New Landlord Rules Ireland: national rent control from 1 March 2026 (and how to do a rent review properly)

If you have been searching for New Landlord Rules Ireland and trying to work out what happens to rent reviews after 1 March 2026, the short version is this:

Ireland is moving to a national rent control system. For most private tenancies, rent can only be increased once every 12 months by 2% or CPI, whichever is lower. The old RPZ approach is being replaced by a single national framework, with a small number of important exceptions.

For landlords and agents, the real risk is not just the cap. It is the process. The RTB’s guidance is clear: if your rent review notice is not sent to the tenant and the RTB on the same day, the notice is invalid. You also need the right supporting documents, including the RTB Rent Calculator printout and three comparable rents from the RTB Rent Register.

RPZs are gone: what replaced them

There is an important timeline point here.

From 20 June 2025, rent increase restrictions were effectively extended nationwide by expanding the RPZ framework across the country. From 1 March 2026, that gives way to a new national system of rent control.

The practical result is that landlords are no longer dealing with a patchwork of zones. For most private tenancies, the same core rent increase rules now apply nationwide.

The RTB has also built the process around its own tools. In practice, that means landlords should stop treating rent reviews as an informal pricing decision and start treating them as a documented compliance workflow.

The two tools that matter most are:

• the RTB Rent Calculator, which calculates the maximum permitted increase
• the RTB Rent Register, which you use to support the notice with comparable registered rents

The new cap: 2% or CPI (whichever is lower)

For most private tenancies and student specific accommodation (SSA), rent can be reviewed once every 12 months.

The annual increase is capped at:

• 2%, or
• inflation measured by CPI,

whichever is lower.

That means 2% is not an automatic entitlement. It is a ceiling. If CPI is lower, the lower CPI figure is what applies.

For most landlords, that creates three basic operating rules:

1. Keep a reliable record of the date the rent was last set or reviewed
2. Use the RTB Rent Calculator before drafting any notice
3. Build each review around the RTB process, not around advertised asking rents

The RTB also requires supporting material with the notice. For a standard rent review, that includes:

• the last rent amount
• the date the last rent was set
• a printout from the RTB Rent Calculator
• details of three comparable properties from the RTB Rent Register

And the notice must be served at least 90 days before the new rent takes effect.

Exceptions landlords need to know

This is where landlords can get caught out.

New apartments and new SSA commenced after 10 June 2025

If the tenancy is in a new private apartment or new student specific accommodation where qualifying construction commenced on or after 10 June 2025, annual increases can follow CPI only.

That means:

• the annual review cycle is still generally every 12 months
• but the 2% cap does not apply

The RTB guidance also says landlords should be able to support this status with the relevant commencement or 7-day notice and related building control documentation.

SSA market-rent reset rules are different

For SSA, re-setting to market rent is not a normal annual option. RTB guidance says it is only allowed once every 3 years from 1 March 2029.

So if you manage SSA, do not assume the private-tenancy rules map across cleanly.

AHB and cost-rental tenancies

The RTB says national rent control rules do not apply to Approved Housing Body and cost-rental tenancies. Different frameworks apply there.

Transitional 24-month rule for some existing tenancies

There is also a transitional issue for some older tenancies.

For private tenancies that started before 1 March 2026, the RTB says that in areas that became RPZs in the last 2 years, the rent may not be reviewable until 24 months after the date the rent was last set or reviewed.

That will not affect every tenancy, but it is a real trap for landlords relying on a simple “12 months has passed” assumption.

A rent review checklist that won’t leave you exposed

If you want a defensible rent review process, keep it simple and repeatable.

The last line is easy to miss. The RTB notice checklist says the tenancy registration should be updated within one month of the new rent taking effect.

Common traps (and how to avoid them)

Assuming 2% always applies.
It does not. The rule is 2% or CPI, whichever is lower for most tenancies.

Using advertised rents instead of RTB comparables.
The RTB process now leans on registered rent data, not just market listings.

Forgetting the RTB copy.
If the notice is not sent to the RTB on the same day as the tenant, the notice is invalid.

Serving too late.
The notice must be served at least 90 days before the new rent takes effect.

Missing the tenancy registration update.
After the new rent starts, the RTB registration record should be updated within one month.

Short FAQ

Are RPZs still a thing?

From 1 March 2026, the RPZ model is replaced by a national system of rent control. There is still a transitional legacy for some tenancies, but the operating framework is now national.

If CPI is higher than 2%, can I increase by CPI?

For most private tenancies and SSA, no. The cap is the lower of 2% or CPI. Certain new apartments and new SSA commenced after 10 June 2025 can follow CPI only.

Do I still need to serve a formal notice for a rent increase?

Yes. The RTB requires a formal rent review notice, served properly, with supporting documents, and copied to the RTB on the same day as the tenant.

Primary sources

• RTB: Setting and reviewing private rents from 1 March 2026
• RTB: Notice of Rent Review form
• RTB: New rental rules landlord overview
• gov.ie: Changes to rent increase rules - rental market reforms
• gov.ie: RPZ protections expanded nationwide on 20 June 2025