The number of renters at risk of homelessness and seeking help from housing charity Threshold has jumped by more than 20 per cent since last year, according to its latest report.
Of the new households that contacted Threshold from July to September this year, 2,160 were at risk of homelessness, up 22.8 per cent when compared to the same period in 2024.
Most of these renters were at risk of homelessness because their landlord wished to sell their home, according to the charity’s impact report for the third quarter of this year.
While most of the cases are continuing, 97 households have been unable to secure alternative accommodation. They have since presented as homeless and entered emergency accommodation, the charity said.
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Overall, 9,652 households comprising more than 12,400 adults and 7,640 children sought support from Threshold on issues surrounding their tenancy.
Tenancy termination continued to be the top issue for renters contacting the charity, accounting for 37 per cent of queries.
In the same period, the charity says it intervened to keep 872 households in their homes or supported them to secure alternative housing.
Separately, Threshold’s report highlighted the “urgent need” for protections for licensees, a group of renters it described as “overlooked” in Ireland.
Licensees include those living in digs-style accommodation, renting from head tenants in sublets, and those whose housing is provided by an employer. They are not covered by residential tenancies legislation.
This leaves this group vulnerable to a “lack of recourse when issues arise”, Threshold said, alongside being at risk of sudden evictions and poor-quality accommodation.
In one example, the charity highlighted the case of a UK student who failed to secure private rental accommodation before her arrival in Dublin due to “fierce competition”.
She ultimately secured a room through the rent-a-room scheme, which allows participating homeowners to earn up to €14,000 in tax-free income per year.
The student, who paid €1,100 per month for the room, said she faced “boundary issues” such as having her food eaten and being tasked with caring for the homeowners’ dog, alongside being reprimanded for having visitors.
The student said the lack of security and clear boundaries “weighed heavily” on her, and left her feeling uncomfortable in her living arrangements.
Ann-Marie O’Reilly, Threshold’s national advocacy manager, said the charity has seen a growing array of licence-style arrangements in the rental sector in recent years, “which is a cause for concern”.
“These renters must rely on trust with their licenser – the person they rent from – rather than rights enshrined in legislation. This highlights the need for urgent policy and legislative reform to provide protections for licensees across the country,” she said.
Threshold is calling for “urgent policy change” for licensees, including the introduction of minimum notice periods and linking the rent-a-room tax relief to high-quality standards.
