Charity predicts record number of homeless as just 1,231 properties are now available for rent

There are just over 1,200 properties available to rent across the country as the eviction ban is set to expire at the end of this month.

The lifting of the ban will be phased out from April until mid-June depending on the length of tenancies and the timing of a notice to quit.

Nevertheless, charities have warned it will lead to an “unprecedented” number of adults and children becoming homeless.

According to listings on one property website, there are only 1,231 properties available to rent across the country.

These properties include houses, apartments and studio apartments.

Dublin has 604 rental properties available – 227 of those are houses, 318 are apartments, 54 are classed as studio apartments and five fall under the category titled “any property”.

Prices range from €1,800 per month for a one-bedroom apartment in Lucan to €9,250 per month for a four-bedroom and four-bathroom house in Ranelagh.

The winter eviction ban provided for a stay on eviction notices for the period up to March 31.

Deferred tenancy terminations would take effect over a staggered period from between April 1 and June 18.

CEO of action against homelessness charity Threshold John-Mark McCafferty warned that a increasing number of families are facing homelessness from next month.

He said local authorities were already struggling to provide emergency accommodation, and with St Patrick’s Day coming and the tourist season under way, there will be an even greater shortage of such accommodation – “along with a possible collapse in availability of emergency accommodation”.

He told the Irish Independent: “What it means is tenancy terminations will commence from April onwards.

“In previous years, families and individuals may have been able to source alternative accommodation, but the facts on the ground are there are little to no housing options out there.

“What compounds that is the fact that local authorities appear to be up to capacity in terms of their emergency accommodation for these very families that find themselves homeless.

“Our real worry is that families, children and people who are renting right now will face homelessness as a result.”

In 2022, Threshold said it became aware of 5,444 newly-created termination cases, where 57pc of notices were issued due to the landlord selling, and in 17pc of such cases, the landlord and/or a member of his family moving in.

Homeless charity Depaul, said it was “extremely disappointed and concerned” about the decision not to extend the eviction ban.

CEO David Carroll said Depaul provides 626 temporary accommodation beds across Ireland.

It also has waiting lists for many services.

“For the last 18 months, homelessness has increased by almost 40pc with 11,754 people currently accessing emergency accommodation,” said Mr Carroll.

“Housing supply is unlikely to meet the needs of those within our services in 2023.

“It is imperative that we understand where the additional temporary accommodation will be found to deal with the inevitable increased presentations to homelessness,” Mr Carroll added