A Derry group which is against poverty in Northern Ireland has called for the introduction of a suspension on evictions and a freeze on rents across the rental sector to help with the cost-of-living.
It comes as Derry Against Fuel Poverty (DAFP) said that a member of the public got in contact with them after receiving a first-stage eviction letter from Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
The Scottish Government introduced a similar piece of legislation through their systems last month, placing a freeze on most rents until March 2023.
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The bill allows ministers in the Scottish Parliament temporary power to cap rents for private and social tenants. Evictions will only be allowed under certain circumstances.
Meanwhile, the Derry group have now launched a petition online calling for the Department for Communities to introduce a moratorium on evictions and freeze rents.
A spokesperson for DAFP, Sinead Quinn, said: "People are being driven from poverty to destitution by horrific energy bills, increasing food costs and rents being driven up by inflation with little policy intervention from Downing Street or Stormont.
"We demand that the Department for Communities introduce a moratorium on evictions in addition to freezing rents similar to measures recently introduced by the Scottish Government. This must apply across the housing sector from social housing to private rentals to student accommodation."
Ms Quinn continued: "This should apply for at least the next two years given the crisis isn't going to end for us any time soon.
"It is clear that more and more people are becoming vulnerable to poverty and destitution as a result of the cost of living/greed crisis we're currently experiencing. Let a roof over our heads be the one thing we do not have to worry about.
"The Scottish Government announced a similar measure on September 6 and we, at Derry Against Fuel Poverty, believe it would be a small first step that Stormont could implement to ensure the basic needs of our people come first at this fraught and frightening time.
"We demand that Stormont be reconvened immediately to ensure this current crisis is able to be addressed at a regional level and we call on all political parties and MLAs to publicly back our calls."
The Department for Communities has been contacted for comment.
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