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Galway woman Louise Fynes has said Budget 2024 has been a disappointment for renters like her and of very little benefit.
The 52-year-old and her two adult daughters have returned to Ireland after living in the Netherlands for more than 20 years.
She has been renting a house in Loughrea in County Galway since 2020 and has been served with an eviction notice for next May.
Speaking after the announcement of today’s Budget, she said: “I’m still being evicted because the landlord wants the house back for a family member.
“I’m still unable to buy because I’m not long enough back in this country even though I can afford a mortgage.
“So the Budget really isn’t helping me, even with the €750 tax credit.
“That money is of course welcome when you’re renting as a tenant, but I would have liked the Budget to do more for the rights of both landlords and tenants.
“I’d like to see landlords incorporated as businesses then they would get the proper tax deductions and we would have a proper business arrangement.
“We could have long-term lease agreements with capped rents and property tax deductions, which would attract more landlords to the market, which would decrease the rental market competition.”
Ms Fynes said her rent was raised twice in three years, as it went from €1,100 per month to €1,350.
When it was further hiked to €1,800 per month, she sought the assistance of Threshold for information on her tenant rights and the rent was reduced again after an adjudication hearing.
She said: “So that was a really good win for us and I couldn’t have done it without Threshold, but the situation here in Loughrea remains very grim.
“The rents are high and there’s very little accommodation available and this is where my daughters are being educated and I work in Ballinasloe.”
Ms Fynes said more rent-to-buy schemes would be ideal for people like her and she is calling for a more strategic response from the Government to ensure empty properties are made available to rent or buy. She said the current situation remains very disappointing.
She said: “Coming back to Ireland was a big decision after 20 years. It’s disappointing in the sense that I’ve had a lot of obstacles to overcome and renting is one of them.
“There’s no protection for people returning to the country and I left in the 90s when it was the same situation that confronts me now when I’ve come back.
“So, I think the Government needs to look at proper rebates of tax and better strategies in place for the long-term solution to homelessness and prevention of homelessness.”
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