TenantWise

Chapter 2 · Rent

Rent increases: the cap, the notice, the reset

Since 1 March 2026 the whole State is under one rule: a rent may be reviewed once in 12 months and raised by no more than 2% or the annual change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower, never above market rent. The review needs 90 days' notice in the prescribed form, with the RTB calculator printout and three comparables, and a copy to the RTB. A dispute pauses the review.

Checked 27 OCT 2026 · the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2026

The steps, in order

  1. 01Find two dates: when the rent was last set, and when the tenancy began
  2. 02Run the rent increase checker
  3. 03Check the notice itself
  4. 04If the figure is over the cap or the notice is defective, write back and apply to the RTB
  5. 05If you have already paid over the cap, the RTB can order it back

The tools

ToolFreeCan my rent go up by this much?Rent increase checkerThe 2% or CPI cap, the 12-month rule, the 90-day notice and the three comparables, with any overcharge worked out and the letter to send.Check the cap →ToolFreeWhat do I write, and to whom?Letter builderA repair request, a deposit return request, a reply to a rent review, a landlord-size request to the RTB, a confirm-in-writing letter, or your own notice. Free, in your words, nothing stored.Build my letter →ToolFreeWhich rules apply to my tenancy, and when do they change?Tenancy timelinePart 4 or minimum-duration protection, the six-year cycle, the notice band you are in today and the dates it changes, from one start date.See my dates →

The guides

  1. Average rent in Ireland 2026: the RTB Rent Index explainedNew tenancies €1,839 a month, existing €1,513 in Q1 2026. What the Index measures, by county, and why sitting tenants pay less.
  2. Challenging a rent increase at the RTBThe letter, the time limit, how a dispute pauses the review, and the repayment and damages the RTB can order.
  3. New-build apartments and student housing: the CPI-only ruleApartments and student accommodation started after 10 June 2025 may rise with CPI with no 2% ceiling. How to tell if yours is one.
  4. Rent increase rules in Ireland from 1 March 2026Once a year, by 2% or CPI, whichever is lower, nationwide. The 24-month rule for new RPZ areas, the new-build exception and the reset rules.
  5. Rent pressure zones: what they were and what replaced themRPZs ended on 28 February 2026. What the national cap is, why 'is my town an RPZ' no longer matters, and the one transitional rule that does.
  6. The 2% or CPI cap: this month's figureHow the cap is worked out, which CPI figure applies to your review date, and the RTB calculator as the official check.
  7. The rent review notice: 90 days and three comparablesWhat a valid rent review notice must contain, the copy to the RTB within 7 days, and what makes one invalid.
  8. When rent can be reset to market, and when it cannotThe six-year reset for 2026 tenancies, the endings that allow a reset, the two-year bar after a no-fault termination, and pre-2026 tenancies.

Questions people ask

How much can a landlord increase rent in Ireland in 2026?

By no more than 2% or the annual change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower, once in any 12 months, and never above market rent. The figure comes from the CSO series the RTB calculator uses; the checker shows this month's figure.

Are Rent Pressure Zones gone?

Yes. RPZs ended on 28 February 2026 and the national cap replaced them. One transitional rule remains: in an area that became an RPZ within the two years before the rent was last set, the first review cannot happen until 24 months after that.

How much notice for a rent increase in Ireland?

90 days, in the prescribed form, sent to you and to the RTB within 7 days, with the RTB rent calculator printout and three comparable tenancies from the Rent Register. A notice that misses the RTB copy is invalid.

Can my landlord reset the rent to market rate?

For a tenancy that began before 1 March 2026, never while it lasts. For a tenancy from 1 March 2026, only at the start of a new tenancy where the previous one ended by the tenant's choice, a breach or unsuitability, and at the end of each six-year cycle; never after a no-fault termination for two years.

What happens if I have paid rent above the cap?

The RTB can order it repaid, with damages of up to €20,000, and since 14 September 2026 a rent breach also carries a fixed payment notice. Apply to the RTB; the reply letter is in the letter builder.

Information, not advice. The law changed twice in 2026 and can change again; no page here can say what the RTB will decide in your case, whether a notice is valid or what a landlord will do. Last checked 2026-10-27. TenantWise is an independent site, not connected with the Residential Tenancies Board, Revenue, the Department of Housing, any local authority, Threshold or any landlord body. It is not a solicitor, a letting agent, a landlord, a deposit scheme or an advice service. It covers the Republic of Ireland only. Before you act, ring Threshold, which is free, or talk to a solicitor.