Dan Murphy has challenged a recent attempt to ammend legislation to freeze rents as not good enough.
The call comes following an ammendment forwarded by PBP MLA Gerry Carroll calling on a private rent freeze and further 10% reduction on private rents.
“We dont need percentage reductions blindly slapped on to rent caps, we need an understanding and legislation that private rents of former Housing Executive homes cannot be rented out at more than the LHA levels for those areas in order to stop private landlords exploiting a supply/demand crisis and charging extortionate rents in areas of the most demand.”
Dan went on to say, “Our MLAs seem to be hell bent and determined to copper fasten the profits of private landlords in West Belfast by attempting to negotiate on their behalf without wanting to upset them. I spoke to a girl last week who is paying £850 for a 3 bedroom, a 10% reduction on that is still unacceptable and would still make it £350 a month over her Housing Benefit.”
For 3 years the IRSP through Drop The Rents have been engaged in a campaign against private landlords in West Belfast which through direct action has forced a number of private landlords to drop their rents to LHA levels.
Dan went on, “The IRSP are not interested in bowing down to landlordism in West Belfast, we dont care about their profits. If we cant protect our most vulnerable in the elected chambers then we will just have to protect them on the streets via continuing our direct action.”
