Locked Out of the Market - Just 38 properties available within HAP limits
Locked Out of the Market is a quarterly report published by the Simon Communities of Ireland based on a snapshot survey conducted over three consecutive days. This latest version published in April 2024, covers three days in March 2024 and uses data from Daft.ie (an Irish property website that lists the asking prices for properties to both rental and buy) to track the number of properties advertised to rent that fall within Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) limits.
Availability of properties at Housing Assistance Payment limits
The March 2024 report found 1,180 properties available to rent at any price within the 16 study areas[1] over the three dates surveyed. This is a three per cent increase on December 2023 Locked Out report. Of these 1,180, only 38 were available within HAP limits and only three within standard HAP limits. In Dublin the discretionary rate allows up to an additional 50 per cent of the standard rate and 35 per cent elsewhere in the country.
As noted in many of the previous reports, the majority of the properties available within the HAP limits were found in Dublin, 32 of the 38. Only three of the areas surveyed outside of Dublin had properties available within discretionary HAP limits. These were Cork City Suburbs (one property), Dundalk (three properties) and KIldare (two properties). Ten of the 16 study areas had no HAP properties available to rent in any of the four household categories studied. These include Athlone, Cork City Centre, Galway City Suburbs, Galway City Centre, Co. Leitrim, Limerick City Suburbs, Limerick City Centre, Sligo Town, Portlaoise and Waterford City Centre.
Options for Households
Single Persons and Couples
Only three properties were available to single person/couple households through a standard HAP rate. One property was located in Dublin City North, one property was located in Dublin City South and one property was located in Kildare. 13 properties were available through discretionary HAP rates. One property was located in Cork City Suburbs, six properties were located in Dublin City North, five properties were located in Dublin City South and one property was located in Kildare.
Couple/One Parent with One Child
There were no properties available to couple/one parent households with one child through a standard HAP rate. There were 15 properties available through discretionary HAP rates. Four properties were located in Dublin City North, eight properties were located in Dublin City South, one property was located in Dublin City Centre, and two properties were located in Dundalk.
Couple/One Parent with Two Children
There were no properties available to couple/one parent households with two children through a standard HAP rate. There were 22 properties available through discretionary HAP, 15 of which overlap with properties available to families with one child. The seven additional properties available for families with two children were located in Dublin City North (one property), Dublin City South (four properties), Dublin City Centre (one property) and Dundalk (one property).
Double Social Housing Stock by 2030
The Report includes the voices of those who are 'locked out'. Peter says that "Navigating the private rental sector has been a daunting experience. Landlords often demand excessive deposits and rent in advance, making it impossible for me to secure a place. I’ve been searching for accommodation for over six months now, facing rejection after rejection" and Megan that "As a single parent, finding suitable accommodation in the private rental sector has been a constant struggle. Landlords frequently ask for guarantors or additional references, which I simply cannot provide. It’s disheartening to see how inaccessible the housing market has become."
With homelessness figures remaining consistently high, (9,671 adults and 3,319 children reported as accessing emergency accommodation in Feburary 2024) relying on the private sector to provide affordable, secure, sustainable, appropriate homes will not suffice. Other European countries which we would like to emulate have a social housing stock that is 20 per cent of their overall housing stock compared to 9 per cent in Ireland. The real need for social housing is under reported as those in HAP tenancies, DSGBV refuges, Direct Provision and many at risk of losing their home due to mortgage arrears are not included. To achieve the target of 20 per cent by 2030, Government must double its Housing for All targets. This investment will require a skilled workforce. Inclusion of a new construction apprenticeship programme whereby one in every fifteen is required to be an apprentice earning at least the Living Wage must form part of any rebuilding scheme. This would also result in an additional 60,000 properties, currently being used as social housing, entering the private rented sector for use by private tenants.
Listen back to our 2022 podcast episode on Locked out of the Market Reports with Wayne Stanley, Executive Director of Simon Communities of Ireland HERE.
[1] Athlone, Cork City Centre, Cork City Suburbs, Dublin City North, Dublin City South, Dublin City Centre, Dundalk, Galway City Suburbs, Galway City Centre, Kildare, Co. Leitrim, Limerick City Suburbs, Limerick City Centre, Sligo Town, Portlaoise, Waterford City Centre.