Ivana Bacik
Question:331. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if plans to give tenants first refusal of their landlord's property will fix the sale price at the market rate. [15458/23]
View answerTuesday, 28 March 2023
Questions (331)
Written answers
On 7 March last the Government decided that the “Winter Emergency Period”, under the Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Act 2022, will cease on the 31 March 2023. This will see deferred tenancy terminations taking effect over a staggered period from 1 April to 18 June 2023.
In addition to the on-going and extra measures taken to put in place increased options, including the tenant in situ scheme, to mitigate the impact of the end of the emergency period, Government has now also agreed on a number of new measures.
This includes developing a legislative provision which may require a landlord selling a property to offer “First Right of Refusal” to a tenant. This would require a landlord selling a property to first offer it to the tenant on an independent valuation basis for sale.
If a tenant is unable to access a sufficient mortgage from a financial provider, eligible tenants may access the Local Authority Home Loan scheme which already applies to second hand homes.
In order that tenants would have as full an opportunity as possible to purchase the home, I have issued a request to the First Home scheme Designated Activity Company to expand its eligibility so that in instances where tenants have received a notice of termination they would be eligible for support under that scheme.
Details of these measures are in the process of being advanced and full information will be available in due course.