Dublin City Council urged to pause rent hikes amid ongoing fuel crisis
Sinn Fein councillors have called for social housing rent increases to be paused due to the ongoing fuel crisis.The new Differential Rent Scheme came into effect on Easter Monday (April 6) and has seen all Dublin City Council tenants face rent increases. However, Sinn Fein Cllr Daithi Doolan has tabled a motion for Monday’s monthly council meeting asking the council to note “the financial pressure council tenants are under” and act accordingly.“We note that the cost of fuel, food bills, gas and electricity have all gone up in price, particularly in recent months. In an attempt to mitigate this, Dublin City Council agrees to review, at the earliest possible opportunity, the rent increases introduced in April for council tenants,” Cllr Doolan’s motion states.Speaking with Dublin Live, Cllr Doolan said he supports CATU and tenants' planned protest outside City Hall in advance of the monthly council meeting next Monday. He stressed the rent increases couldn’t have come at a worse time for tenants, as their introduction coincided with the ongoing fuel protest across the country.“The cost of living has gotten worse in the last few months because of the war on Iran and the impact that's had on fuel, petrol, heating. In light of this, we are calling on Dublin City Council to review the rent increase as a matter of urgency as soon as possible,” he said.While it’s his view that the increases could be reversed entirely, at the very least he said they must be reduced or paused. Cllr Doolan said it’s vital that local councillors use what power they have to help vulnerable people during this crisis.“Our tenants are hit two-fold. First, many council houses are in Dickensian conditions right now. They’re homes are not insulted,” he said.Having conducted a survey among Bluebell residents over the past two weeks, Cllr Doolan’s findings show that tenants are paying more than they ever have before on heating with many living in damp and mouldy conditions. “We can alleviate the burden to some extent by ensuring the rent increases are not imposed on these families,” he said.Fellow Sinn Fein Cllr Ciaran O Meachair also took to social media and stated that the rent hike must be paused. While he said “the rent increase should not be happening,” he stressed it’s vital the council take into consideration the impact the war in Iran has had on fuel prices and that the situation for everyday people has deteriorated drastically since the budget that brought in the increases was passed by a single vote last November.Cllr O Meachair told Dublin Live he believes the council stepping in pausing the increases is “common sense” and “the right thing to do.” “They should observe the situation that’s happening around them and make a decision to suspend it for the time being,” he said.A statement from Dublin City Council on the Differential Rent Scheme outlined the main changes as follows:The Differential Rate for primary earners will move from 15% to 18% of net income.All Secondary Earners will each pay up to a maximum of €40 per week.The income not assessed will increase from €32 to €55 to lessons the impact on lower paid.Child deduction would increase from €1 per week to €3 per week per child under 18 or in full time education to 22 years old, to lessons the impact on tenancies with children.Self-Employed tenants will have an assumed income of €700 per week, if no supporting documentation is provided.“The new Differential Rent Scheme will generate an increase of c.€33m in income over a full 12-month period. The additional income will fund improvements to our existing homes and will ensure the City Council can take a more financially sustainable approach to the maintenance of homes. The types of work will include; energy efficiency upgrades; boiler replacements; improvements to our flat complexes and communal areas; replacement of window, doors and roofs; and adaptations to existing homes,” the statement from the council said.The Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) has organised a protest outside City Hall on Monday, April 13, calling on Dublin City Council to ‘drop the rent hikes.’ It begins at 5:20pm.This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting SchemeWant to see more of the stories you love from Dublin Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Dublin Live as a preferred source, simply click here.Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content.We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .
