Sir, – Jenny Curran’s claim that the Government has done “nothing in reality” to address housing ignores the raft of tenant-focused legislation enacted in recent years (Letters, September 29th).
From Rent Pressure Zones to tenancies of unlimited duration, the law now tilts almost entirely towards tenant protection.
But this framework has completely backfired. By piling on compliance burdens while leaving landlords with a Residential Tenancies Board that takes months to resolve unpaid rent or property damage issues, the State has made private letting an unviable risk for small property owners.
It is little wonder they are leaving the market in droves.
RM Block
Alongside this, our housing policy suffers from a kind of regulatory perfectionism. Under the Building Regulations 2019, every new home must achieve Nearly Zero Energy Building and top-tier Ber standards.
While the environmental goal is admirable, mandating these specifications drastically inflates build costs and slows down delivery. It is the policy equivalent of telling someone in emergency accommodation they must stay on a waiting list because we refuse to build anything less than a pristine, high-spec dwelling.
By regulating lower-cost or entry-level options out of existence, the State is forcing lower-income tenants into direct competition with middle-income earners for standard units. This drives open-market rents higher across the board and pushes the most vulnerable into an unregulated black market.
State funding alone cannot fix the housing deficit without a functioning private market. Until we balance tenant security with basic landlord rights and swift dispute resolution, and replace rigid building perfectionism with pragmatic delivery, over-regulation will continue to choke off the exact supply renters so desperately need. – Yours, etc,
XIAOYU SUN,
Royal Canal Park,
Dublin 15.
