Changes to rent controls announced - thread for clarifying

Government to introduce major reforms to the rental sector

Government announces new policy measures to boost investment in the supply of homes for rent and provide certainty to the wider residential market, while further extending protections for renters
www.gov.ie www.gov.ie

The key changes approved by the Government today include:​


  • Legislation to be introduced aimed at increasing the supply of rental accommodation and providing significant improvements to security of tenure for all new tenancies
  • Amendments to rent regulation will be introduced to promote investment and protect all tenants nationally.
  • A National system of rent control with rent increases for all tenancies to be capped by inflation (Consumer Price Index). In times of high inflation, rent increases for most tenancies will be capped at a maximum of 2%.
  • Significant improvement to tenant protections for all new tenancies (after March 1st 2026) further enhancing security of tenure for all new tenancies created after the introduction of new legislation.
  • Tenancies of unlimited duration to be enhanced by introduction of rolling-six year tenancies of minimum duration for smaller landlords (three or fewer tenancies) with restricted grounds for ending a tenancy.
  • Ending of ‘no fault evictions’ for larger landlords (four or more tenancies). Landlords with four or more tenancies will not be able to end a tenancy where the tenant has complied with their obligations except in very limited circumstances.
  • All landlords will continue to have the right to terminate a tenancy where there is a breach of tenant obligations or where the dwelling is no longer suited to the needs of the tenant household.
  • Smaller landlords (three or fewer tenancies) will only be able to terminate a tenancy during the six-year tenancy in limited circumstances:
    • Where they face hardship, which will be defined in legislation (e.g. separation/homelessness/emigrant returning from abroad/bankruptcy);
    • They require the dwelling for an immediate family member (parent/child/spouse).
  • At the end of each six-year tenancy, a smaller landlord will have the right to terminate a tenancy due to:
    • Intention to sell;
    • Renovation of the property;
    • Require property for family member
    • Change of use.
  • All Landlords who have entered into a new tenancy arrangement on or after March 1st 2026 will have the right to reset rent where the rent is below market at the end of each six-year tenancy, unless a ‘no fault eviction’ occurs. Under the Residential Tenancies Acts it will remain prohibited to set a rent above market rent.
  • All landlords will be able to sell a property with tenant in-situ at any time.
  • To incentivise new development of apartments rent increases in new developments subject to a commencement notice to planning authorities on or after today, will be capped by the Consumer Price Index.
To allow for sufficient time to develop the necessary legislation and to communicate the changes to landlords and tenants, it is proposed to introduce the new arrangements for tenancy protections from 1st March 2026.
Minister Browne intends to seek further Government approval, before the summer recess, for Heads of a Bill as a basis for the priority drafting of legislative amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act to provide for the changes announced today.
 
Pauley said:
..So if a 6 year "no fault eviction" / "security of tenure" applies to small landlords - and presuming there's no way of "contracting out" of this, that would seem to make it extremely unattractive to a small landlord who, say was going overseas to work for 2 or 3 years as they'd potentially not be able to ragain possession of their property upon their return until the 6 years is up? - i.e. Even if they had agreed a shorter period with the renter at the outset - the renter could simply change their mind and hang on through the balance of the 6 years?

Surely there'll be a better way to do this if two parties had agreed a set term at the outset - or does this new setup override any such agreement?
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It should be OK. You can still evict the tenant when you come back after 3 years away but you cannot get back to market rent as you would be availing of the no fault eviction process which I believe is moving a family member back in, selling the property etc.
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..But doesn't "security of tenure" mean no eviction under previously "acceptable" reasons like selling up or using for own/family use?
 
My understanding is (and I may be wrong in this) is that all the old rules around rent increases, evictions etc. apply to existing tenancies. The new rules only apply to tenancies created after 1 March 2026. So when an existing tenant leaves, landlords will face a choice; sell up or re-let subject to the new rules. Alternatively, if it is an existing tenancy you will still be able to evict to sell or move a family member in.
 
Brendan Burgess said:
Tenancies of unlimited duration to be enhanced by introduction of rolling-six year tenancies of minimum duration for smaller landlords (three or fewer tenancies) with restricted grounds for ending a tenancy.
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Can someone explain this to me.

At the moment, if a landlord rents out a property, it is effectively until he sells it or gets a family member into it. The length of the lease does not matter. If a landlord gives someone a 1 year lease, do they not automatically have a right of renewal?

What does the 6 year minimum duration mean?

Or is it just that the rent can be reset after 6 years?
 
Brendan Burgess said:
Smaller landlords (three or fewer tenancies) will only be able to terminate a tenancy during the six-year tenancy in limited circumstances:
  • Where they face hardship, which will be defined in legislation (e.g. separation/homelessness/emigrant returning from abroad/bankruptcy);
  • They require the dwelling for an immediate family member (parent/child/spouse).
Click to expand...

They won't be allowed to terminate the tenancy if they wish to sell the property?
 
  • Smaller landlords (three or fewer tenancies) will only be able to terminate a tenancy during the six-year tenancy in limited circumstances:
    • Where they face hardship, which will be defined in legislation (e.g. separation/homelessness/emigrant returning from abroad/bankruptcy);
    • They require the dwelling for an immediate family member (parent/child/spouse).
  • At the end of each six-year tenancy, a smaller landlord will have the right to terminate a tenancy due to:
    • Intention to sell;
    • Renovation of the property;
    • Require property for family member
    • Change of use.
Click to expand...

So I am a smaller landlord with 1 apartment rented out at below market rate, the current tenant is with me for the last 3-4 years; if I get a new tenant after 1st Mar 2026, I will be able to reset the rent to market rate (good for me) but have to sign a 6 year tenancy (fair enough, good for tenant) but I will not be able to sell the property for 6 years (assuming the new tenant wishes to stay), have I that correct? Would be bad for me!
 
Brendan Burgess said:
All Landlords who have entered into a new tenancy arrangement on or after March 1st 2026 will have the right to reset rent where the rent is below market at the end of each six-year tenancy, unless a ‘no fault eviction’ occurs.
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Which explains why people should leave their investment properties empty until after 1 March 2026
 
Brendan Burgess said:
Or is it just that the rent can be reset after 6 years?
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I think it works as follows:

1. You are a small landlord and you rent out a property on 2 March 2026
2. You can't regain possession of that property during the following 6 years unless you go bankrupt or something like that
3. At the end of the 6 year period, you can then evict the tenant to sell, majorly renovate or move a family member in
4. If you don't evict at the end of the first 6 year period a second one starts and if you want to sell you have to wait til the end of the second 6 year period and so on

This doesn't apply to large landlords at all who will be granting permanent tenancies where vacant possession can only be obtained if the tenant moves out volunarily.
 
Mammysboy said:
So I am a smaller landlord with 1 apartment rented out at below market rate, the current tenant is with me for the last 3-4 years; if I get a new tenant after 1st Mar 2026, I will be able to reset the rent to market rate (good for me) but have to sign a 6 year tenancy (fair enough, good for tenant) but I will not be able to sell the property for 6 years (assuming the new tenant wishes to stay), have I that correct? Would be bad for me!
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That is my reading of it
 
Wavelly said:
We own 4 rental properties, so I guess we will be classed as a large landlord, and so it seems as though we will be restricted with what we can do with the properties unless the tenants leave voluntarily.
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Perhaps you could own two properties and your spouse the other two properties. Transfer of assets between spouses are tax-free.

Then you are both small landlords
 
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Greenbook said:
My understanding is (and I may be wrong in this) is that all the old rules around rent increases, evictions etc. apply to existing tenancies
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Except that the option to vacate and sell is now gone. You can only sell with tenant in situ which will depress the price if you are below market rent. This is my reading
 
JoeRoberts said:
Except that the option to vacate and sell is now gone. You can only sell with tenant in situ which will depress the price if you are below market rent. This is my reading
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That is not my reading, I think those options will remain available with tenancies created pre- 1 March 2026. The new rules only apply to post March 2026 tenancies. I think that has to be the case, otherwise they are making changes retrospectively. I am 100% open to correction though, I may have the wrong end of the stick.
 
Extract from above link
( https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of...introduce-major-reforms-to-the-rental-sector/ )

Actual legislation not finalised yet though...
  • Smaller landlords (three or fewer tenancies) will only be able to terminate a tenancy during the six-year tenancy in limited circumstances:
    • Where they face hardship, which will be defined in legislation (e.g. separation/homelessness/emigrant returning from abroad/bankruptcy);
    • They require the dwelling for an immediate family member (parent/child/spouse).
 
My understanding is (and I may be wrong in this) is that all the old rules around rent increases, evictions etc. apply to existing tenancies. The new rules only apply to tenancies created after 1 March 2026. So when an existing tenant leaves, landlords will face a choice; sell up or re-let subject to the new rules. Alternatively, if it is an existing tenancy you will still be able to evict to sell or move a family member in.
Click to expand...
That is now my understanding as well. So as a 'large' landlord (ie. owner of 4 properties), I don't need to worry about any of the existing tenancies as the current rules will continue to apply. If one of them ever to decides to leave voluntarily (unlikely for a while), I then need to weigh up whether I begin a new tenancy (which will come with the new 'large' landlord restrictions that will mean I can't ever do a no fault eviction) or take it off the rental market altogether.
 
The current rules will continue to apply until 2026 or can the minister apply some of the renter protections by something like a statutory instrument?
 
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