CONFIRMED: Carlow renters set to benefit as the town is designated a 'Rent Pressure Zone'

Renters in Carlow Town are set to benefit from measures to protect tenants as the Carlow Local Electoral Area is designated a "Rent Pressure Zone", a Fine Gael TD has said.

Welcoming the news, Deputy Pat Deering said: "As the economy has recovered, tenants in Carlow have been dealing with increasing rents over the last few years. 

"Rents are simply too high in Carlow Town now and they are rising unsustainably.

"Where this is the case around the country, the Government is stepping in to protect tenants.

"So I am really pleased that my colleague the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy has confirmed to me that Carlow Local Electoral Area is to be designated a Rent Pressure Zone."

Under the RPZ rules, rents cannot be increased by more than 4% per annum. This applies to new and existing tenancies (unless an exemption is being applied) in areas where very steep rent hikes arose on foot of particularly high demand. 

Deputy Deering added: "It is something I have been working on with the Minister on for some time. 

"The protections of the RPZ will now extend to Carlow Town and the nearby surrounding areas of Ballinacarrig, Johnstown and Burton Hall.

"This extension of the RPZs is a direct result of the new rent reforms that were introduced into law in June 2019.

"This is great news for people in Carlow, following on from the designation of Graiguecullen as an RPZ earlier in the year, is the most significant expansion of rent controls since the rent pressure zones were first introduced over two years ago."

"The RPZs work to moderate rent inflation. The Government has also strengthened the enforcement of existing rent pressure zones which sends a strong signal to landlords in relation to their responsibilities.

"Short term letting reforms will also see an increased supply of long term lets which should also help tackle rising rents across the country."