Massive rise in eviction notices for renters ahead of new rules that came in in March

"Landlords issued 7,000 of what are called notice of termination notices just before the new rules came in on March 1, according to the Residential Tenancies Board, the regulator for the sector. This is a rise of 50pc on last year. A notice of termination is a formal document that warns a renter that the tenancy agreement is ending. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) said the 7,062 notices of termination it received in the first three months of this year was a record."

""While this is the highest quarterly figure since the data series began, the data shows a downward trend following a February peak," the RTB said. The number of termination notices in the first quarter was up 51pc from the same period last year. The data has been collected since 2022. Some 1,998 (28pc) notices were received in January, 3,138 (44pc) were received in February and 1,926 (27pc) were received in March."

"The RTB said 60pc, or 4,259, notices of termination were issued as the landlord intends to sell the property. Thousands of smaller landlords sold up before the new rules came in fearing that they would be locked into six-year tenancies. Under the reforms, landlords can only re-set the rent where it is below market rate at the end of each six-year tenancy. But this is only if the previous tenant left voluntarily, or breached the tenancy agreement."

"The new provisions mean landlords will be able to re-set rents to market rent, but in limited circumstances, for post March 1 tenancies. The latest RTB/ESRI quarterly rent index shows that rents continued to increase in late 2025. The standardised average rent for new tenancies rose by 5pc in the year to €1,755 in the last three months of last year. The standardised average rent for existing tenancies increased by 4.4pc year‑on‑year to €1,503."

Landlords issued 7,062 notices of termination in the first three months of the year, the highest quarterly figure since data collection began in 2022. The total represented a 51% increase compared with the same period last year. January accounted for 1,998 notices, February for 3,138, and March for 1,926. About 60% of notices, or 4,259, were issued because the landlord intended to sell the property. Many smaller landlords sold before new rules took effect on March 1 to avoid being locked into six-year tenancies. Under the reforms, rent can be reset only in limited circumstances for tenancies after March 1, including when the previous tenant left voluntarily or breached the agreement. Rents continued rising in late 2025, with new-tenancy rents up 5% to €1,755 and existing-tenancy rents up 4.4% to €1,503.

Read at Irish Independent