Attitudes to the private rented
sector in Ireland: Landlord and
tenant survey results
ENHR, London March 2015
David Duffy, ESRI
Outline
• Backdrop to survey
• Landlord survey
• Tenant survey
Context
• Surveys undertaken May/June 2014
– Part of major study
• Rising rents
• Calls for rent controls
• Concerns about supply, evictions,
homelessness
• BTL mortgage arrears
Red C Surveys of landlords, tenants and estate agents
• Methodology
 LANDLORDS: Telephone survey, sample of 400, fieldwork between 4-21st
May
 Respondents sourced using database of registered landlords (PRTB); using
RED C CATI centre (Dundalk), landlords were called on the phone number
provided;
 TENANTS: Online survey, sample of 500, Fieldwork between 13-19th May
 Respondents sourced using the RED C Live panel of 30,000 respondents;
an email sent to those who matched the criteria of being private renters,
and completed the survey online
 ESTATE AGENTS: Telephone survey, sample of 100, Fieldwork between
19-26th May
 Respondents sourced using a combination of daft.ie and myhome.ie; using
RED C CATI centre(Dundalk), estate agent offices were called during office
hours, interview was conducted with the most senior member of staff in
the office at that time.
Census 2011: Profile 4 “The Roof over our
Heads”
• Number of households increase by 187,112
since Census 2006
• Number of households renting increase by
152,000
• Homeownership rate falls from 74.7% to
69.7%
% households in the PRS (1946-2011)
45
40
35
30
%
25
20
15
10
5
0
1946
1951
1961
1971
1981
1991
2002
2006
2011
PRTB Rent Index shows rental growth
120
Q3 2007=100
National
100
80
60
Dublin
Outside Dublin
Prices and Rents
100.0
80.0
60.0
40.0
20.0
0.0
Q3 Q1 Q3 Q1 Q3 Q1 Q3 Q1 Q3 Q1 Q3 Q1 Q3 Q1 Q3
2007 2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
PRTB Rent Index
CSO National House Price Index
LANDLORDS
Age profile of landlords
Average age of landlord respondents is 52 years
27-34 yrs
6%
65+ yrs
16%
35-44 yrs
23%
55-64 yrs
23%
45-54 yrs
32%
How many years a landlord?
Average is 9 years
Over 10 yrs
20%
5-10 yrs
46%
1 to 5 yrs
34%
How many rental properties do you own?
Over 3
properties
10%
3 properties
9%
2 properties
17%
1 property
64%
Average is 1.9 properties
Reasons for becoming a landlord
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Property a good
inv.
Additional
income
Had to move Moved in with
Bought for
(negative equity)
partner
childrens future
use
Pension/nest
egg
Inherited the
property
By accident
Other
Rental Income relative to Mortgage/
Loan Repayments
Exceeds
6%
Covers
23%
Falls short
71%
Future Plans as Landlord
Remain, buy
more properties
4%
Sell as soon as
possible
29%
Undecided
5%
Remain, no
more properties
62%
TENANTS
Age profile of tenants
Average age of landlord respondents is 33 years
55+ yrs
4%
45-54 yrs
10%
18-24 yrs
18%
35-44 yrs
23%
25-34 yrs
45%
81% of tenants share, of which...
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Partner and
children
Partner
Other adults
Friends
Living with
children
Other
Current and long term tenancy duration
Length of Time Renting Current Property
Length of Time Renting
4+ years
18%
2-4 years
26%
0-6 months
5%
0-6
months
16%
7-24
months
12%
7-24
months
40%
2-4 years
18%
4+ years
65%
Why currently renting?
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Suits
No deposit to Earnings too
Not sure
requirements
buy
low to buy where want
best
to live long
term
Convenient Too young to Only in area Can't find a Waiting to be
to work etc
buy
for limited
suitable offered social
time
property to
housing
buy
Other
For many, renting a stage on the way
to home ownership
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Suits
No deposit to Earnings too
Not sure
requirements
buy
low to buy where want
best
to live long
term
Convenient Too young to Only in area Can't find a Waiting to be
to work etc
buy
for limited
suitable offered social
time
property to
housing
buy
Other
Assessment of renting experience
Negative
12%
Neither positive
or negative
27%
Positive
61%
How satisfied with these aspects of
your rental property
Condition of the property
Security of your rental situation
How safe your property is
Your landlord
Amount of rent relative to the property
Location of property
0%
10%
Satisfied
20%
30%
Indifferent
40%
50%
Dissatisfied
60%
70%
80%
90% 100%
Do you agree with following....
Would prefer to own my own home
Not fully aware of my rights
Rent long term if possibility of agreed rent (3-4 yrs)
Rent long term if possibility of long lease (3-4 yrs)
Renting is great, don't have responsibility of owning
Renting as can't afford to buy
Happy renting, see myself renting long-term
0%
Agree
10%
20%
Neutral
30%
40%
Disagree
50%
60%
70%
80%
90% 100%
Why do over 70% want to buy?
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Prefer to
purchase
Like to
Better to
decorate/furnish own/good inv.
own home
Pass on to
children
No tenure
security renting
Want to live
alone in own
home
Why do over 70% want to buy?
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Prefer to
purchase
Like to
Better to
decorate/furnish own/good inv.
own home
Pass on to
children
No tenure
security renting
Want to live
alone in own
home
What are my rights?
• 33 per cent of tenants agree with statement
that they are not fully aware of their rights
Issue also emerged in estate agent survey
• 51 per cent of estate agents said landlords not
aware of rights, 52 per cent said not aware of
responsibilities
• 34 per cent of estate agents said tenants not
aware of rights, 69 per cent said not aware of
responsibilities
Future intentions
Intend staying in PRS for the next few years
Don't know, not
sure
20%
Yes
32%
No
48%
How do views compare?
Landlord: Govt. should incentivise supply
Tenant: Govt. should incentivise supply
Landlord: Rent increases should be regulated
Tenant: Rent increases should be regulated
Landlord: lack of supply driving rents
Tenant: lack of supply driving rents
Landlord: Accom. standards need to improve
Tenant: Accom. standards are improving
0%
20%
Agree
Neutral
40%
Disagree
60%
80%
100%
Summary
• All identify supply as an issue
• For many tenants renting is a transition to home
ownership
• Overall tenant perception of renting is positive
• Over one third of landlords are “accidental” landlords
• One third of tenants intend to stay in the sector, close
to 30% of landlords intend to leave.
• Possible policy options:
– Security of tenure
– Unfurnished accommodation