Rent Pressure Zones Explained: What Replaced Them in 2026

16 July 2026

Rent Pressure Zones, or RPZs, used to be areas of Ireland where the amount a landlord could raise rent was capped by law. That is no longer how it works. Since 1 March 2026, RPZ designations no longer determine rent caps. A national rent control system applies to all private residential tenancies and student-specific accommodation across Ireland, so the limit is the same whether you rent in Dublin city or a village in Leitrim. Here is what that means for you and how to check whether a proposed rent increase is legal.

What replaced Rent Pressure Zones

RPZs were geographic designations, and the cap applied only inside them. That geographic test is gone. National rent control now covers every private residential tenancy and student-specific residential tenancy in the State, so there is no longer any need to check whether an address sits inside a designated area. Our full guide at /guides/rent-pressure-zones sets out the change in detail.

The national rent cap

A rent increase is capped at the lower of 2 percent per year or inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Whichever is lower applies. Rent may be reviewed once every 12 months, and the landlord must give at least 90 days written notice. Inflation is measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Use the RTB Rent Calculator at https://rtb.ie/rtb-rent-calculator/ to confirm the maximum rent for your tenancy rather than relying on a general estimate.

For rent review notices served from 14 September 2026, the landlord must send a copy to the RTB within 7 days of serving it on the tenant. The previous same day requirement no longer applies to these rent review notices. See https://rtb.ie/about/news/important-changes-to-rental-law-from-14-september-2026/ for the current guidance.

Tenancies created on or after 1 March 2026

These are six-year Tenancies of Minimum Duration. The grounds on which a landlord may end such a tenancy now depend on how many tenancies that landlord holds, with different rules for smaller and larger landlords. The RTB publishes the current grounds and notice periods.

Tenancies created before 1 March 2026

Existing tenancies keep their previous tenure status and their previous termination grounds. The national rent cap, however, does apply to them. If you have been renting since before March 2026, your increase is still limited to the lower of 2 percent per year or CPI inflation.

Newly built apartments

Newly built apartments with a commencement notice submitted on or after 10 June 2025 are capped by CPI inflation only, with no 2 percent ceiling. Whether a specific building falls inside that exemption is a property-specific question, so check with the RTB before accepting an increase on that basis.

Landlords sometimes claim exemptions that do not exist. If a landlord tells you the cap does not apply, ask them to state the specific exemption in writing and check it against the RTB rules before agreeing to anything.

How to check if a rent increase is legal

When your landlord proposes an increase, work through these steps.

Check when the last rent review took place, since increases can only happen once every 12 months. Confirm the increase is no more than 2 percent, or CPI inflation if lower. Confirm you have received at least 90 days written notice, and that the notice states the new rent and the effective date. You can run the numbers with our rent increase checker at /check/rent-increase.

If any of these fail, the increase is invalid and you do not have to pay it.

If your landlord raises rent illegally

You can refer a disputed rent review to the RTB. Check the RTB’s current dispute resolution guidance for the available procedures and any applicable fees before applying. The dispute must usually be raised within 28 days of receiving the notice. If the RTB rules in your favour, the increase is cancelled and any overpayment must be refunded.

What the cap does not do

The cap limits increases during a tenancy. It does not cap the starting rent when a new tenancy begins. This is why rents on newly advertised properties can appear much higher than existing tenants in the same building are paying.

It also does not force a landlord to reduce rent, even if the market drops. If you believe your rent is above market, you can serve your own rent review notice requesting a reduction, and dispute it through the RTB if the landlord refuses.

Bottom line

Wherever you rent in Ireland, the same cap now applies. Keep every rent review notice, check the numbers, and challenge anything that looks wrong. Landlords rely on tenants not knowing the rules. Now you do. SafeRent Ireland does not provide legal advice; always confirm the rules for your own tenancy on rtb.ie.