The Labour Party is aiming to bring forward legislation banning landlords from charging fees to view a property.

Last week the housing charity Threshold said it has had complaints from people who have been asked to pay up to €500 for a viewing.

The charity said the “bar has never been lower” for people struggling to access accommodation and called for new laws banning the “unethical money-making venture.”

Laws should be introduced to ban rental-sector viewing fees in the same way schools are now banned from charging non-refundable application fees. The charging of viewing fees is quite simply an #unethical money-making venture. @JMMcCafferty https://t.co/5vVTSDnTR1

— Threshold (@ThresholdIRE) October 13, 2018

In a statement this morning, the Labour Party housing spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan said landlords and letting agents were “taking advantage of people who find themselves at the centre of the precarious housing crisis.”

Noting that many people across the country are already being priced out of hte market by skyrocketing rents, she said Labour was bringing forward legislation to ban “this unscrupulous practice.”

“There are already many barriers and stresses for renters, we don’t need this kind of carry on to become a trend,” she said.

“It is just another example of people using the housing crisis to make a quick buck and exploit the precariousness of the housing crisis.”

Landlords & letting agencies are now asking for fees like non-refundable deposits or viewing fees. In terms of accessing #accommodation the bar has never been lower.Those dependent on #HAP or not working are automatically disadvantaged. https://t.co/WXjeORkX6D

— Threshold (@ThresholdIRE) October 12, 2018