The debate over rent caps is set to step up a gear.

New limits on rent increases in ‘pressure zones’ were passed late on Friday night and go before the Seanad on Wednesday.

However there has been an angry reaction to threats from landlords to increase charges on tenants as a result.

The Irish Property Owners Association says it’ll bring in a raft of new charges in response to the move.

Lorcan Sirr, a lecturer in housing studies and urban economics at DIT says that’s unlikely to happen.

“A lot of what they proposed like charging tenants a letting fee is illegal under the Residential Tenancies Act. Some of the other things wouldn’t be legal under consumer acts, a lot of what they are saying is nonsense to be honest.

“They get a lot of media attention but they don’t actually – I don’t think they represent the true picture of most landlords who are fine and decent people.”