People Before Profit councillor Adrienne Wallace has written to the housing director to call for a postponement on any rent increases following a country-wide rent review for tenants.
She said, “I have called for any increase in rents to be postponed. I have been contacted by HAP tenants in Carlow who are finding themselves in difficult financial situations. I am calling on the housing director and the local authority to postpone collecting rents where they have increased in order to make this difficult period a bit easier for people. Many are experiencing increased food bills, electricity bills and often children who may have left for college etc are now back home, all as a result of the pandemic.”
Cllr Wallace added “I think the timing from the council to increase rents in this period is in bad taste and have contacted every councillor in Carlow and asked them to support my call. In some instances, people will find that their contribution will have gone down but for those who are not in this situation they are now faced with immediate rent increases. I think the council should refrain from heaping financial pressure in already worrying times. The economic impact from Covid 19 will outlast the health impacts and we need to take every measure to support people.”
She concluded by stating that “People Before Profit made amendments to the emergency Covid 19 legislation in the Dáil to extend the ban on evictions and the rent freeze for 1 year instead of 3 months but unfortunately it was voted down, even by Carlow TD Jennifer Murnane O’Connor. In times like this we should be supporting people so I am calling on the council to do what they can to offer some support and security.”
