Figures released today by housing charity Threshold provide further proof that the government was wrong to proceed with the introduction of its disastrous new rent regulations this week, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne.
Deputy Hearne, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said:
“Threshold’s final quarter figures for 2025 show a 21 per cent year-on-year increase in households at risk of homelessness contacting the charity.
“Significantly, 54 per cent of all new clients who got in touch with Threshold during that period were concerned about security of tenure. Tenancy termination was the top issue for renters, with landlords wanting to sell cited as the main reason. In fact, 39 per cent of 3,464 cases were in relation to notices to quit.
“Eviction notices are the biggest cause of family homelessness. In the first three quarters of last year, there were over 15,000 notices to quit issued to households across Ireland.
“The Minister for Housing should implement what the Social Democrats have been calling for: a no-fault eviction ban for all existing tenancies – not just limited to new tenancies, as is the case with the new rental laws that came into effect on March 1.
“The mass eviction of families we read about this week in Wexford is a direct result of Minister Browne’s failure to put a ban on no-fault evictions in place, particularly when it comes to evicting families into homelessness. By ignoring this issue, his policies have caused this crisis.
“Today’s report also highlights the charity’s deep concerns with the government’s new rent regulations. The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Housing have all selectively quoted Threshold as being supportive of their rental changes.
“However, the charity has today pointed out that allowing rents to be set to market rates between tenancies, and every six years, is likely to cancel out security of tenure improvements for new tenants.
“Organisations like Threshold work closely with those at the sharp edge of our housing emergency, but their expertise in this area never seems to factor when it comes to influencing government policy.”
March 3, 2026