The motion, which aimed to make rights for private renters more robust, was brought by Alliance and debated at the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council meeting on Monday (24 March).

Cllr Lavery has said: "There are over 38,000 individuals in the borough who rely on the private rented sector for their housing needs. In the final quarter of 2024, average rents in the area were the equivalent of 28% of average incomes, and 41% of incomes for the lowest earners.

"Given these pressing difficulties, it was extremely disappointing that the DUP and Sinn Féin teamed up to dilute the motion. We saw the removal of both a minimum requirement for social and affordable housing in new housing developments in the upcoming Local Development Plan, and a call for a ban on no fault evictions.

“This was particularly surprising with the latter being a policy that Sinn Féin's own Housing spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin TD, in the south has advocated for, and their Stormont team in the north voted in favour of when the Assembly debated Alliance’s New Deal for Renters last month.

"However, Alliance remains undeterred and we will redouble our efforts to transform the private rented sector, taking it from being one in which a tenant has to choose between a roof over their head or dinner on their table, to one that serves the best interests of both tenants and landlords."