Landlord & Tenant: Your Rights

Residential Tenancies Board (RTB)

Every private residential tenancy in Ireland must be registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). Your landlord is legally required to register the tenancy within 1 month of it starting.

The RTB provides free dispute resolution for tenants and landlords. This is your main avenue for resolving issues — not the courts.

Deposit Protection

Your landlord must return your deposit within 14 days of the tenancy ending. They can only make deductions for:

• Rent arrears
• Unpaid utility bills that were your responsibility
• Damage beyond normal wear and tear

Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs)

In designated Rent Pressure Zones, rent increases are capped at the lower of:

• 2% per year, or
• The rate of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP)

Most of Ireland's cities and large towns are RPZs. Your landlord must give you at least 90 days' written notice of any rent increase, and the notice must include details of the current rent, the new rent, and how it was calculated.

Notice Periods

If your landlord wants to end your tenancy, the notice period depends on how long you've been there:

The landlord must provide a valid reason for ending the tenancy and serve the notice in writing. A notice without a valid reason is invalid.

Valid Reasons for Eviction

Your landlord can only end your tenancy for specific reasons set out in law:

• The landlord is selling the property
• The landlord or a family member needs to move in
• The property requires significant renovation that cannot be done with you in situ
• The property is no longer suitable for the number of occupants

Minimum Standards

All rental properties must meet minimum physical standards set out in SI 137/2019. Your landlord must provide:

• Adequate heating that you can control
• Hot and cold running water
• Proper ventilation
• Fire safety measures (smoke alarms, fire blanket, emergency egress)
• Cooking facilities (4-ring hob, oven, fridge-freezer, microwave)
• Adequate sanitary facilities

If your rental doesn't meet these standards, complain to your local authority housing department — they have the power to inspect and enforce.

Repairs

Your landlord is responsible for:

• Structural repairs (roof, walls, windows, doors)
• Heating systems and boilers
• Plumbing and water supply
• Electrical wiring and installations

You are responsible for minor day-to-day maintenance and not causing damage. If your landlord refuses to carry out necessary repairs, put the request in writing and keep copies.

Right to Peace and Privacy

Your landlord must give you at least 24 hours' notice before entering the property, except in an emergency. They cannot:

• Enter without your permission (outside emergencies)
• Call at unreasonable hours
• Interfere with your peaceful enjoyment of the property

Illegal Evictions

The following actions by a landlord are illegal:

• Changing the locks while you're out
• Turning off utilities (electricity, gas, water)
• Removing your belongings
• Intimidation or harassment to force you to leave

How to Fight Back

1. Document everything — photos of the property, screenshots of messages, copies of emails. Keep a log of all interactions with dates and times
2. Put your complaint in writing to your landlord — email is ideal as it creates a paper trail
3. Contact Threshold — Ireland's national housing charity provides free, confidential advice to tenants (1800 454 454)
4. File RTB dispute resolution — this is free and can be done online at rtb.ie. The RTB will assign a mediator or adjudicator
5. RTB adjudication — if mediation doesn't resolve it, the case goes to a formal hearing. The adjudicator's decision is legally binding
6. RTB Tribunal — if you're unhappy with the adjudication decision, you can appeal to the Tribunal within 10 days