How do rental contracts and deposits work in Ireland in 2026?

Get the rent, payment date, deposit amount, term, notice, repairs, permitted occupiers, pets, parking and bills in writing. Ask for a rent book or regular rent statements so payments are easy to prove.

Landlords must register private tenancies with the RTB, usually within about a month of the start date, and renew registration annually. Registration should record rent, deposit and key property details. You can check whether a tenancy appears on the RTB public register and report an unregistered tenancy.

A fixed-term lease (for example one year) does not cancel security-of-tenure rules that apply after continuous occupation. Read both the paper terms and the statutory rights that sit beside them.

For tenancies created on or after 9 August 2021, a landlord cannot require a security deposit above one month's rent, and cannot require advance rent above one month's rent. The usual legal maximum to secure the home is therefore two months' rent in total. Student-specific accommodation has a limited opt-out where a student may choose to pay more advance rent.

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provided for an RTB-run deposit protection scheme, but Citizens Information states those provisions are not yet in effect. In practice the landlord holds the deposit. Keep bank proof and a written receipt.

At the end of the tenancy the landlord should return the deposit promptly, subject to lawful deductions for rent arrears, unpaid bills, damage beyond normal wear and tear, or insufficient notice. Photograph the handover condition and return every key. Dispute unresolved deductions through the RTB.

Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) were area-based rent-increase limits. After a nationwide RPZ extension in June 2025, the RPZ designation system ended on 28 February 2026. From 1 March 2026, private rent increases are generally capped nationwide at 2% a year or Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation, whichever is lower, with limited exceptions such as certain new developments. Landlords must use the RTB Rent Calculator and serve rent-setting or rent-review notices to the tenant and the RTB on the same day.

Security of tenure still builds after six continuous months without a valid notice of termination. For new tenancies created from 1 March 2026, that protection sits inside a tenancy of minimum duration (TMD): a six-year cycle that can renew, with termination grounds that depend on landlord size and the stage of the cycle. Older tenancies keep the Part 4 rules that applied when they began. Always check the start date before assuming which cycle you are on.

Landlords must keep the home in repair for essential services. Put repair requests in writing with dates and photos, then use RTB dispute routes if the landlord ignores serious defects.