Over 10,500 social housing tenants owe €23m in rent arrears across three Dublin councils
Dublin’s three county councils are owed more than €20m in unpaid social housing rent, new figures show.
South Dublin County Council (SDCC), Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLR) and Fingal County Council (FCC) were collectively owed €23.05m by the end of May or June this year.
While SDCC has reduced its rent arrears over the past year, DLR and FCC have recorded increases, with DLR attributing the rise “largely” to continuing cost-of-living pressures.
FCC, which manages around 7,000 social housing properties, was owed €8.5m at the end of May, up from €8.3m at the end of last year, but significantly lower than the €10.03m recorded in January, 2025.
It said 4,097 tenants are in arrears. Around 41pc are covered by agreed repayment plans, while 58pc involve debts of less than €500.
A spokesperson said FCC operates a “fair and transparent tiered escalation process”, including early engagement with tenants, repayment arrangements and referrals to the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (Mabs) and the Household Budget Scheme where appropriate.
They added: “Should all engagement avenues be exhausted, Fingal County Council will initiate tenancy warnings. In a small number of cases recently, this has culminated in legal proceedings and the granting of possession orders.”
Labour councillor John Walsh, who represents Fingal, said the level of arrears remained “worrying”, and warned that rent increases for council tenants could place additional pressure on households.
“My main concern is the increase in rents. It is a large-scale increase, especially at a time of a cost-of-living crisis, and there is a major risk that it will lead to an increase in arrears,” he said.
In November, 2025, councillors agreed to increase rents for the first time since 2013, raising the rate from 12pc of a tenant’s income to 14.5pc.
DLR reported rent arrears of €7.08m on June 26, compared with €6.39m at the same time the year before. At the end of 2025, the figure was €6.42m.
A total of 2,855 tenancies are in arrears, with 640 tenants on repayment agreements.
A spokesperson said the increase “can largely be attributed to the ongoing cost-of-living pressures being experienced by many households”.
The council said it provides repayment arrangements and support through organisations including Dublin Simon Community’s Tenancy Support Service, Mabs and its Housing Welfare Officer where households face difficulties.
A spokesperson for Dublin Simon Community said: “There is no doubt that the rising cost of living is creating added financial pressure for people across our society, including those living in social housing.
“However, for a small number of our tenants, other personal or individual circumstances can be a more significant factor affecting their ability to maintain a stable, long-term tenancy.”
The charity said its tenancy support teams focus on early intervention and helping households maintain “secure and lasting homes”.
In SDCC, rent arrears totalled €7.47m on May 31, down from €8.11m a year before. At the end of 2025, the figure was €7.8m.
The council has 3,640 tenancies in arrears, with 2,205 on active repayment arrangements.
A spokesperson said rent arrears can be recovered from eligible tenants’ social welfare payments through the Household Budget Scheme.
They added that tenants who fail to engage with the council’s Debt Management Unit and whose arrears continue to increase could face legal proceedings.
“Orders for possession are sought by the council and granted by the district court. The termination of a tenancy is never the desired outcome of our debt management processes,” the spokesperson said.
“The council is aware of the challenges that are facing tenants and actively works with them.”
Sinn Féin councillor Daniel Loftus said rising rents were among the factors contributing to some residents falling behind on payments.
“I’ve had people contact me who are struggling to pay their rent because they’re paying more than €1,000 a month,” the South Dublin representative said.
Last month, SDCC increased social housing rents by 25pc as part of changes to its differential rent scheme.
Mr Loftus said some tenants were now facing difficult choices due to rising household costs.
“More people are having their rent reassessed every week, and people with adult children who are working are having to pay north of €1,500 a month in rent,” he said.
“This is not good enough, and I have already had a number of people contact me stating they have to choose between food or paying their rent. This will have a direct impact on the rent arrears owed to the council.”