Protest to 'resist the rent hike bill' to take place in Dublin this Wednesday

A protest against the upcoming Residential Tenancies Bill is set to take place tomorrow, February 11 at 5:30PM outside the Dáil.

The bill, set for enactment on March 1, will introduce a number of changes to the rental market. Small landlords would be allowed to reset rents to market rates between tenancies, while six-year leases will be introduced for tenants.

Opposition parties spoke out against the bill, saying that it excludes those who move often, putting them at risk of eviction, and higher rents due to the market level reset. Ireland's moving average currently stands at three and a half years, with students changing housing every year on average.

According to protest organisers People Before Profit on social media, the legislation is expected to provide structures for landlords to increase rents even further, opening the door to "brutal 'market rent resets' that could drive rents up by up to 40%".

The ratification of the bill will require approval from both Houses of the Oireachtas, and the President by the end of this month.