What to do when you cant afford rent in Dublin any more? Move away?

RaspberryGuy

My landlord has ended the lease on my studio flat in Dublin after living here for 6 years. While I realised that rents in Dublin had spiralled, the reality of looking for a new home is shocking. Looking at Daft just makes me realise that living in Dublin might not be affordable for me any more, at all.

I am thinking of moving to outside Dublin, maybe a commuter town or a suburb that has good public transport links. Or maybe I ought to move to a more affordable city in Ireland. Where is a reasonable and affordable place to live in ireland in 2016? Any recommendations? All advice is welcome.

Elliott S

Do you have many links to the city? If not, there's no harm looking at other cities in Ireland.

4ensic15

RaspberryGuy wrote: »

My landlord has ended the lease on my studio flat in Dublin after living here for 6 years. While I realised that rents in Dublin had spiralled, the reality of looking for a new home is shocking. Looking at Daft just makes me realise that living in Dublin might not be affordable for me any more, at all.

I am thinking of moving to outside Dublin, maybe a commuter town or a suburb that has good public transport links. Or maybe I ought to move to a more affordable city in Ireland. Where is a reasonable and affordable place to live in ireland in 2016? Any recommendations? All advice is welcome.

It depends how far you are willing to commute. Athlone has dirt cheap rents and people commute to Dublin from there. Rents in the suburbs and inner commuting counties are high. there are also places such as Gorey which are small towns but from which people commute.

RaspberryGuy

I work from home so my network of friends in Dublin is quite important for me. I also quite like Dublin, its vibrant. Yeah, I cant imagine living in rural Ireland or anything....

kona

Sorry to hear. Is there a allowance you can get to supplement your rent?

Idbatterim

rents are outrageous, but could you not go into a house share? to me this whole thing of commuting to dublin is beyond madness, the people are probably no better off, but they are spending a stupid amount of time commuting!

You are either in a bus or train which isnt cheap or what is it costing to run a car and all associated costs up and down?!

Its a typical Irish thing, like with the motor tax, they only see the headline cost i.e. oh I can save this by renting in athlone etc, yeah so you are now living an hour away minimum, somewhere you dont want to live, joke of a commute, monday to friday, nowhere to stay in dublin, where you want to socialise at weekends...

Idbatterim

looks like this will come down to how you feel about sharing (if its even a runner) and maintaining social life v getting out of dublin and being able to afford own place...

if moving, somewhere on northside co. dublin with quick connection into dublin via port tunnel, could be handy...

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

4ensic15 wrote: »

It depends how far you are willing to commute. Athlone has dirt cheap rents and people commute to Dublin from there. Rents in the suburbs and inner commuting counties are high. there are also places such as Gorey which are small towns but from which people commute.

Athlone is definitely cheap by Dublin standards, but if you can find something worth renting that could be considered 'dirt' cheap, you might send me a link :-D

RaspberryGuy

Idbatterim wrote: »

looks like this will come down to how you feel about sharing (if its even a runner) and maintaining social life v getting out of dublin and being able to afford own place...

if moving, somewhere on northside co. dublin with quick connection into dublin via port tunnel, could be handy...

No rent supplement or anything like that. Not crazy about the idea of commuting either. It looks like sharing is the most viable option. Gah! I thought I had left that behind in my 20s!

4068ac1elhodqr

It's a wonder the whole Asian 'Micro Hotel' type thing hasn't taken off here.

If you're young free and single spend most of your time working, at the gym, out drinking/eating and perhaps away at weekends.
All you need is somewhere to relax and sleep for around 10/24hrs.

RaspberryGuy

Also been thinking about Belfast, looks way cheaper up there.

Idbatterim

I just checked, balbriggan has 1 beds for E900 and serviced by nightlink I think...

4ensic15

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »

Athlone is definitely cheap by Dublin standards, but if you can find something worth renting that could be considered 'dirt' cheap, you might send me a link :-D

http://www.daft.ie/westmeath/houses-for-rent/athlone/ballinahown-athlone-westmeath-1681039/

taylor3

RaspberryGuy wrote: »

My landlord has ended the lease on my studio flat in Dublin after living here for 6 years. While I realised that rents in Dublin had spiralled, the reality of looking for a new home is shocking. Looking at Daft just makes me realise that living in Dublin might not be affordable for me any more, at all.

I am thinking of moving to outside Dublin, maybe a commuter town or a suburb that has good public transport links. Or maybe I ought to move to a more affordable city in Ireland. Where is a reasonable and affordable place to live in ireland in 2016? Any recommendations? All advice is welcome.

I feel your pain, I am a Dub born and reared, 8 years ago hubby myself and 2 kids moved out of Dublin and down to Roscommon because we could see then that it was extremely difficult to get by in Dublin comfortably, have to say it's worked out well, kids doing really well at school, we bought a 4 bed detached house for 200 grand, have a really small mortgage so the message is life exists outside of Dublin, I appreciate the job situation can be the tricky part but so far we've done quite well, 90 mins drive and we're at Liffey Valley, it really can work out. Lots of Dubs living around here and surrounding areas.
Good Luck with whatever move you make.

Ursus Horribilis

4ensic15 wrote: »

http://www.daft.ie/westmeath/houses-for-rent/athlone/ballinahown-athlone-westmeath-1681039/

Whoever called that Athlone was being economical with the truth. That's nearer to the village of Ballinahown than to Athlone. Not that that's a bad thing if you want to live out the country. But that's not what the OP wants.

taylor3

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

That's not in Athlone. It's a few miles out the country from it on narrow winding roads.

Well aware where Athlone is in comparison to Roscommon I was just giving the other person an example of what I did as they asked for any suggestions.

James Bond Junior

Limerick city. City living, city amenities but very reasonable living costs. My mortgage is less than my friends portion of rent in his houseshare in Dublin. Just over an hour to cork, Galway, Kerry and a great base on the west coast. An international airport on your doorstep.The city is really booming in the past 6 months too. I love it here.

Ursus Horribilis

taylor3 wrote: »

Well aware where Athlone is in comparison to Roscommon I was just giving the other person an example of what I did as they asked for any suggestions.

Except Ballinahown is heading towards the Offaly border

Anyway, a rural location is off the cards for the OP

RaspberryGuy wrote: »

I work from home so my network of friends in Dublin is quite important for me. I also quite like Dublin, its vibrant. Yeah, I can't imagine living in rural Ireland or anything....

taylor3

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

Except Ballinahown is heading towards the Offaly border

My mistake, misread the previous post. Yeah never heard of Ballinahowan.

Boater123

Not an answer to your question about affordability and moving, but did the LL give a reason as to why they are ending the tenancy?

When was the last rent review?

10000maniacs

If you work in the city centre, Drogheda or Laytown might be an option. Both are on the Dublin rail line. And rent is quite a lot less.

experiMental

There are some areas of Dublin where houses are more or less affordable - for example : http://www.property.ie/property-for-sale/10-Fairview-Strand-Fairview-Dublin-3/1317416/

However, would you want a house which has poor insulation, small windows and very little parking space, and in an area which was formerly rough?

Dundalk is relatively affordable : http://www.daft.ie/louth/houses-for-sale/dundalk/ . It's 100 km away from Rathmines and 90 km from O'Connell Street.

I heard a lot of people commuted from Athy to Dublin back in the day - that could be an option.

But if your aim is to live in Dublin, you will ideally have to work in occupations that can pay for the sort of lifestyle that the city provides - jobs in finance, insurance, professional services, etc.

riclad

Mullingar is a good place to live ,some nice pubs,restaurants, You can be in dublin in 60-70 minutes if you don,t go in rush hour.it has a railway station and
5-6 bus,s every day to dublin.
http://www.daft.ie/westmeath/apartments-for-rent/mullingar/apt-4-timmons-court-mullingar-westmeath-1680759/

Most areas, sky or eircom broadband is avaidable .
Rent is cheap compared with dublin.
Theres a wide range of shops and a large shopping centre .
Cost of living there is low .

RaspberryGuy

Boater123 wrote: »

Not an answer to your question about affordability and moving, but did the LL give a reason as to why they are ending the tenancy?

When was the last rent review?

He wants to do up the place, at least that he says. Once a few months ago he snorted that rents had increased massively in Dublin and that he ought to be getting double what I pay every month for the place.
I get the feeling he's just gonna rent the flat out for a massive amount once I'm gone.
Last rent review was two years ago.

I don't think his reason us sufficient for you to lose your home. If not selling or himself or family moving in than he can't terminate the tenancy.

Somewhere like Sallins or Maynooth appeal at all?

RaspberryGuy

Augeo wrote: »

I don't think his reason us sufficient for you to lose your home. If not selling or himself or family moving in than he can't terminate the tenancy.

Somewhere like Sallins or Maynooth appeal at all?

Yeah, I'm wondering what my rights are. I will probably ring Threshold in the morning to see where I stand. Maynooth could be good yeah, I've heard its a really quick journey into Dublin from there too.

Mrs OBumble

RaspberryGuy wrote: »

I work from home so my network of friends in Dublin is quite important for me. I also quite like Dublin, its vibrant. Yeah, I cant imagine living in rural Ireland or anything....

There are friendly people in towns all over Ireland.

If your current job doesn't make enough to live on in Dublin, then your options are to get a better job or to move somewhere cheaper.

Tigger

RaspberryGuy wrote: »

He wants to do up the place, at least that he says. Once a few months ago he snorted that rents had increased massively in Dublin and that he ought to be getting double what I pay every month for the place.
I get the feeling he's just gonna rent the flat out for a massive amount once I'm gone.
Last rent review was two years ago.

He's entitled to increase to market re tvif the last review was two year ago
He's not entitled to put you out tho

Nomis21

OP you are half way through your second part 4 tenancy. You have rights.

RaspberryGuy

Nomis21 wrote: »

OP you are half way through your second part 4 tenancy. You have rights.

What exactly do you mean by this?

Chuchote

Would you think of sharing a house? Often cheaper than renting a flat for one.

The rents are going to keep soaring until the councils start building; since most of the Dail are landlords, there's little incentive for the councils to be funded to build. Until the kind of politics that the Housing Action Group brought into action in the 1960s reappear, there'll be nothing. Latest news is the ludicrous plan for landlords, the absolute craythurs, to get tax relief in the Budget!

If you want to move outside Dublin, I'd suggest Gorey. About an hour to Dun Laoghaire on the motorway - at least, if you don't work 9-to-5 and can stagger the hours of your journeys.

Chuchote

Chuchote wrote: »

.............. Latest news is the ludicrous plan for landlords, the absolute craythurs, to get tax relief in the Budget!.............

Many landlords don't make anything from their rental properties short term.

I did rough calculations in another topic on here before, buy a property for €125K borrowing €100k, rent it out for €1400/month and it pays for itself over the life of the mortgage if nothing goes wrong.

there's huge demand now for rental proporties so rents are high. In the recession when demand was low and rents were low did you come out with the craythurs speel, probably not but anyway, such is life. Take the rough with the smooth.

Danny2580

Maynooth is a great spot. Vibrant, restaurants to rival any town & decent bars. 30 mins to Connolly on express train, 50mins Dublin Bus. Not quite as expensive as Dublin, difficult to find a place initially but an enjoyable place to live once you do.

Ms Doubtfire1

RaspberryGuy wrote: »

What exactly do you mean by this?

Look up part 4 tenancy. you enjoy security of tenancy once you are 6 month + 1 day into your tenancy.it runs in cycles of 4 years. After those 6 months he can only terminate under very specific circumstances and he has to prove those. Get on to the tenancy board now.:mad:

pc7

RaspberryGuy wrote: »

He wants to do up the place, at least that he says. .

With Part4 tenancy he can use refurbishment as a reason, but he also needs to offer it back to tenant firstly.
http://www.threshold.ie/advice/ending-a-tenancy/how-your-landlord-may-end-your-tenancy/
Substantial Refurbishment or RennovationYour landlord can give notice if vacant possession is required for the substantial refurbishment or rennovation of the dwelling. The notice must contain or be accompanied by a written statement specifying the nature of the work and if planning permission is required this must be included. Where no planning permission is required it should identify the contractor where relevant, the nature of the work and the proposed duration of the intended works. The statement must also inform you that should the property become available to rent again within 6 months then, providing you keep the landlord updated with your contact details you are offered the tenancy back.


If you are currently in year 2 of 3 (2nd part four - they run in 4 year cycles he needs to give yo 56 days notice) see here http://www.threshold.ie/advice/ending-a-tenancy/ending-your-tenancy/

Boater123

RaspberryGuy wrote: »

He wants to do up the place, at least that he says. Once a few months ago he snorted that rents had increased massively in Dublin and that he ought to be getting double what I pay every month for the place.
I get the feeling he's just gonna rent the flat out for a massive amount once I'm gone.
Last rent review was two years ago.

You are in the middle of a part 4 tenancy, with certain rights.

If the LL is going to do a quick paint job, then that is not reason enough to end the tenancy. If its more than that such as structural, they can ask you to move but basically must offer it back to you at the original terms. It's an illegal eviction otherwise.

The rent last being reviewed two years ago may work against you, but again the LL has to follow the law with correct procedures, notices, etc.

I am putting this simply and there is more to than what I just said, but its worth you researching this properly. With a bit of knowing your rights and negotiation with the LL, you may be able to stay where you are but at a higher rent which can be no more than fair market rent.

You may possibly negotiate the rent down. If I had a decent no trouble tenant that had been there for 6 years and wanted to stay longer I would be happy to take a lower than market rent.

WEST

Chuchote wrote: »

Latest news is the ludicrous plan for landlords, the absolute craythurs, to get tax relief in the Budget!

To give a landlords point of view although I rent too. I bought a 3 bed apartment in Dublin which I had to move out of when I started my family. I’m rent it now for €1400 and my mortgage is €970 (thank god for the tracker). Annual rental income is €17400 and the annual mortgage payment is €11640. Happy days you would think but I pay 52% tax on the annual rental income which comes to annual tax bill of €9048. Now I can knock expenses off the tax bill and get it down to approx €6000.

This leaves me with €17400 - €6000 = €11400. This just about covers the mortgage payment, however I pay the annual management fee of €1750, insurance of €480 and other minor expenses. In total the apartment is costing me about €200 a month. Plus I’m renting a house and I have to pay that rent every month so my monthly disposable income is just enough to get by, forget about a saving.

My tenants are good so I have not increased in rent even though they are renting for just over two years. If I got bad tenants and they decided not to pay I think I would be ruined financially since it would take months to evict them. “Landlords” like me are walking on thin ice and it is not a nice place to be. My issue is cash flow, if I could break even I’m happy to keep the rent the same. But with the high taxes to pay I will have to raise the rent in the near future. I just hope my tenants don’t move out when I do.

Sleepy

So, you're getting to buy a 3 bed apartment in Dublin for about €200 a month? Wouldn't mind not being able to do that myself, certainly seems a better pension plan than most of us have. Where this notion that rent should cover the cost of a mortgage an all the expenses of renting comes from I'll never know...

I would agree with you on the issue of bad tenants, landlords really do need more protection in that regard.

Stealthfins

The Wild Atlantic Way is your best option.
There's plenty of nice people from Dublin living in nice farm houses and apartments along the coast of South Galway right down to the Shannon estuary.
The roads aren't congested and I'd prefer the smell of cow **** seaweed and hedge rows rather than city streets and fumes.
From Kinvara to Carrigaholt,you'll find something.

A friend of mine rents his 3 bed apartment in Dublin and has a 3 bed cottage in Kinvara for half the price and money left over.

You'd live quite comfortably there.

Ennistymon and Ennis are nice areas too to make a start.

I left the urban lifestyle in 03 bought a house in a village in Clare and haven't looked back since.

ThisRegard

Sleepy wrote: »

Where this notion that rent should cover the cost of a mortgage an all the expenses of renting comes from I'll never know...

Why the hell would a landlord rent out a home and not expect the rent to cover any mortgage on it(unless it's the only option) ? They're not a charity that supplement a tennant, hey, would you like to live in this house but can't afford it, don't worry, I'll make up the difference for you.

OP you have the massive advantage of working from home which many people would nearly kill for. You aren't tied to Dublin for work and don't need to commute I think you would be mad not to move out of Dublin to pay way less rent or even buy. Just move somewhere with a motorway etc to dublin and you will be there in no time for meeting friends etc at weekends. Paying massive rent or having to houseshare just to live in Dublin when you don't have to would be a bit mad imo.

Also it's true that you have rights like others are pointing out but the LL can increase the rent to market value so if you want to stay you will probably have to pay similar rent to what you are seeing in ads on daft.

54and56

RaspberryGuy wrote: »

I work from home so my network of friends in Dublin is quite important for me. I also quite like Dublin, its vibrant. Yeah, I cant imagine living in rural Ireland or anything....

Seriously, if you work from home why not make home somewhere where you get great value for money? This five bed detached house overlooking Lough Ree in Ballykeeran which is only a 5 minute drive from Athlone town is only €850 a month - http://www.daft.ie/westmeath/houses-for-rent/ballykeeran/ballykeeran-ballykeeran-westmeath-1680240/

Rent the house, put a couple of the rooms up on AirBnB, be a good host, produce a nice fry up each morning anf not only will the house pay for itself (people fishing the lake, golfers, hill walkers etc) but you'll create a whole new set of friends.

If I was footloose and fancy free working from home I'd be all over something like that.

Sleepy

Sleepy wrote: »

So, you're getting to buy a 3 bed apartment in Dublin for about €200 a month? Wouldn't mind not being able to do that myself, certainly seems a better pension plan than most of us have. .............

So there's an element of begrudgery essentially?

If he didn't have a tracker (many landlords don't) than his costs would be over €500/€600 a month, would you fancy that situation yourself?
You've also forgotten the deposit etc and the owing a large sum of money element. It's not like putting €200/month in the post office and receiving a €300/€400k property 30 years later.

If you find being a landlord so appealing why not dip your toes yourself............ oh wait.... bla bla bla

Sleepy

Sleepy wrote: »

Where this notion that rent should cover the cost of a mortgage an all the expenses of renting comes from I'll never know...

You cannot be serious with this comment? Letting property is a business which should be making money. Not only should it be breaking even the aim should be to be clearing profit after mortgage and all expenses are paid, that would certainly how I'd be looking to have it were I getting into the business of letting a place.

jsd1004

James Bond Junior wrote: »

Limerick city. City living, city amenities but very reasonable living costs. My mortgage is less than my friends portion of rent in his houseshare in Dublin. Just over an hour to cork, Galway, Kerry and a great base on the west coast. An international airport on your doorstep.The city is really booming in the past 6 months too. I love it here.

Limerick has boomed in the last few years. With Uber etc based in the city and lots more companies queuing to get in things are getting a bit mad here as well. There is 17 properties to rent in the whole of Limerick city!

Estrellita

It's like people are scared to leave Dublin. You have to question what it's really done for you, bar cost you high rent and small accommodation. If you are able to work from home, you can live within other cities or commuting distance of them. Dublin isn't the only place with bars, restaurants, cinemas and shops.

You have some flexibility due to being able to work from home. The isle is your oyster..

Chuchote

Estrellita wrote: »

It's like people are scared to leave Dublin. You have to question what it's really done for you, bar cost you high rent and small accommodation. If you are able to work from home, you can live within other cities or commuting distance of them. Dublin isn't the only place with bars, restaurants, cinemas and shops.

You have some flexibility due to being able to work from home. The isle is your oyster..

True…ish. When you're young and fit, fine. But the old who moved out in the 1970s are moving back, as they discover that when you get an aneurism in Shillelagh at midnight on a bank holiday you're in big trouble with no hospital within reach.

borderlinemeath

Sleepy wrote: »

So, you're getting to buy a 3 bed apartment in Dublin for about €200 a month? Wouldn't mind not being able to do that myself, certainly seems a better pension plan than most of us have. Where this notion that rent should cover the cost of a mortgage an all the expenses of renting comes from I'll never know...

I would agree with you on the issue of bad tenants, landlords really do need more protection in that regard.

Only €200 a month for a lovely investment at the end of the mortgage right?

Wrong.

What about the initial deposit? Tens of thousands at least.

What about the risk? Tenants can overhold, refuse to pay rent that can run into the tens, perhaps even hundreds of thousands, and cause thousands of euro worth of damage during the tenancy. Not to mention the stress in dealing with a delinquent tenant and a not fit for purpose RTB.

You're banking on appreciation in the market. What if the landlord needs to sell during a recession? We're just out of one, who knows what state the market will be in when the landlord needs to sell for whatever reason. CGT could increase too. So for all the years of stress and paying €200 (minimum) to keep the mortgage going the landlord may only end up with a very small pension out of it.

Ursus Horribilis

Chuchote wrote: »

True…ish. When you're young and fit, fine. But the old who moved out in the 1970s are moving back, as they discover that when you get an aneurism in Shillelagh at midnight on a bank holiday you're in big trouble with no hospital within reach.

It depends where you move. I live in a large town which has a hospital, shops within walking distance, easy access to a motorway. And I was able to afford to buy a house on my own, something that was never going to happen in Dublin if I'd stayed.

Fian

Sleepy wrote: »

So, you're getting to buy a 3 bed apartment in Dublin for about €200 a month? Wouldn't mind not being able to do that myself, certainly seems a better pension plan than most of us have. Where this notion that rent should cover the cost of a mortgage an all the expenses of renting comes from I'll never know...

I would agree with you on the issue of bad tenants, landlords really do need more protection in that regard.

I have two rental properties. Both bought in 2014, so not at the the boom prices, but not at the trough of the market either. Mortgage of around 60% LTV, I had a lump sum of cash to invest.

Rent on each property is sufficient to cover mortgage payments, but obviously is not enough after tax and expenses are taken into consideration.

I absolutely agree with you - I wouldn't expect the rent to cover the mortgage principal repayments. In 20 years time the mortgage will be repaid and I will still have the assets (or I will have sold and cleared the mortgage in the meantime.) In the meantime I am "saving" every month by contributing some of my salary towards the mortgages on the properties.

I never expected, even at around 60% LTV, that the rent would be sufficient to pay off the mortgage, (including principal payments), tax, management fees, expenses.

I do expect that it would pay the mortgage interest, tax, management fees etc.

And it does, with a margin left over.

karenalot

Below is taken from Threshold. Your rights for when the landlord wants to renovate. However as others have said if your rent was last reviewed 2 years ago then there is nothing stopping the landlord increasing to the current market rate.

Substantial Refurbishment or Renovation

"Your landlord can give notice if vacant possession is required for the substantial refurbishment or renovation of the dwelling. The notice must contain or be accompanied by a written statement specifying the nature of the work and if planning permission is required this must be included. Where no planning permission is required it should identify the contractor where relevant, the nature of the work and the proposed duration of the intended works. The statement must also inform you that should the property become available to rent again within 6 months then, providing you keep the landlord updated with your contact details you are offered the tenancy back."