The latest Rental Report from Daft.ie reveals a concerning trend for Roscommon residents, as market rents surged by an average of 8% year-on-year in the final quarter of 2024. This increase brings the average rent to €1,361 per month, marking a staggering 91% rise since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While national rents rose by 5.7%, Roscommon’s figures demonstrate that local market dynamics are significantly impacting renters in the region.
The shortage of available rental properties is particularly alarming, with fewer than 200 homes listed in Roscommon, reflecting a broader trend seen throughout Connacht. As the number of homes on the market has dwindled, competition for rentals has intensified, leaving many families facing the burden of rising costs amid stagnating wages.
Ronan Lyons, an economist at Trinity College Dublin, emphasises that a severe shortage of rental housing is driving prices up across the country: “As the rental crisis enters its second decade, significant reform is needed to rent controls both to avoid a situation where the pressure in the market falls disproportionately on some renters and, more importantly, to ensure that new supply comes on stream over the coming years. Rising rents are a signal of a shortage of rental housing. The ultimate solution to that shortage is to ensure new rental housing is built. This must be central to housing policy for the new government.”
