Average rent for new tenants in county now stands at €905

The average rent for new tenants in County Roscommon now stands at €905, while the average rent for existing tenants is €789, according to a new report.

The latest Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) Rent Index Report looks at rents being paid in Quarter 2 of 2023 and shows an increase in Roscommon of 8.8% in new rents and a change of 9.5% in existing rents.

In all counties, bar Roscommon, standardised average rents for existing tenancies grew more slowly year-on-year than for new tenancies.

Indeed, in 12 counties the annual growth rate in existing tenancy rents was less than half that of new tenancy rents.

The report further sets out that the average rent for new tenancies in Boyle was €844, and €851 in Roscommon Town.

For existing tenants the rents were €716 and €760 respectively.

Overall Roscommon accounted for 1.32% of new tenants nationally and 0.9% of existing tenants.

In percentage terms, the largest difference between new and existing tenancy rents in Q2 2023 was found in Sligo, where new tenancy rents were 33.5% (or €274 per month) more than existing tenancy rents, followed by Westmeath (31.2% or €280 per month).

Commenting on the latest figures Sinn Féin TD for Roscommon/Galway Claire Kerrane said that “staggering” annual rent increases in County Roscommon showed that the longer Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were in Government, the worse things get.

Deputy Kerrane echoed calls by Sinn Féin spokesman on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin, for the Government to urgently impose a ban in rent increases for all existing and new tenants.

“The report from the Residential Tenancies Board showing massive increases in rents is shocking,” she said.

“Families, workers and young people deserve and need affordable housing and affordable rents.

“Sinn Féin’s proposal to cut rents and freeze them would have prevented these massive increases in rents which are continuing consistently month on month,” she said.