As the ongoing saga of the nation’s housing woes persists, it has been revealed that private residential rental accommodation prices in County Westmeath continue to increase.
Results from the latest Daft.ie rental report show that there has been a 13.1 percent rise in rental charge in the past year with the average cost of renting a property in the county now €891.
Locally, the Daft.ie website lists just 18 private residential properties available for rent in Athlone, highlighting the scarcity of rental accommodation availability in the ever expanding and developing midlands town, with the majority of properties seeking in excess of €1000 per month in rent.
The website also details seven further private residential properties available for rent in Moate and Mount Temple, with a four bedroom family home in the Loch Luatha housing development in the latter area costing €1600 per month in rent.
This monetary increase is part of a trend in Leinster with the majority of counties in the province experiencing double digit percentage rises.
To rent a one bed apartment in Westmeath will cost on average €636 (a 14.4 percent increase ), while a three bedroom house will set you back an average of €867 - an rise of 10.7 percent on the relevant 2017 figure.
The €1000 average monthly rent is exceeded should there be the need to rent a five bedroom house within the county, with the average cost being €1047 - an increase of 17.7 percent.
In general, rents increased by 3.3 percent in the second quarter of 2018, marking six consecutive years of rising rents.
The average rent nationwide now stands at €1304 reflecting a 12.4 percent increase nationally in the past year.
