Proposed changes to RPZ rules for purpose-built student accommodation must be resisted says Cummins

Any proposal to alter Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) rules to allow for more frequent rent increases for purpose-built student accommodation must be strongly resisted, according to Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins.

Deputy Cummins, who is the party’s spokesperson on Further and Higher Education, said:

“As part of changes to RPZ rules, the Department of Housing has proposed that rents for private student accommodation can only be reset every three years. However, it has been reported that the Department of Further and Higher Education is at odds with this position and wants to allow for two resets to market rents during this period.

“Whether these adjustments happen every year or every three years, we do not believe that rents should be allowed to reset to market rates.

“The interests of commercial operators cannot be put above the needs of students and their families at a time when accommodation costs are already acting as a barrier to accessing higher education.

“Any move that enables providers to reset rents to market rates more often would inevitably lead to higher prices, making purpose-built student accommodation even less affordable.

“Students’ union AMLÉ, housing advocates and parents have consistently warned that rapidly rising rents are pushing students into insecure, overcrowded or long-distance living arrangements. This is forcing young people to commute extremely long distances or even consider deferring their studies altogether.

“Education should never be determined by the size of a family’s bank account. Yet the reality is that soaring accommodation costs are preventing students from fully participating in college life, undermining their academic performance and placing a heavy financial and emotional strain on families.

“The government’s focus must be on ensuring that any new student accommodation being delivered is genuinely affordable and accessible. That means investment in public and Higher Education Institute-owned student housing, improved protections for those renting in the private sector, and policy decisions that prioritise affordability over developer incentives.

“Without a clear commitment on affordability, more students will find themselves priced out of higher education or forced into conditions that compromise their wellbeing and academic potential.”

ENDS