Threshold prevents over 700 households from entering homelessness in Q4 2025

National housing charity Threshold’s latest Impact Report shows that, of the new households who contacted Threshold during Q4 2025, 1,797 were at risk of homelessness – an increase of 21.5% year-on-year as pressures in the private rental sector continue.

Between October and December 2025, Threshold advisors prevented 746 households from entering homelessness.

This meant 981 adults and 703 children could stay in their homes or were supported by Threshold to secure alternative housing.

During the same period, Threshold supported 8,548 households, including 10,933 adults and 6,928 children.

Threshold also answered 7,256 calls and scheduled 390 outreach clinic consultations around the country.

As found in previous quarters, many renters were at risk of homelessness because their landlord wished to sell.

Tenancy termination remained the number one issue for renters contacting Threshold, with 54% of all new clients in Q4 2025 getting in touch about security of tenure, either because they were facing a tenancy termination or because they feared losing their home.

Where possible, Threshold assisted households to remain in their homes or secure an alternative dwelling, though many of these cases remain ongoing.

Security of tenure

Threshold is extremely concerned that the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026, which applies to tenancies starting on or after 1 March 2026, will allow market rent resets between tenancies.

This risks undermining security of tenure and making homes unaffordable.

Threshold has raised concerns about the absence of available modelling on how these changes could drive rent inflation and warns that, with the implementation of market rent resets,

Government must ensure that HAP rates rise in line with market rents to avoid a conflict between the State’s housing and rent policies.

The Act also does not include a way to manage rents if they begin to rise at an unsustainable rate, like a rent brake mechanism which Threshold advocated for.

Speaking on the report and Act, Threshold’s National Advocacy Manager Ann-Marie O’Reilly said:

“The figures from October to December 2025 show that the risk of homelessness remains widespread in the private rental sector, with the number of new households contacting Threshold who were at risk of homelessness up 21.5% year-on-year.

“The level of demand and tenancy insecurity we are seeing is not easing, and renters continue to face tenancy termination as the single biggest issue.

“Despite the improvements to security of tenure, Threshold is extremely concerned about the decision outlined in the new Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026 to allow landlords to set rents to market levels between tenancies.

“Due to the lack of modelling, we do not know the trajectory of rent increases.

“There is also no safety mechanism in place if rents do increase at an unsustainable rate, like a rent brake mechanism. This measure may never be needed, but it would provide stability to renters and the wider market.”

Case Study: Olga’s story*

Olga had lived in her apartment paying a rent of €1,650 a month for several years before her relationship ended and she became a single parent.

She started to struggle to afford her rent.

In April 2024, her local authority advised her to apply for the Housing Assistant Payment (HAP). Her landlord refused to accept this, stating he planned to sell and suggested HAP would affect the property’s value.

Olga continued to do everything she could to pay the rent, to make sure her and her child could stay in their home.

She asked her landlord another two times to accept HAP, but each time her landlord said no. During this time, Olga received two notices to quit from her landlord that were not compliant with legislation, but when a notice eventually came in January 2025 which was compliant, Olga was ultimately forced to leave her home.

With Threshold’s support, Olga brought a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

The WRC found that the landlord discriminated against her by refusing HAP and ordered the landlord to pay €15,000 in compensation.

The landlord’s HAP refusal didn’t just put the rent out of reach, it pushed Olga and her family towards homelessness.

Ann-Marie O’Reilly, Threshold’s National Advocacy Manager, says Olga’s case is emblematic of what Threshold repeatedly sees: renters who have a strong track record in their tenancy can quickly become vulnerable when their circumstances change and they need supports like HAP.

However, some landlords still refuse to engage with tenants who require HAP, despite this being unlawful.

While the Workplace Relations Commission award of €15,000 is significant, Ann-Marie stresses it does not give Olga her home back or undo the stress her family experienced. Finding a new home can be hugely disruptive for families.

Looking at the security of tenure reforms that commenced on 1 March 2026, Ann-Marie says stronger protections could change outcomes for renters like Olga by making it harder for a landlord to end a tenancy when the renter has done nothing wrong, and tenants can seek help and stand up for their rights without the immediate fear of losing their home.

However, Ann-Marie warns that the rent resets to market levels at certain points during or between tenancies could undermine the intended benefit of greater security.

If renters face steep market-level increases, many could be pushed into arrears or forced to leave, effectively recreating insecurity through affordability pressure.

Ann-Marie argues that Government must introduce a rent brake mechanism in the proceeding legislation to prevent sudden, excessive increases and to ensure that improvements in security of tenure are not cancelled out by surging rents.

In Ann-Marie’s view, real security of tenure must include affordability safeguards, otherwise renters may technically have stronger rights but still be priced out of their homes in practice.

Threshold’s helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9am- 9pm at 1800 454 454, or online at www.threshold.ie/get-help for any private renter in need of advice or support.