Hundreds queue for hours to view just one rental property
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Serving as more evidence of the worsening housing crisis in Ireland, hundreds of people were filmed queueing to view just one rental property. Check it out:
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Although it might look like the entrance for an exclusive club, the clip actually demonstrates just how severe the lack of housing in Dublin has become.
Twitter user Conor Finn initially uploaded a photo of the queue, saying that more than 100 people turned up hoping to rent the home.
In the post shared yesterday (16 August), he wrote: "This is what a house viewing now consists of in Dublin.
"Over 100 people waiting in line for a rental property."
As the sun began to set, still more people were turning up in droves, as demonstrated by Conor's footage.
"An hour later and I’ve left the queue after no real movement or chance of viewing the house tonight," he added.
"People were still joining the end of queue as I left."
The posts have since gone viral, with dozens of people expressing their shock at the devastating circumstances.
"That's so awful for all those people," wrote one. "I hope you find somewhere suitable soon."
Another said: "What is the idea of number 115 in the queue? 'I hope no one takes it before me.'??
"Even if they draw lots, I think you have a better chance just going down the street knocking on people's doors asking if you can have their house."
A third added: "That’s someone being greedy and hoping as they go down the line the offers for rent above the asking price will increase. Awful way to do a viewing."
Ireland's housing crisis has continued to decline, with a housing campaigner recently describing it as the 'longest and most severe' the country has ever seen.
Peter McVerry, who has worked in homelessness services for over 40 years, told the Irish Mirror in June: "How can we bring down the cost of rents?
"My proposal, which will never be accepted, is to reduce rents across the board by 25%, reduce the tax that landlords pay on their rental income by 50%.
"That's a win-win for renters and landlords."
Peter is calling on the government to step in and implement the 1973 Kenny report, which looks at controlling the price of building land.
"We need to get (the right to housing) into the constitution," he continued.
"We need to move fast because in December Fine Gael take over the Taoiseach's office and Fine Gael have always been opposed to the right to housing in the constitution.
"So unless there's considerable movement between now and December, my fear is the right to housing will go on the back boiler.
"The governments' mantra is supply is the solution. That's only half true. The solution is affordable supply."
