A mother of two has described the immense personal strain caused by the issuing of eviction notices to her and 35 other households in a Co Wexford housing estate.
The notices of termination were issued to people renting houses in the Hazelwood Estate in Bridgetown. Affected tenants received the notices last Friday, in advance of the Government’s new rental rules, which came into effect on Sunday.
Under the new rules, landlords will have to keep rent-price increases capped at 2 per cent, or the rate of inflation, annually. However, in the cases of new tenancies, owners can reset it to the market rate with no limit.
Tenancies started after Sunday will have a minimum duration of six years and there will also be more stringent grounds for eviction.
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The Hazelwood Estate tenants held a meeting on Sunday in the local hall to discuss their options.
Ann Marie Lamb, a single mother of two who has a child with additional needs, said: “There are 36 households in total facing this situation and behind every one of those houses is a real family trying to figure out what happens next.”
Lamb explained that many who have been given the notices are working full-time, paying rent and “doing everything we can to keep our lives stable”.
“This isn’t just about houses – it’s about children in local schools, families connected to their community and people who simply don’t know where they are supposed to go in the middle of a housing crisis when there are so few rentals available,” she said.
“For me personally, I’m a single mother with two children, one of whom has additional needs and is settled in school locally. The idea of having to uproot our lives is frightening.
“I just hope people reading this understand that this is not an abstract story – it’s real families, real stress and real uncertainty. We are doing our best to support each other and find a way forward.”
It is understood properties are owned by a developer, Patchflow Ltd, which has been contacted for comment.
An emergency information meeting is to be held by Wexford County Council on Monday.
It is estimated about 100 people, including children, are affected by the termination notices issued to 36 homes.
Ronan Kavanagh (49) and his partner Ashling Keating (41) also received a termination notice on Friday evening when they returned home after work.
“We are totally gutted. We’ve been living in this house for 10 years,” said Kavanagh, who is a healthcare worker.
“We don’t qualify for HAP [housing assistance payment] or anything like that as we are seen as earning too much, which is really too little to be able to get a mortgage.
“It’s very stressful, but we will get through it somehow. We have nothing to fall back on or anyone to catch us when we fall as we don’t qualify for social housing.”
His partner added: “This is really scary. I’ve not slept properly in the last number of days.”
Local representatives have described the development as deeply worrying.
George Lawlor, a Labour TD for Wexford, met the affected tenants at Sunday’s meeting and told them the matter would be raised in the Dáil.
He has described the developments as “shocking” and called for an “immediate intervention” by Government.
“It is no coincidence that this wave of notices comes on the back of the new rental rules brought in by Government,” said Lawlor. “Wexford already struggles with housing supply and soaring rents.”
He pointed out that families cannot simply “pick up and find another affordable home” at short notice.
“There aren’t [any] affordable options sitting idle,” he said. “When 36 notices land at once, the ripple effect hits the entire community. I’m calling on Government to step in immediately, to examine these cases in detail and to ensure that every legal protection available to tenants is enforced.”
A Department of Housing spokesperson confirmed Minister for Housing James Browne has been in contact with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) over the weekend in relation to the matter. Browne understands the RTB is directly engaging with Wexford County Council to ensure the tenants’ rights are protected.
The Department spokesperson also said under Section 34 of the Residential Tenancies Act, a landlord must state a reason for termination in any “Part 4 tenancy termination notice served”. They added the termination will not be valid unless copied to the RTB and the stated reason must comply with regulatory guidelines.
Local Aontú councillor Jim Codd said “in light of the many eviction letters received” in Bridgetown, the council will hold a “specific information and advice clinic for those households on Monday from 4pm to 6pm in the youth centre, Bridgetown”. He encouraged affected tenants to attend.
