What Is a Rent Review in Ireland?

A rent review allows landlords to either increase or decrease monthly rent for tenants. The typical driver is the inflation rate, as landlords generally aim to keep rent increases aligned with inflation. Occasionally, landlords may reduce rent as a gesture toward long-term tenants.

What Is the Rent Review Process in Ireland?

Ireland has a standardised rent review process. Landlords must provide:

  • 90 days' notice
  • A completed Residential Tenancy Board (RTB) Notice of Rent Review Form

Without following these steps, rent increases are invalid.

Irish rent has grown significantly since 2010, sitting at over 4 times the EU average price. Between 2010 and 2022, Irish rent prices increased by 76.7%.

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When Can My Landlord Raise My Rent?

Landlords operate under strict timelines:

  1. 24-Month Rent Certainty — Landlords must wait until tenants have occupied the property for at least 24 months before raising rent. This provides two years of rent certainty from lease signing. If a rent review occurred within the last 24 months, another cannot happen.
  2. 90 Days Notice Period — Landlords must provide at least 90 days' notice, creating an effective 27-month window between reviews.

Can Landlords Increase Rent at Any Moment?

No. Landlords must adhere to legal requirements. They cannot increase rent without providing 90 days' notice and cannot include anything in a lease agreement that contradicts legal obligations.

What About Rent Reviews in Rent Pressure Zones?

What Is a Rent Pressure Zone?

Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) are designated geographic areas characterised by the highest rent prices with rapid growth, where households struggle to find affordable rental properties. Their purpose is to help slow down the rapid rise in costs while remaining viable for landlords. Ireland currently has 34 RPZs.

How Are Rent Reviews Done in Rent Pressure Zones?

RPZ rent reviews differ from standard agreements in two key ways:

  • Rent increases are capped
  • Reviews occur every 12 months instead of 24 months

Existing tenants retain their 24-month protection for their next review, after which the 12-month cycle begins.

How Much Can a Landlord Increase Rent By in Ireland?

Rent Increase in a Standard Rent Agreement

In standard agreements, no statutory cap exists on rent increase amounts. However, landlords cannot raise rent above market price for comparable properties in the area.

Rent Increase in a Rent Pressure Zone

RPZ increases are subject to stricter limits. They cannot exceed the general inflation rate or 2%, whichever is lower.

Example: If inflation sits at 1.3%, landlords can only raise rent by 1.3% or below. If inflation exceeds 2% (such as the 9% rate seen in recent years), the maximum allowable increase is still only 2%.

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Is There Help for Rent Rises?

Support exists for tenants experiencing unaffordable rent increases:

  1. The Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) — Provides weekly payments to individuals and families unable to cover living expenses, covering food, energy, broadband and waste collection. Read our SWA guide.
  2. Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme — A nationwide government programme where local authorities provide social housing assistance. Local housing authorities pay rent directly to landlords monthly for HAP tenants. Read our HAP Scheme Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rent Reviews in Ireland

In a standard tenancy, landlords must wait at least 24 months before raising rent and provide 90 days' notice, creating an effective 27-month window between reviews. In Rent Pressure Zones, reviews can occur every 12 months.

In standard rent agreements, there is no statutory cap but landlords cannot raise rent above market price for comparable properties. In Rent Pressure Zones, increases are capped at the general inflation rate or 2%, whichever is lower.

Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) are designated geographic areas with the highest rent prices and rapid growth, where households struggle to find affordable properties. Ireland currently has 34 RPZs where stricter rent increase limits apply.

Two main supports exist: the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) for weekly living expense support, and the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme where local authorities pay rent directly to landlords.