Darragh O'Brien

The government has said it will amend the law in a bid to return more homes to the long-term rental market in RPZs, where rents are highest and where households have the greatest difficulty finding affordable accommodation.

Under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019, a person must apply to their local authority for planning permission to change the use of the property, so it can be used for tourism and short-term letting purposes.

The proposed amendment, intended to take effect for a six-month period from 1 September 2022, would create an offence for both individual property owners and online platforms to advertise properties in RPZs which do not have the required permission.

“We know that significant numbers of properties have been withdrawn from the long-term rental market in recent years and diverted for use as short-term lettings, negatively impacting on the supply and availability of private residential rental accommodation with associated knock-on implications for rental prices,” housing minister Darragh O’Brien said.

“This trend has been made easier through the use of online platforms and has been particularly acute in urban areas of high housing demand.

“Through these new controls we are strengthening the regulations which are in place and ensuring that homes are used to the best effect in areas of acute housing need. These regulatory controls will be in place a period of six months initially during which time the Department of Tourism alongside Fáilte Ireland will establish a new registration as committed to under Housing for All.

“Government are acutely aware of the pressures on the rental market at present and we expect that these new and significant controls will help to ease that pressure.”