A group which represents landlords has strongly suggested that thousands of previously removed bedsits should be brought back if Government persists with its plans to tackle Ireland’s rental crisis.

John Lowe, The Money Doctor reiterates the message from the Residential Landlords Association saying that the controversial return of the small, low quality properties should be considered to help address housing needs across the country.

Under a new rent deal agreed by Finance Minister Michael Noonan and Environment Minister Alan Kelly last week and which is due to be signed off on by Cabinet this week , landlords will have to fix rent levels for periods of two years.

The new policy, which will become law this month and continue until November 2019, will also only allow rent rises if they are within the 7-10% “market rate”, and will loosen regulation on housing developments.

The strong feeling in many quarters is that over-regulation has been the problem and that it needlessly took 5,000 bedsits out of the market. Many people had been happily living in bedsits for years and the regulation banning shared facilities which closed down this type of accommodation clearly did not arise from tenants demands.