Seminar: Rent Regulation, Stabilisation and Control in Europe

International Social Housing Festival – Dublin, June 4, 2025
Organised by the International Union of Tenants (IUT).

As part of the 2025 International Social Housing Festival in Dublin, the International Union of Tenants (IUT), organised a seminar on “Rent Regulations, Rent Stabilisation and Rent Control in Europe.” The session took place on June 4, from 15:15 to 16:45 at the Convention Centre Dublin, Wicklow Hall 1.

The event was coordinated by Emiliano Rocchetti (IUT), Barbara Steenbergen (Head of IUT EU Liaison Office), and Dr. Laura Colini, who also moderated the discussion. Dr. Colini opened the seminar by framing the current state of housing as part of a broader “polycrisis,” where deregulation trends since the 1970s have contributed to today’s affordability challenges. She called for renewed attention to rent controls as key instruments for tenant protection and housing justice, while emphasising the need for multi-scalar strategies.

The seminar featured four key speakers, each presenting national experiences and reflecting on both the policy and political dimensions of rent regulation:

• Rory Hearne, TD for the Social Democrats (Ireland), outlined Ireland’s complex rent landscape, including loopholes in the current cap system and the increasing financialization of the private rental sector.
• Mar Jiménez, Commissioner for European Affairs at Barcelona City Council, highlighted Barcelona’s strategy around rent pressure zones and its efforts to connect housing policy with EU cohesion funding and broader urban equity agendas.
• Zeno Winkels, Director of the Dutch Tenants’ Union, discussed the Dutch rent control system and the Good Landlordship Act, which strengthens protections for tenants and addresses issues of exploitation in the rental market.
• Lenka Veselá, Chairwoman of the Czech Tenants’ Association (SON), presented the Czech Republic’s legal tools and tenant advocacy, suggesting the country could serve as a model for rent control reforms in Eastern Europe.

The seminar concluded with reflections from Barbara Steenbergen, who underscored the IUT’s continued commitment to advocating for stronger rent regulation across Europe, stressing that tenant protection must remain a cornerstone of housing policy at both national and EU levels.

Key insights from the seminar included:

• Rent controls remain essential tools for addressing rising inequality and unaffordability.
• Effective regulation requires action across multiple governance levels – from local to European.
• New models are emerging in cities and countries that can inform broader reforms.
• Legal, financial, and social frameworks must evolve to support stronger tenant protections in the face of increasing market pressures.

Dutch rent control system: Ireland's private rental crisis: La Política de Vivienda de Barcelona: Rental housing in the Czech Republic: