Changes to the rules for renting from March 2026

The Government has announced changes to rental law in Ireland. These changes will update rules for the private rented sector about:

• Rent increases
• Security of tenure – a tenant’s right to stay in rented accommodation for a set amount of time
• Ending a tenancy

These new rules will apply to new tenancies created after 28 February 2026. The rules need new legislation to bring them in.

Tenancies created before this date will not be affected.

The new rules will apply to new tenancies created on or after 1 March 2026 in:

• Private rented housing – including tenancies supported by the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) or Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS)
• Student-specific accommodation
• Approved housing body (AHB) housing
• Cost rental housing

However, the rent increase rules will not apply to AHB or cost rental housing.

Types of tenancies the new rules will not apply to

The new rules will not apply to tenancies created before 1 March 2026.

They will also not apply to:

• Local authority tenancies
• Tenants who share accommodation with their landlord, for example, renting a room in a landlord’s home

As before, rent increases for all tenancies will be capped in line with the rate of general inflation or 2% a year, whichever is lower.

This will apply nationwide. It will no longer depend on whether your rented property is in a Rent Pressure Zone or not.

So, for example, if a landlord reviews the rent every year and the rate of general inflation is 1.5%, then the rent can only be increased by a maximum of 1.5%.

However, if the rate of general inflation is 3%, the rent can only be increased by a maximum of 2%.

Situations where the 2% cap will not apply

From 1 March 2026, the 2% cap on annual rent increases will not apply to new developments of:

• Newly built apartments
• Student-specific accommodation

To qualify as a new development, the development must have a commencement notice with the planning authority after 9 June 2025.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) will be used for the inflation rate. The CPI is the official measure of inflation. It tracks how cost-of-living changes over time.

When can a landlord re-set the rent?

Landlords will be able to review the rent each year, and any increase to rent must be within the limits for rent increases.

They will also be able to re-set the rent to market value, if the previous rent was below market value and one of the following happens:

• The tenant leaves the tenancy voluntarily
• The tenant breaks their obligations
• The home no longer meets the tenant's needs, for example, because it is too small
• The 6-year tenancy of minimum duration ends

Protections against 'no-fault evictions'

Landlords will not be allowed to re-set the rent after a ‘no fault eviction’. A ‘no fault eviction’ is when a landlord ends a tenancy even though the tenant hasn’t done anything wrong. This is to prevent landlords evicting a tenant so they can increase the rent.

From 1 March 2026, all new tenancies will become tenancies of minimum duration (TMD). A tenancy of minimum duration will last for 6 years. It will then be renewed for another 6 years and will continue for 6-year cycles.

If a tenancy is created on or after 1 March 2026, it will automatically become a TMD when a tenant has rented the accommodation for 6 months without getting a valid notice of termination.

Learn more about security of tenure and how it applies to tenancies created before 1 March 2026.

If a tenancy is created on or after 1 March 2026, a landlord can only end a tenancy for certain reasons. These reasons will depend on:

• If the landlord is a 'larger landlord' or a 'smaller landlord'
• How long the tenant has been living there (after 6 years, smaller landlords will be able to end a tenancy for more reasons)

Is my landlord a smaller or larger landlord?

This depends on how many tenancies your landlord has.

• A larger landlord has 4 or more tenancies.
• A smaller landlord has 3 or fewer tenancies.

If a landlord has a property which contains 4 or more tenancies, they will be considered a larger landlord.

Rules for larger landlords

Larger landlords will only be able to end a tenancy of minimum duration (TMD) if:

• The tenants are not meeting their obligations, such as paying rent
• The property is no longer suitable, for example, the property is now too small for a family or is not accessible

Larger landlords will no longer be able to end a tenancy because they want to:

• Sell the property (though they can still sell it once the tenants remain living there)
• Move in themselves
• Move in a family member
• Renovate the property
• Change the use of the property

Rules for smaller landlords

Smaller landlords will only be able to end the tenancy during the 6-year period of a TMD if:

• The tenant is not meeting their obligations, such as paying the rent
• The property is no longer suitable for the tenant, for example, the property is now too small for a family or is not accessible
• The landlord is experiencing hardship, for example, because of a separation, homelessness, bankruptcy or after returning to Ireland from abroad
• The landlord needs the property for themselves or an immediate family member to live in, for example, their parent, child or spouse

After the 6-year period, small landlords will also be able to end a tenancy for these other reasons:

• They intend to sell the property
• They are substantially refurbishing or renovating the property
• They need the property for themselves or a family member to use
• They are changing the use of the property

If a tenant wants to end the tenancy

Tenants will not be tied to a 6-year contract. Tenants can end their tenancy at any time by giving their landlord:

• A written notice of termination
• The right amount of notice

The rules about security of tenure and ending a tenancy have changed several times.

Different rules apply depending on when you start your tenancy. This table sets out information about these changes for tenants:

Legislation is needed to bring in these changes. This legislation is currently being drafted, and this page will be updated when it is published.

In the meantime, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has published:

• Information about the key changes for new tenancies from 1 March 2026
• A Q&A on rental market reforms
• Scenarios for tenants and landlords
• Press release on Government reforms to the rental sector