Renting a home in Ireland: lease, deposit, rent increases and scams to avoid
In Ireland, you cannot be asked for more than 2 months' rent in advance: a one-month deposit and one month's rent, for any lease entered into since 9 August 2021. Since 1 March 2026, every new tenancy becomes a tenancy of minimum duration of 6 years, renewed in 6-year cycles, once your first 6 months have passed, and the rent can only increase by inflation or by 2% a year at most. Never pay a single euro before you have visited the home in person: rental scams are common, especially at the start of the university year.
- Costs
- Advance of 2 months' rent at most (one month's deposit and one month in advance), leases entered into since 9 August 2021; rent increase capped at inflation (CPI) or 2% a year, whichever is lower (2026 rule); Rent Tax Credit 2026: €1,000 (€2,000 for a couple taxed together), €1,150 (€2,300 for a couple) announced for 2027 and 2028
- Timeframes
- Registration of the tenancy with the RTB by the landlord within one month of the start of the tenancy; tenant's notice from 28 days (less than 6 months of tenancy) to 112 days (8 years and over)
Steps
- Search and visit. Listings come through property websites, agencies and word of mouth. Always visit in person, meet the landlord or the agent at the property and ask for ID (advice from the Garda, the Irish police).
- Check the rent being asked. The RTB (Residential Tenancies Board, the public body for tenancies) publishes a register and a rent index by area: a rent well below the market should alert you.
- Sign a written lease and ask for the inventory. The landlord must give you an inventory of the furniture: note the condition of each item, take photos and have it validated in writing. A lease cannot take away the rights provided by law.
- Pay the deposit and the first month, against a receipt. At most one month's deposit and one month in advance. Only pay once you are satisfied with the home and the conditions. Pay the real landlord, not the outgoing occupant or an intermediary, by a means that leaves a trace (the Garda advises a cheque or bank draft; the RTB advises avoiding cash). Insist on a signed and dated receipt, with the amount, one for each payment. Know from the start who holds the deposit, the landlord or the agency, and note the landlord's contact details (RTB advice).
- Check that the tenancy is registered with the RTB. It is the landlord's job to do so, within one month of the start of the tenancy, then every year. You can ask for a copy of the registration. For a tenancy that must be registered, without registration, no Rent Tax Credit (Revenue).
- Claim your Rent Tax Credit (tax credit for rent) in myAccount on revenue.ie: "PAYE Services", "Manage your tax for the current year", "Add new credits", then the section "You and your family" (this in-year route is for a PAYE employee; a self-employed person goes through ROS). Enter the RTB registration number of the tenancy if you have it.
- To leave, send a written and signed notice (notice of termination) to the landlord, with the date of sending, the end date and a statement that the landlord can challenge its validity before the RTB within 28 days. The RTB provides a template. Since 1 March 2026, notices can be sent by email.
Documents
- ID (passport or identity card) and, often, references from a previous landlord or from your employer.
- Written lease and signed inventory, photos of the condition of the property.
- Receipts for the deposit and the rent; the rent book that the landlord must give you if you ask for it.
- RTB registration number of the tenancy (for the Rent Tax Credit and in case of a dispute).
- PPS number and access to myAccount for the tax credit (sheet IE-NIF-TOUS-001).
Costs and timelines
- Maximum advance: 2 months' rent (a one-month deposit and one month in advance), leases entered into since 9 August 2021. Exception: a student in student accommodation who pays rent and tuition fees to the same institution can agree to pay more.
- Return of the deposit: as soon as possible at the end of the tenancy, not necessarily on the day you leave, because the landlord can inspect the property first. They can withhold unpaid rent, outstanding bills, damage beyond normal wear and tear, or a sum if your notice was too short or if you leave before the end of a fixed-term lease. They cannot keep your belongings as security. In case of disagreement, refer the matter to the RTB's dispute resolution service (Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended).
- Rent increases (2026 rule, throughout the country): at most inflation as measured by the CPI index, or 2% a year if inflation is higher. Review possible once a year, with written notice at least 90 days before. The RTB has a calculator for the permitted increase. The Rent Pressure Zones (rent-controlled zones) were extended to the whole country on 20 June 2025, then replaced by this single rule on 28 February 2026.
- Exceptions to the 2% cap: new apartments and new student accommodation whose construction was notified from 10 June 2025 (CPI cap only).
- Tenant's notice: 28 days if you have rented for less than 6 months; 35 days from 6 months to 1 year; 42 days from 1 to 2 years; 56 days from 2 to 4 years; 84 days from 4 to 8 years; 112 days beyond. Student accommodation: 28 days.
- Rent Tax Credit 2026: up to €1,000 per year for a single person, €2,000 for a married couple or civil partners taxed together; planned from 2022 to 2028. Budget 2027 (announced on 6 October 2026, still to be voted: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2026, introduced on 19 October 2026) raises it to €1,150 and €2,300 for the tax years 2027 and 2028.
- Security of tenure depending on the date of the lease: since 1 March 2026, tenancy of minimum duration of 6 years, renewed in 6-year cycles; from 11 June 2022 to 28 February 2026, indefinite-term tenancy (tenancy of unlimited duration) after 6 months; from 25 December 2016 to 10 June 2022, 6-year cycles (Part 4 tenancy).
Common pitfalls
- The three scams described by the Garda: the "landlord" who is supposedly abroad and asks for the deposit without a viewing; the one who shows the same property to several applicants, collects several deposits and disappears; keys that do not work after payment. Try the keys, open the door and sign the lease before paying. A victim? Report it at your nearest Garda station.
- Renting a room in someone's home. If you rent a room in your landlord's home, you are not covered by the tenancy law (Residential Tenancies Act): no RTB registration, less protection. A self-contained unit in their house, however, is covered. The Rent Tax Credit remains possible for this type of tenancy, unless the host is a member of your family (Revenue).
- Leaving before the end of a fixed-term lease. Even with the right notice, you can lose your deposit, or even have to pay the rent until the end of the lease, unless there is a break clause (break clause), the landlord agrees or the landlord is in breach.
- Claiming the tax credit without a registered tenancy. Revenue refuses the Rent Tax Credit if the tenancy had to be registered with the RTB and is not. Housing supports (HAP, Rent Supplement, RAS) also rule out the credit.
- Landlord who lives outside Ireland. You must then withhold tax on the rent and pay it over to Revenue (Citizens Information): find out before signing.
- Believing the landlord can evict you to sell. For a tenancy entered into since 1 March 2026, a "large" landlord (4 or more rented homes, or a company) can no longer end the tenancy in order to sell, move in or renovate; a small landlord can only do so on specific grounds. Disputes are settled before the RTB.
- Reminder: the Local Property Tax is owed by the owner, not by you (sheet IE-IMPOTS-TOUS-002).
What changes by country of origin
- EU and EEA citizens, Swiss citizens: the same rights as the Irish, no restriction on renting. For the Rent Tax Credit, you need a PPS number and a myAccount.
- British citizens (Scots included): the same situation thanks to the Common Travel Area (common travel zone). Irish rental rules have nothing to do with those of Scotland or England: do not rely on what you know.
- Students: in student accommodation, no security of tenure, lease of 41 weeks at most unless requested, notice of 28 days, and free exit between 1 May and 1 October.
Official sources (11) ›
- Citizens Information, "Changes to the rules for renting from March 2026" (page last updated 18 September 2026)
- Citizens Information, "Rent increases in private rented housing"
- Citizens Information, "Tenants' rights and responsibilities" (deposit, advance, security of tenure)
- Citizens Information, "If a tenant wants to end a tenancy" (page last updated 18 September 2026)
- Citizens Information, "Registering a tenancy"
- Revenue, "Rent Tax Credit – Qualifying conditions for all claimants" (published 1 January 2026)
- Revenue, "How to claim the Rent Tax Credit" (published 1 January 2026)
- Citizens Information, "Budget 2027" (announced 6 October 2026; page last updated 21 October 2026)
- Department of Finance, "Budget 2027 – Tax Policy Changes" (6 October 2026), point 3.1 "Rent Tax Credit"
- Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), "Security deposits" (Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended)
- An Garda Síochána, "Fraud" (section "I believe I am the victim of rental fraud")