Twenty thousand euro in deposits are being withheld from 40 students in north Dublin.
The Irish Independent reports they were told about a 40 percent rent hike at Hazelwood in Santry at the beginning of August - which led to them moving out.
The students were told their 500 deposits would be returned in September - however, they are still waiting.
The management company says it's due to the apartments "being left in a bad state", and will return the deposit next week.
"There was a law passed in 2015, by the Labour Party when we were in Government," said local councillor Joanna Tuffy who wants more protection brought in for renters. "It would establish a rent deposit protection scheme.
"Basically, landlords would lodge rent deposits with the private rental tenancies board. And unfortunately, three years later that law still hasn't been implemented.
"That would be an obvious way to protect tenants with their rent deposits."
