Landlord exodus raises alarm over housing crisis in Tipperary
Concern has been raised in Tipperary about the impact of the Government’s rental reforms, and the increase of people in the county seeking social housing because of it.
Under the reforms, from March 1, 2026, landlords would have to offer tenancy terms of at least six years, with limited terms available for ending a tenancy, while they would only be permitted to sell their properties in cases of financial hardship, or if a family member required the property.
The new rules have led to an exodus of small landlords leaving the market which has raised concerns in Tipperary.
At the annual budget meeting of Tipperary County Council, independent councillor Joe Hannigan asked the council’s housing directorate if the local authority was prepared for an increase of people seeking social housing once the new rules on private rentals come into force.
"There’s Government reforms coming into play on March 1 next year, which is causing a major exodus of landlords out of the market, have we considered the impact that’s going to have in this county and in this budget?
"It looks to me as if there’s a train coming along the track that would need to be considered,” Cllr Hannigan said.
Agreeing, Fine Gael councillor Phyll Bugler said the rule changes are “worrying”, while independent councillor John O’Heney said it could have “major consequences”.
"I feel that the new rules coming into play for landlords early next year is like a silent train coming down the track, and it could have major consequences for us as a local authority and for the rental market here in the county going forward,” Cllr O’Heney said.
"As landlords are leaving the market en masse, rental properties are being sold and removed from the long-term rental market and this is going to mean that there’s fewer rental homes available for people and this could be sharply felt.
"It’ll put major pressures on our young people, our lower to middle-income households, and greater pressures on us as a local authority, there’ll be a higher demand for social housing lists and more reliance on supports like HAP (Housing Assistance Payment),” Cllr O’Heney added.
In response, Jonathon Cooney, the council’s director of services for housing said that it would definitely have an impact, but the local authority had been building homes.
"Undoubtedly it will have an impact, it’s having an impact in 2025, you can see that in terms of the levels of long-term leases and RAS (Rental Accommodation Scheme) properties that we have, there has been a decline, and no doubt that will continue,” Mr Cooney said.
Under the RAS scheme, councils enter into contracts with landlords directly, and pay a person’s rent directly to the landlords.
"The one positive for ourselves is our building programme, the council delivered 231 houses this year, which will be the highest since we’ve got into the business of building houses,” Mr Cooney added.
"That trajectory in the right direction will help to offset some of the additional demand that may come from the impact on the private market over the next four to five months,” he concluded.