RTB Rent Register

[JamieB_]

Politically the government can't end up in a situation with high and increasing rents.

You mean the position they have been in for the last decade and a half? All of their own doing too.
Its comical actually. The opposition wags their tail and sends them off in the direction the opposition would like to go, then the opposition attack them for doing it. Its the weirdest situation ive ever seen i think.

 

[Greenbook]

Can a fund use 3 of it's other rental units when setting rent I haven't followed it up do you know,

I would say that it can.

It could also use another fund's apartments as comparables.

 

[galway]

You mean the position they have been in for the last decade and a half? All of their own doing too.
Its comical actually. The opposition wags their tail and sends them off in the direction the opposition would like to go, then the opposition attack them for doing it. Its the weirdest situation ive ever seen i think.

For what is it worth At the end of the day the local market is set by the local going rate for rental in the community around where the property is located,
the sum of social housing cost rentals and other government/local authorities housing schemes along with the willingness of people to move into an area depends and how much they are prepared to pay before taking up employment in that area will set rental rates not the RTB today and into the future,
The above may not be well stated but it has served me well up until now,
I will not take on renters if at all possible who might have over extended themselves at local rent rates,
I would not go chasing the kind of customer's some posters on hear are after,
You need to know your market to be a Landlord in the past that has not changed in 2026,

 

[patfert1]

I would say that it can.

It could also use another fund's apartments as comparables.

This is where a fund has a big advantage over a small landlord. It has access to factual data about rent levels of directly comparable apartments, when those rent levels were established, RTB registration numbers, etc. Not to mentioned legal advice on how to frame all this to the RTB. By comparison, I don't even know which of the comparable houses in my street are rented out, much less their rent levels.

 

[galway]

When the new rules came into force did Landlords skillset on knowing local market rates go out the door,
I know some will say we used Daft.ie even if you did you still needed to have a handle on the local market all along,

 

[Greenbook]

This is where a fund has a big advantage over a small landlord.

Exactly, plus the Funds will co-operate with each other to provide usable comparative.

Small landlords just don't know enough other small landlords and don't have enough volume to do that.

The new rules are really to the benefit of the funds alone.

 

[galway]

Exactly, plus the Funds will co-operate with each other to provide usable comparative.

Small landlords just don't know enough other small landlords and don't have enough volume to do that.

The new rules are really to the benefit of the funds alone

As I said on another post on AAM someone is going to specialise in this area before long,
Around where I live we have got a very good Informal Landlord grapevine to work off,

 

[bipped]

Small landlords just don't know enough other small landlords and don't have enough volume to do that

Would the IPOA not have rent information that could be available to its members?

In any event, surely Estate / Letting Agents are the experts in market rents. That’s their speciality, they have local knowledge and they are a state regulated and licensed body. Every EA has the expertise and education to assess market rents and consider the unique aspects of each property. So why their valuations should be ignored by the RTB is baffling, particularly when their valuations for sales and probate are accepted by lenders, for insurance, and Revenue. Not good enough for RTB though.

Would the RTB dispute an EA valuation?

 

[Bronte]

Could you expand on the 'not needing proof of market rents' part. I thought all property 're-set to market', or new to the market. had to follow the same process in order to arrive at an Orwellian "market rent"?

My understanding was that I was exempt, following your post I decided to contact the RTB. Our conversation was very long. Finally I asked why I had to put up 3 comparable rents from their registar and then I asked could I use DAFT ads instead. They would not say I could or could not, but that I should seek legal advice !

My property is rented, no idea what happens if the tenant was not given the list of 3 comparable rents !!

 

[galway]

Would the IPOA not have rent information that could be available to it’s members?

I know very little about the IPOA don't think I have ever seen reports of any lobbying on any of the above Issues I could be wrong get a feeling they are not into lobbying or user friendly wed site for the general public see what they are all about like other Irish Lobby groups
If you look at a small group like the turf cutters who came into force when the government of the day decided they needed to regulate a dying Industry it spawned a few TDs and a Euro MP,all still elected to this day,
Do any member of the IPOA or any poster on hear feel strong enough about the new rules to run in the 2 by elections in May

 

[LarryScott]

Exactly, plus the Funds will co-operate with each other to provide usable comparative.

Possibly, on the plus side, if you use an agent, they will have access to rent setting data too.

Ofc, agents might refuse to do rent updates, or charge a large fee, given the new rules, and the potential legal risk to whoever does the adjustment.

 

[Greenbook]

Would the RTB dispute an EA valuation?

Hard to know, but the RTB seems to be insisting that we use their Rent Register only. The rent setting form, as far as I can see, refers to that only.

I agree with you an EA and Daft are the true indicators of current market value, but the RTB is doing its best to make us ignore those.

 

[Greenbook]

Ofc, agents might refuse to do rent updates, or charge a large fee, given the new rules, and the potential legal risk to whoever does the adjustment.

That would be an issue as well.

The Funds, however, could produce details of the rents in their own blocks and other funds' blocks with analysis from economists etc. Hard for the RTB to ignore or argue against that.

Johnny Landlord with one property in Cork who charges 2k for an apartment when his comparables show max 1.6k is much more of a sitting duck.

 

[Greenbook]

My property is rented, no idea what happens if the tenant was not given the list of 3 comparable rents !!

Honestly @Bronte I think you have to justify the rent even if it has been vacant for 2 years. The rent setting form covers that eventuality, it is one of the boxes you have to tick.

Perhaps @LarryScott knows the answer, he understands better than any of us the ins and outs of those rules.

So much for the RTB providing 'good advice' to landlords. They should know the answer to that question.

 

[Bronte]

Would the IPOA not have rent information that could be available to its members?

In any event, surely Estate / Letting Agents are the experts in market rents. That’s their speciality, they have local knowledge and they are a state regulated and licensed body. Every EA has the expertise and education to assess market rents and consider the unique aspects of each property. So why their valuations should be ignored by the RTB is baffling, particularly when their valuations for sales and probate are accepted by lenders, for insurance, and Revenue. Not good enough for RTB though.

Would the RTB dispute an EA valuation?

- No the IPOA does not have rent information as they don't ask their members.
- In my opinion the RTB would not dispute an EA valuation as auctioneers are the experts on this, not the RTB
- I don't believe the RTB have the powers to decide market rents, they could though state what the rents are in any given place, as they have it registered on their website

 

[LarryScott]

They would not say I could or could not, but that I should seek legal advice !

So, you have to follow the rules, but there is no way to tell what the rules are!

Anyway, I think you need to provide the information always (new tenancy, rent reviews, and market reset).

(i) in the case of a tenancy (other than a tenancy to which section 5 (4) of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2021 applies) created on or after 1 March 2026 (in this paragraph referred to as a "relevant tenancy"), furnish the tenant and the Board, in writing, with the following information at the commencement of the relevant tenancy:
-(i) the amount of rent that was last set under the most recent previous tenancy, if any, of the dwelling;
-(ii) the date the rent was last set under the most recent previous tenancy, if any, of the dwelling;
-(iii) a statement as to how the rent set under the relevant tenancy has been calculated having regard to section 19;
-(iv) the number assigned under section 135(3) in respect of the most recent previous tenancy, if any, of the dwelling;
-(v) by reference to the published register, the amount of rent payable and the number assigned under section 135(3) in respect of the most recent tenancy, preceding the date of commencement of the relevant tenancy, of each of 3 dwellings—
--(I) of a similar size (determined by reference to floor area), number of bedrooms, type, character and (where applicable) BER to the dwelling the subject of the relevant tenancy, and
--(II) situated in a comparable area to that in which the dwelling the subject of the relevant tenancy is situated.

I think if the 2 year rule applies, then you wouldn't need to provide the previous rental.

Section 19 - sub-section 5 covers the two year rule, which says that sub-section 4 doesn't apply (which mostly defines previous rental, new and old rent).

I think with the two year rule, there would be no previous tenancy.

So, you need to provide all the information except "(i) the amount of rent that was last set under the most recent previous tenancy, if any, of the dwelling", since there is effectively no previous dwelling.

When you register a new tenancy, they presumably ask for that information?

 

[bipped]

In my opinion the RTB would not dispute an EA valuation as auctioneers are the experts on this, not the RTB

Agree that auctioneers are the experts.
If an EA rent valuation was attached to the Notice of Exemption, would they really start a dispute to question a licensed professional?
No idea if the RTB employs in-house experts from IPAV, SCSI or any members of the PSRA.

 

[Greenbook]

I think if the 2 year rule applies, then you wouldn't need to provide the previous rental.

But you do have to fill in the rent setting form and use the 3 comparables from the Rent Register, is that correct?

 

[Bronte]

Possibly, on the plus side, if you use an agent, they will have access to rent setting data too.

Ofc, agents might refuse to do rent updates, or charge a large fee, given the new rules, and the potential legal risk to whoever does the adjustment.

My new agent (auctioneer) is taking care of the RTB for me as part of their service.

 

[patfert1]

My property is rented, no idea what happens if the tenant was not given the list of 3 comparable rents !!

If you did the rent review or reset before March the new rules would not have applied. I did an annual rent review in February.