‘Bleak situation’ continues as rental properties in Cork and suburbs remain scarce

“A bleak situation continues” for renters in Cork city, according to the Simon Community’s latest Locked Out of the Market report.

The report tracks the number of properties d to rent as well as those available to rent within the Housing Assistance Payment (Hap) limits, gathering details from daft.ie for the 16 areas in Ireland — including Cork city centre and suburbs.

There were just 33 properties to rent through Hap in Ireland across the three days surveyed — September 9, 10, and 11 this year — none in Cork city centre or suburbs.

This is the second quarterly report in a row that has found no Hap properties in Cork.

Outside of Hap limits, the situation for renters in general saw a 5% decrease in Cork city — with 38 properties available for rent, down from 40 in June.

In the suburbs, there were 39 properties available for rent — a near 40% increase since June when there were 28 properties.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould told The Echo: “The shocking reductions in supply of rental properties reflects what I’m hearing in my office and on the ground.”

Mr Gould expressed concern about the shortage of houses to rent, and said Hap “no longer covers the extortionate rents” that exist at present.

He said people he speaks with “have almost given up entirely on renting”, adding that he spoke with a young couple recently who have a small child but are living separately in their parents’ back bedrooms.

“Both of them have decent jobs, but they’re not in a position to buy a house yet,” he said. “Renting hasn’t even crossed their minds because they know that they won’t find anywhere and, even if they do, they won’t be able to afford it.

“What we need is a three-year rent freeze and an end to the over-reliance on the private rental sector.

“Too many people are stuck in rental properties and the supply simply isn’t there.

“A big reason for this is that people no longer move on from rental properties —they don’t buy and they don’t get offered permanent social housing — so demand increases, but the number of properties available reduces.”