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Tenant protections extended, ministers urge
The government has been urged to extend protections for tenants affected by the pandemic.
In March, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy announced a temporary ban on evictions and a pause in rent increases for an initial period of three months during the Covid-19 crisis.
On Friday, the housing charity Threshold welcomed the latest figures that showed a drop in homelessness in March, but warned that the trend could reverse quickly if the government moratorium on evictions and rent increases were not spread.
Some 9,907 people were homeless in late March, a drop from 241 since February.
Umbral Chief Executive John-Mark McCafferty said: “We hope that the moratorium on evictions will prevent the regular flow of people from the private rented sector to the homeless.
“Tenants have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19. There are many tenants who have lost their jobs and suffered significant income cuts as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, and face a reality of significant rent arrears. “
“Some homeowners show flexibility and tolerance, but others do not. Unless the eviction ban extends beyond the current June deadline, recent modest gains in terms of reducing homelessness will reverse very quickly.” .
