Irish Landlord Guide – Part 1: An Introduction

Welcome to our Irish Landlord Guide on the rental rule changes planned for March 2026.

A lot has been said about what these reforms could mean for tenants and landlords. In this series, we keep it simple: what’s been announced, what it could mean in practice, and what landlords can do now to stay organised.

This first post covers the big picture, the main changes being proposed and why they matter.

Summary

From 1 March 2026, Ireland is expected to move to a new rental framework including:

• six-year tenancies for new rentals (Tenancies of Minimum Duration)
• nationwide rent controls linked to inflation (CPI), with a cap during high-inflation periods
• tighter limits on how tenancies can be ended, especially for larger landlords

It’s important to note that these changes are proposed and will only apply once legislation is passed.

What’s changing from March 2026

The reforms are built around two areas:

1) Security of tenure

For new tenancies from 1 March 2026, the Government plans to introduce Tenancies of Minimum Duration (TMD) — described as rolling six-year tenancies.

In plain terms, this points to:

• longer tenancies becoming the norm for new rentals, and
• stricter rules around ending a tenancy during the six-year period.

The proposals also draw a clear line between:

• smaller landlords (3 or fewer tenancies), and
• larger landlords (4+ tenancies),
  with different termination rules expected for each group.

2) Rent regulation

A second major shift is the move to nationwide rent control.

Under the proposed approach:

• rent increases would be linked to inflation (CPI), and
• capped during high-inflation periods.

This is intended to replace the current system of Rent Pressure Zones with a single national framework.

What this means day-to-day

Even before the law changes, landlords should be thinking about three practical impacts:

1) Exit planning may take longer

If ending tenancies becomes more limited, selling, renovating, or repurposing a property may require more lead time and clearer planning.

2) Rent planning will need stronger forecasting

A CPI-linked system can make income growth more predictable, but it may also mean rent rises do not keep pace with market movement in certain periods.

3) Good paperwork matters more than ever

More structured rules typically mean more reliance on documentation: rent records, tenant communications, and clear reasons for decisions.

Final Word

The key message from Part 1 is simple: the direction of travel is toward longer tenancies and more structured rent controls. That doesn’t mean landlords can’t operate successfully — but it does mean landlords need to be more organised and more deliberate.

In Part 2, we’ll focus on the six-year tenancy framework and what it could mean for ending a tenancy.

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