Landlords and tenants

Sir, – My 23-year-old brother has rented an apartment in Dublin over the past two years. His contract was due to be renewed when the landlord informed him that the rent was going to be increased by €250 per month “in line with changes in the market”. Have we learned nothing about controlling a volatile property sector?

In France and other EU countries there are strict limits on increases in rent for existing tenants precisely to prevent this market taking on a mind of its own.

Our precariously perched economy can only take so many hits and it doesn’t help that regulatory bodies have once again seemingly excused themselves from responsibility. – Yours, etc,

PEADAR KING,

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McDara Road,

Shantalla,

Galway.