A Leitrim auctioneer believes the huge number of property owners leaving the rental market is a factor in driving up prices.
A new report from property website daft.ie shows rents across the country have reached record levels with the average cost for renting a property at around €1,000.
The average market rent nationwide between July and September was €1,698 per month, 120 percent above the low of €765 per month seen in late 2011.
Longford, Leitrim and Roscommon have all recorded over a 20% rent rise in the past year, all three Shannonside counties saw the largest increases nationwide.
Gordon Hughes believes that it is now cheaper for people to look to buy a property than rent long term - but he feels that it's not worth the while for many landlords to stay renting.
