Alliance housing spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA has called on the Communities Minister to take urgent steps to address escalating private rents across Northern Ireland, after it was reported that every council area has seen average rents increase by 51% over the past five years, adding about £335 a month to a typical property.

Armstrong said: "Year after year, rents continue to spiral out of control, placing increasing financial strain on families and individuals, driving them closer to breaking point. However, this year we are not only facing growing rents but also sky rocketing energy prices."

She continued: "The scarcity of available homes in Northern Ireland’s housing sector is the driving cause of this issue, leading to demand far exceeding supply, and Alliance has persistently urged the Communities Minister to take immediate action to tackle our escalating housing crisis." Setting out measures from her party's policy paper, she said: £Increasing housing supply will ultimately make the biggest difference to monthly rents, but there are other actions, as set out in our policy paper 'A New Deal for Renters', that the Minister can implement. Including restricting the frequency of rent increases, placing a ban on inflation-busting rent hikes during tenancies and also implementing a cap short-term holiday lets.

She warned: "Local renters are having to make impossible decisions to either cut back on food or heating, or potentially face the threat of ending up on the street, while the Minister sits back and watches.

"The case for action was clear even before war in the Middle East had such a profound effect on energy bills, but the two have now combined to make a perfect cost of living storm for those in the private rented sector. The Minister cannot spend one more day sitting on his hands while renters in NI face such a crisis."