Govt to do 'everything' to prevent evictions - McEntee

i feel the government is seriously overstepping the boundaries here.

How are the Government overstepping their boundaries when the article you linked to can be summed up as McEntee doing what politicians do and making promises they can’t deliver on in the hope it will boost their ratings in the polls? That’s why she’s having to ask the AG would it be possible to introduce an eviction ban during the winter months so that people who aren’t currently homeless can’t be evicted temporarily.

That’s not Government overstepping their boundaries, it’s Government doing what they’re expected to do! Too little, too late, with SF nipping at their heels with their own bunch of promises they can’t deliver on increasing their popularity in the polls.

It won’t work, but people facing eviction during winter will probably be glad of a bit of temporary relief.

It might drive smaller landlords out of the market, but being a landlord is a business in the first place - more regulation is naturally going to drive the smaller landlords out of the market because they can’t afford to stay in the market. That’s not appealing to the lowest common denominator either, it’s just the cost of doing business. I do agree it’s a fine balance the Government are trying to strike though because the bigger landlords will have no qualms about carrying out evictions if there’s no profit from the property for them.

It’s true that with this particular measure being proposed, homeless figures aren’t likely to improve, but that’s not the point of the measure. The point is to try to make sure homeless figures don’t get any worse by at least preventing landlords from evicting tenants during the winter months.

The proposed measures don’t have any impact on property rights, it would have an impact on anyone who’s a landlord that they cannot evict the tenants currently occupying the property. It increases protections for existing tenants, which are hardly the lowest common denominator - they may have difficulty meeting the rent, but that’s not an impediment on their ability to vote.

As you suggested though in your opening post - there are many more reasons why tenants might be inclined to vote for other parties who they imagine will deliver on their promises.

No other business gets treated like the landlord business.

Wheres the laws to give motorists free petrol and fine petrol stations who don't give it to them?

Wheres the price caps on food, clothing, electricity, computers , cars etc etc?

being a landlord isn't the same as working a regular job.

it's passive income.

nothing stopping the landlord from getting a job like everyone else.

nobody is forced to be a landlord. instead of looking for sympathy, they could always sell the property or get a job.

a lot of bellyaching from the poor landlords who are forced into renting out properties...

I’m not laughing at you, but I’m finding it incredibly difficult to take you seriously when you come out with wishful thinking like imagining that Government are going to purchase the properties of landlords because of the introduction of legislation to protect tenants from eviction on a temporary basis!

Changing the law when it suits, without compensation to whom? It’s not unconstitutional in any case! The specifics of any new legislation might be unconstitutional, which is why the Government is seeking the advice of the AG on the matter.

On the contrary - landlords aren’t treated any differently to any other business. They provide a service in accordance with Irish law, which is subject to change. I’m not a member of the bleeding hearts brigade so I don’t feel one ounce of sympathy for landlords who can’t manage their business and start cribbing because they’re not able to turn a profit. That’s business, and if they can’t run a business, they don’t deserve to be in business. I’ve said it recently and I’ll say it again here because the same thing applies - Government are not a charity, don’t expect them to act like one.

The Government are expected to run the country, and the irony of the current Government is that they delivered on all the easy stuff in legislation, and they’re even more unpopular now than they were going into Government, having made it easy for people to vote SF! Be some sport if they get in, you’ll really want to brace yourself for the worst, because they’re not going to make it any easier on landlords 😂

Plenty of landlords have jobs and run other businesses and they know how to handle their business too so that they aren’t stuck with tenants over-holding or cribbing about measures to protect tenants from eviction during the winter months.

Then there are the landlords who don’t have the first clue about being a landlord, and when they find themselves in trouble they want Government to bail them out while calling everyone else bleeding hearts 🙄

Make an eviction ban only for those up to date with their payment (both private and council).

I don't see why those who pay their way should be treated the same as those who don't.

Not often I’d stick up for landlords but if a person is not meeting their obligations as part of a contract….

unless she’s planning upping the rent supplements …. I can’t see how she can just say to landlords “ when they have it you’ll get it, you cannot evict, tough “…..

Need to be a sensible deterrent for those not paying their way.