Residential Rent Appreciation in Ireland Slows to 6-Year Low

According to Daft.ie, Ireland rents rose by an average of 6.7% nationwide, in the year to June 2019. This marks the lowest rate of rental inflation across the country since the final quarter of 2013. At €1,391, the average monthly rent nationwide during the second quarter of 2019 nonetheless marks the thirteenth consecutive quarter of record rents. The average listed rent is now €361 per month higher than the previous peak in 2008 and almost €650 higher than the low seen in late 2011.

The slowdown in rental inflation is driven by Dublin, where annual inflation has fallen from a high of 13.4% in mid-2018 to 4.5% now. There has been a cooling off in inflation in the other major cities, also, although the level of inflation is still higher than in Dublin. In Cork, rents are 7.9% higher than a year ago, while in Galway city, rents are 9.1% higher. In Limerick, rents have increased by 10.5% in a year, similar to the increase seen in Waterford city (10%). Outside the major cities, rental inflation varies from 6.2% in Leinster to close to 12% in both Munster and Connacht-Ulster.

Commenting on the report, Ronan Lyons, economist at Trinity College Dublin and author of the Daft Report said, "The slowdown in rental inflation will be welcome news to tenants and policymakers, among others. It is more likely driven by limits to affordability than improved supply, however. Availability on the rental market remains at levels that were unprecedented prior to 2015. For example, in the Dublin market, there were just 1,541 properties available to rent on August 1st. While that's up from 1,121 two years ago, it's well below the average of 4,700 for the preceding decade."

"Building new rental supply remains critical to fixing the rental market," Lyons continued. "New figures in this report suggest that up to 25,000 new rental homes will be built over the coming few years. These will certainly help address the supply-demand imbalance. Stopping further inflation should be just the first target for policymakers, however. Bringing rents down to affordable levels must remain the ultimate goal."

Average rents, and year-on-year change, Q2 2019

• Dublin: €2,023, up 4.5%
• Cork: €1,366, up 7.9%
• Galway: €1,297, up 9.1%
• Limerick: €1,225, up 10.5%
• Waterford: €1,013, up 10.0%
• Rest of the country: €993, up 9.2%

Commenting on the report, Raychel O'Connell, Communications Manager of Daft.ie said, "Students, young professionals and families alike continue to have great difficulty in securing rental accommodation nationwide. For the 13th quarter in a row we have seen unprecedented high rents across the country. With rents at a record high and availability at a record low it is clear that supply is needed more than ever in the Irish property market."