Locked Out of the Market is a snapshot study undertaken every quarter over three consecutive days. This study was undertaken in September 2024 (9th, 10th, and 11th). This report tracks the number of properties advertised to rent within the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) limits. Details were gathered from Daft.ie for the following areas: Cork City Centre, Cork City Suburbs, Dublin City Centre, Dublin City North, Dublin City South, Galway City Centre, Galway City suburbs, Limerick City Centre, Limerick City suburbs, Portlaoise, Kildare (selected areas), Athlone, Sligo Town, Dundalk, Co. Leitrim, and Waterford City Centre.
This is the thirty-fifth snapshot study. It is designed to reflect the lived experience of people with access to HAP support trying to find a home to rent in this period. This study examines the availability of properties within standard and discretionary HAP limits in each of the 16 areas. This discretionary rate can be up to an additional 50% of the standard rate in Dublin, and up to an additional 35% of the standard rate elsewhere. The four household categories examined are as follows:
- Single person
- Couple
- Couple/One Parent and One Child
- Couple/One Parent and Two Children
Main Findings:
- The report found just 33 properties available within standard or discretionary HAP limits across the 16 study areas.
- This represents just 3% of the total properties examined in the study.
- For comparison, in 2023, an average of 4% of properties were available through HAP, in 2022, the average was 8% and in 2021 the average was 28%.
- Just three properties were available through standard HAP limits. Two of these were suitable for single person/couple households, while one was suitable for families with two children.
- 25 (76%) of the 33 properties available through HAP were in Dublin. In Dublin the discretionary rate allows up to an additional 50% on the standard rate; this is limited to 35% elsewhere in the country.
- In 12 out of the 16 study areas there were no properties available to rent through HAP in any household category. These include Athlone, Cork City Centre, Cork City Suburbs, Dundalk, Galway City Suburbs, Galway City Centre, Co. Leitrim, Limerick City Suburbs, Limerick City Centre, Sligo Town, Portlaoise and Waterford City Centre.
