especially where a landlord is seeking to avoid compliance with the law.”

Read: Labour is LOVING Alan Kelly and he has a plan to tackle high rents (but it’s not rent control) >

Read: Buying a home? You’re facing fresh competition. A glut of new landlords >

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