New rental legislation March 2026

We would like to take this opportunity to clarify the upcoming changes in relation to the rules and regulations when it comes to ending a tenancy from March 2026. Please note, these new changes will only apply to new tenancies that are created from March 1st 2026 i.e first time tenancies between a landlord and tenant, any tenancies in place prior to this will not be impacted by these new changes and all previous legislation will remain in place. 

In terms of ending existing tenancies (pre March 2026), your current tenancy will not be affected by the new legislation

• How you can end an existing tenancy will not be impacted by the new rental changes, nor can your market rent increase should you end it, these only apply to any new tenancies beginning on or after March 1st 2026.

• There will be no changes to you or your tenants rights or responsibilities.

• You will continue to have the right to end a tenancy in line with the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 - 2025 (RTA) as they currently apply.

• There is no six year rent resetting option, or six year rolling tenancy of minimum duration for your current tenancy agreements. That is only for new tenancies which begin on or after March 1, 2026.

• In the current arrangements, landlords are not categorised as smaller or larger. That categorisation only applies when a Landlord ends a new tenancy that starts after March 1st 2026.

• If you have an existing tenant, you will continue on March 1, 2026 as you have been with your tenancy agreement. Your tenants do not get a tenancy of minimum duration of six years as they remain under the current rental rules.

Ending of New tenancies from March 1st 2026

All Landlords will continue to have the right at any time to end a new tenancy the same as an existing tenancy where;

• There is a breach of tenant obligations or;

• The dwelling is no longer suitable for their tenants' needs

Landlords will continue to have the right to sell a rented dwelling with the tenant in situ.

Landlords wishing to end a new tenancy that starts after March 1st 2026 will on the day the landlord serves notice of termination be categorised as a small or large landlord;

• Small Landlord - with 3 or fewer tenancies and not a company;

• Large Landlord - with 4 or more tenancies or a company.

There are different rules that apply to each category when it comes to conditions under which you can serve notice or termination of tenancy.

Smaller Landlords - New tenancies beginning from March 1st 2026

To mitigate the impact of rolling six year tenancies on smaller landlords i.e. Landlords who have three or fewer tenancies and are not a company, you will be allowed to end a tenancy during a six year term but only if;

• You intend to sell the rented dwelling due to financial hardship (to be prescribed in law) and you do not wish to do so with a tenant in situ or

• You require the property for yourself or an immediate family member, i.e. spouse, civil partner, child or parent to occupy as a principal private residence.

Every six years small landlords will also in advance of the end of each six year term be allowed to serve a notice of termination with the termination date on/after the expiry of the six years under any of the existing grounds for termination including;

• You want to sell the property

• You or a family member require the property for you/their occupation

• You intend to substantially refurbish/renovate the property

• You intend to change the use of the property.

Ability to reset rents between tenancies

Changes in tenants between now and March 1, 2026 - If you start a new tenancy between now and March 1, 2026 the current rules will apply to those tenancies just as they do now.

For new tenancy agreements from March 1st 2026 - New tenancies starting from March 1st 2026 will fall under the new rental rules, and rents may be set at market rate if it is a new tenancy created on/after March 1st. You will also have the option to reset rents to the market rate every 6 years and/or between tenancies - within certain parameters.

You cannot opt to reset the rent of a new tenancy created from March 1st to market rent unless the previous tenancy was;

• Ended by your tenant for their own needs;

• Ended by you due to breach of tenant obligations, or;

• Ended because the dwelling was no longer suitable to the accommodation needs of your tenant household.

Should you wish to read more details on the new rental market reforms including new tenancy rules please do so below, these will come into play from March 1st 2026.

gov.ie/rental-reforms