Sir, – The policy that shifted provision of social and affordable housing to the market has failed spectacularly and the result is untold misery and damage to a whole generation. It is not in the common interest to see large numbers of citizens having to rent in the private market to access a roof over their heads. The result has been home ownership in crisis, with rents through the roof and our young people permanently priced out of the market and a shameful growth in homelessness. A huge slice of earnings are now disappearing into the pockets of private landlords. And what we are seeing now is merely the tip of the iceberg – what will happen when those large numbers renting in the private sector retire, many on no more than a State pension? The cost of keeping retired people in these homes will be enormous.
Far from giving more comfort to landlords, the State should be encouraging them to exit the market in an orderly fashion by stepping up the purchase of houses that are being rented, starting where there is a family in situ. A programme of building social houses should ramp up and aim to meet need.
Social housing, free from right-to-purchase, pays for itself relatively quickly. A pay-related rent scheme will see tenants cover building costs in the long term, and will eventually return a profit for local councils, money circulates in the local community rather than boosting the profits of individual entities.
Solving the housing crisis is not rocket science. It merely requires the State to recognise that housing is a social good to which every citizen has a right. – Yours, etc,
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JIM O’SULLIVAN,
Rathedmond,
Sligo.
Sir, – Paul McGuirk made some valid points and some fanciful ones in his recent letter regarding landlords and housing (April 6th).
Some landlords are business people. Some are parents or individuals who inherited a house and are renting it temporarily until their kids reach an age to live in it. Others are recent emigrants who may return. And others have bought a house due to the market prices “getting away from them” and they rent rooms in it until they get married and settle down.
Most have the debt responsibility that accompanies any investment. This relates especially to business finance where loan to value covenants are often routine.
If the value dips below the minimum allowed figure in the loan agreement the property will have to be sold. This is something Paul McGuirk didn’t mention.
So the market doesn’t fix all ills for investors as it often traps them in a “must sell” situation. This is a well-proven fact. – Yours, etc,
JOHN ROONEY,
Enniskerry,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – I’ve read numerous articles and letters blaming landlords and politicians for our housing crisis.
The elephant in the room is each and every person who objects to a housing development planning application. Thousands if not tens of thousands of potential houses and apartments are being held up in the planning process. We are to blame for the shortage of houses; it’s time to stop blaming others. You’ve no home to buy or rent because your mother or neighbour or local councillor has in the past objected to a housing development.
Time to address that particular elephant. – Yours, etc,
CHARLES McLAUGHLIN,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – The Department of Housing says that the underspend was due to Covid restrictions and inflation. Has anyone else spent less because of inflation? – Yours, etc,
LUKE BOWDEN,
Tara,
Co Meath.