Eviction notices rose 41% ahead of Government's rental changes

LAST UPDATE | 19 Mar

THERE WAS A mammoth jump in eviction notices for the end of last year ahead of the Government’s sweeping changes to the rental sector.

According to data released by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) there was an increase of 41% notices of termination compared to the same period in the previous year – coming to 5,207 for the last three months of 2025.

More than 3,200 Notices of Termination in Q4 of last year were issued because the landlord intends to sell the property.

The number of evictions was down 3.6% from the third quarter in 2025.

‘Big changes’ in rental market

The number of landlords with 100+ tenancies grew significantly in the last quarter of last year, and overall Ireland’s rental market grew.

Registered tenancies grew by 1.11% to 243,598 in the fourth quarter of 2025, which is the highest number recorded since the second quarter of 2023.

The number of landlords with over 100 tenancies grew for the tenth quarter in a row, with 20 more landlords in this category compared to the same period in the previous year.

Applications to the RTB for dispute resolution rose by 26% annually at the end of last year, with the majority (58%) of applications coming from tenants.

Rosemary Steen, the Director of the RTB, said that while the regulator is concerned by trends in notices of termination, “it is important to take a balanced view”.

“There are always landlords entering and leaving the market but it is reassuring to see that the number of registered tenancies rose in Q4,” she added.

Steen acknowledged the continued rise in the number of large landlords, and said that it signals “big changes” facing Ireland’s rental market.

Landlord group reacts

The Irish Property Owners Association (IPOA) has said today’s data from the RTB bolsters their argument that the Government’s rental policies are “driving landlords out” of the rental market.

Chair of the IPOA Mary Conway said that the lobby group had warned that the Government’s approach would favour large institutional landlords.

“The Government’s over-regulation is forcing private landlords out and leaving the market to large institutional landlords. The biggest losers in this are those looking for rental accommodation, particularly outside of the big cities,” conway said.

Political reaction

The figures have been leaped upon by opposition parties, with Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin noting that more than 10,000 eviction notices were issued in the entire second half of last year.

He added that these renters may have to find alternative rental accommodation under the government’s new controversial market rent reset rule, which may see them pay higher rents.

“Government policy is making private renting less secure and more expensive. It is driving more adults and children into homelessness,” Ó Broin said.

“Instead of pushing up rents and homelessness, government should be cutting rents and banning no-fault evictions alongside increased and accelerated delivery of social, affordable and private-for-purchase homes.”

Labour’s Conor Sheehan claimed that “untoward damage” had been caused by the sweeping changes to rental laws.

“Renters are confused and no representative from this Government has been able to explain the details of the changes without extensive briefing notes before them,” Sheehan added.

The Limerick TD said that Labour intends to introduce an emergency three year no fault eviction ban bill in response to the “dysfunctional” rental market changes.

And Rory Hearne of the Social Democrats claimed the figures show Ireland is “trending towards a disaster of unimaginable proportions” as he urged the Government to change course.

With reporting by Eimer McAuley