WEALTH May 14, 2026 0 Comments

New Rental Rules Spark 50% Surge in Evictions—Here’s What Landlords and Tenants Aren’t Telling You

Ever wondered what a 50% spike in eviction notices looks like on the ground? Well, landlords in Ireland just handed out 7,062 termination notices in the first quarter of this year – that’s a whopping 2,369 more than the same stretch last year. What’s really cooking here? New rental rules kicked in on March 1st, letting landlords hike rents to market rates, bypassing the old 2% cap, while also locking in new tenants for six years. Sounds like a recipe for chaos or opportunity, depending on which side of the lease you’re standing. With 105,000 private landlords now in the game and average rents climbing 5% annually, the stakes are high. Even the RTB director herself flagged Limerick for its jaw-dropping 12% rent increase, which begs the question—are we witnessing a market correction or a brewing crisis? Dive deeper into the numbers and the nitty-gritty of these changes. LEARN MORE

The number of eviction notices issued by landlords increased 50% in the first quarter of the year, figures from the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) show.

There were 7,062 notices of termination between January and March as new rental rules came into effect, 2,369 more than the 4,693 recorded during the same period of 2025.

The number of private landlords operating in Ireland rose 1.3% year-on-year to 105,000, indicating increased participation in the rental market.

The RTB said that the number of tenancy terminations in Q1 represented the highest quarterly level recorded, although there was a downward trend following a February peak.

There were 3,138 notices of termination in February, but fewer than 2,000 in both January (1,998) and March (1,926).

Some 60% of terminations were issued by landlords intending to sell the property.

Under rules that came into effect on 1 March, a landlord can reset rents at market rates without being subject to the 2% cap on increases.

The new rental rules also mean that if a landlord takes on new tenants, they must be given a six-year lease.

The government argued that the laws were necessary to increase housing supply while opposition parties claimed they would lead to a significant increase in rents.

Average rents have increased 5% year-on-year to €1,755 per month, with the Dublin average rising to €2,322.

The number of registered private tenancies rose by 1.4% annually, with the strongest growth rates seen in approved housing body tenancies, which increased by 11.9%.

Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, RTB director Rosemary Steen expressed concern about rents in Limerick being set at 12% above previous levels.

Evictions — Rosemary Steen, director of RTB.

Steen said the figure is very high and that the RTB needed to do particular work to understand the situation around Limerick.

She added that the figures referred to in the rent index by the RTB are in relation to rent increases in the last quarter of 2025 and therefore do not reflect the recent changes in rental laws.

(Pic: Getty Images)