A sweeping reform of Ireland’s rental sector is set to be introduced, with Minister for Housing James Browne bringing a proposal to Cabinet that will prohibit no-fault evictions by large landlords.
The move is aimed at boosting security for renters and rebalancing tenant-landlord relations amid a housing crisis.
Under the new measures, landlords will be divided into two categories for regulatory purposes. Those who own four or more rental properties will be considered large landlords, while small landlords will be defined as individuals with three or fewer properties.
The plan includes a nationwide expansion of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs), which currently do not apply to nearly 20% of renters. Once enacted, all tenancies across the country will be brought under RPZ protections, limiting how much rents can rise year on year.
Within these zones, rent increases for existing tenancies will remain capped at 2 per cent annually or linked to the rate of inflation—whichever is lower.
However, new builds will be treated differently, with rent levels tied solely to inflation and no fixed cap, reflecting a concession to developers and investors.
To discourage economically motivated evictions, landlords will only be permitted to reset the rent when a tenant leaves voluntarily.
Tenants will be entitled to remain in their homes for at least six years, reinforcing long-term housing security and reducing turnover in the rental sector.