Changes to rent controls announced - thread for clarifying

I am still not clear on the 6 year rule, does it commence from March 2026 or from the start of the tenancy. Does the clock begin from March 2026? If I have a tenant in place for the last 3 years in a RPZ, I need to wait now 9 years to get back to market rent? (assuming the tenant is in for long haul and doesnt leave)

It appears in a nutshell, you have until March 2026 to serve notice and sell your property or strap in for the long haul (6 years). The above question is key for people (especially if you are renting below market) on whether or not you should retain your investment property.
 
Will an owner of 1 house with 5 flats now be considered a large investor and if so they will have to keep each flat vacant as tenants leave in order to eventually sell the house which could mean vacant flats for many years.
 
misemoi said:
Would this create instances where a landlord would offer to pay a tenant to leave? It might make financial sense if the tenant has somewhere else they could potentially go.
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Looks like that would be very possible.

DannyBoyD said:
You can only evict for cause, e g. default, own use or sale.
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The way I understood it is that any of those reasons are no-fault evictions. They are simply the landlord’s decision and in his own interest, but the tenant did nothing wrong. So for any new tenancy created after one of those terminations (eg if the sale didn’t proceed) then the landlord can’t re-set the new rent to market rates - unless there is ‘no tenant’ for two years and that rule remains.

I could be reading it wrong. Didn’t think the rules could get any more complicated….
 
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misemoi said:
Would this create instances where a landlord would offer to pay a tenant to leave? It might make financial sense if the tenant has somewhere else they could potentially go.
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Common in the Netherlands, I believe. The only way to sell a property is to get the tenant out and the tenant has a lifetime tenancy after one year. Landlords pay their tenants to leave. Friends of mine live and rented in Amsterdam. They made a bit of money from this!
 
DannyBoyD said:
Its not the correct use of the term.
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Sorry, I should have said termination or notice to quit or notice to vacate. I know eviction is a court ordered process so it’s a different thing.
In my defence, that’s the term used several times on gov.ie announcing the upcoming changes.

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
 
Meath Lady said:
Will an owner of 1 house with 5 flats now be considered a large investor
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Looks like the criteria will be tenancies and not properties. From gov.ie

“Tenants entering into a lease with larger landlords (with four or more tenancies), following the enactment of this proposed legislation, will no longer face ‘no fault evictions. Tenants entering into a lease with smaller landlords (three or fewer tenancies) will also benefit from substantially improved tenancy protections.”
 
bipped said:
Looks like the criteria will be tenancies and not properties. From gov.ie

“Tenants entering into a lease with larger landlords (with four or more tenancies), following the enactment of this proposed legislation, will no longer face ‘no fault evictions. Tenants entering into a lease with smaller landlords (three or fewer tenancies) will also benefit from substantially improved tenancy protections.”
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What happens if the landlords status changes (from small to large or vice versa) during the term of the tenancies. Do they change their status as well ie. a tenant will full large landlord protections loses those protections if the landlord reduces his portfolio to three?
 
I assume it will be the status of the landlord at the start of the tenancy that will be relevant for the duration of the tenancy.

One question I have is whether the death of a landlord will be grounds for terminating a six-year tenancy? That wouldn’t appear to be the case from the press release, which is going to hugely complicate the administration of some estates.
 
Sarenco said:
One question I have is whether the death of a landlord will be grounds for terminating a six-year tenancy? That wouldn’t appear to be the case from the press release, which is going to hugely complicate the administration of some estates.
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A very good question. If that is not a ground for termination, the property will have to be sold with the tenant in situ if the proceeds are needed to pay taxes for example.
 
There is some ambiguity about this. I hear now that a small landlord cannot set the rent to market rate after 6 years if they have a sitting tenant. I wonder if the small landlord will be able to sell after 6 years if they have a sitting tenant?
 
Guys,
Apologies if this has been answered in one of threads but cannot see it.. I'm looking for clarification on below situation as im not 100% sure.

- Single property owner registered with RTB
- Existing tenant in place last 8 years. Like many other here - good tenant but rent below current market price ( circa 40%)
- Can i reset rent to market price if existing tenant remains?
- If so, when would that be - I'm a little confused with the 6 year piece starts
- if i decide to sell the property - Does the tenant have any right to stay?

Thanks
 
Guys,
Apologies if this has been answered in one of threads but cannot see it.. I'm looking for clarification on below situation as im not 100% sure.

- Single property owner registered with RTB
- Existing tenant in place last 8 years. Like many other here - good tenant but rent below current market price ( circa 40%)
- Can i reset rent to market price if existing tenant remains?
- If so, when would that be - I'm a little confused with the 6 year piece starts
- if i decide to sell the property - Does the tenant have any right to stay?

Thanks
 
The status quo applies to your circumstances, unless and until your tenant voluntarily terminates the tenancy.

So, no, you cannot reset the rent to market rates as long as your current tenant remains.

You can issue a notice of termination on the grounds of wanting to sell the property.

Be very careful to scrupulously comply with the documentary and notice requirements if you decide to go down this road - it’s very, very easy to get them wrong.
 
This is what I thought would apply in existing properties from 01 March 2026:

When a tenant vacates voluntarily, any following new tenancy created can have rent set to market rates.


I think that was incorrect. Reading gov.ie again and noticed this:
  • 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

That looks like it would be 2032 before a landlord could re-set a low rent to a market rent.
 
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bipped said:
That looks like it would be 2032 before a landlord could re-set a low rent to a market rent.
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I think you are correct. Plus if large hikes are on the horizon, there will be huge pressure on the government of the day to 'delay' these increases. If SF are in government, there will be a rent freeze in place in any event. Also, with rent increases 'delayed' or frozen, small landlords will decide to sell up at that point. So a 'temporary' eviction ban will be necessary.
 
An interesting thread and I think I have followed most of it. One query.

I am a single house landlord and have tenants in a lease from 2022. Am I correct in saying the 'tightening' of the rules on no fault evections will not impact me until if and when I sign a new lease ?

Otherwise I think I'd serve notice if it looked like the only way I could divest would be move in or declare bankrupt !
 
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