Housing and homeless charities have given a broad welcome to the government's package of reforms for the rental sector.

Among the measures is a two year rent freeze for tenants whose rent rose in 2015.

Developers who build affordable homes in Dublin and Cork will have their Council reimbursed.

And landlords will get tax incentives to rent to those on social housing supports.

However, the Residential Landlords Association has criticised the package, describing it as "a bureaucratic nightmare".

The Environment Minister Alan Kelly today announced a series of reforms to the private rental sector to provide rent certainty for tenants and landlords.

The measures include increasing the rent review period from one to two years - meaning anybody who faced a rent increase in 2015 will now not have a rent review until 2017.

Alan Kelly says measures introduced will go a long way to stop families becoming homeless @NewstalkFM pic.twitter.com/mL6r43KVlT

— Sean Defoe (@SeanDefoe) November 10, 2015

The Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill will also provide for the creation of a deposit protection scheme.

It will mean deposits are lodged with the PRTB, as opposed to the landlord, with consent of both parties required to draw it down on completion of a tenancy.

The measures will also oblige landlords to provide more evidence that rent increases are in line with the local market rate, and will legally oblige them to inform tenants of their rights.

The compromise deal was reached after constructive discussions between Environment Minister Alan Kelly and the Finance Minister Michael Noonan.

A number of actions will also come into force from January of next year.

These include:

• Enhanced supply of more affordable starter homes in key locations through a targeted rebate of development contributions in Dublin and Cork for housing supplied under certain price levels
• New National Apartment Planning Guidelines to be issued by the environment minister to reduce the cost of apartment building in Dublin City by approximately €20,000 per unit
• Changes to aspects of the operation of Strategic Development Zones, to enable swifter adjustments to meet market requirements
• The Governments Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) to examine funding for housing infrastructure on a case-by-case basis

These measures will combine with previous announcements - including the introduction of a vacant site levy and 20,000 starter homes for the greater Dublin area to be funded by NAMA.

The plan also says the national apartment planning guidelines will improve consistency in the approach to future apartment developments, and will enhance supply and affordability by bringing down costs.

The national housing charity Threshold has welcomed the measures - calling them "a vindication of Threshold's advocacy work on behalf of the most vulnerable tenants".