Government’s New Rent Law Faces Criticism Over Potential Rise in Rents and Tenant Vulnerability

Dublin: The government’s newly approved rent legislation, intended to strengthen tenant protections, has come under sharp criticism amid claims that it could lead to higher rents and increased pressure on low- and middle-income households.

Opposition party Sinn Féin has warned that reforms to the private rental sector will result in significant rent increases for new tenants across the country, particularly outside Dublin, and could contribute to rising homelessness. The party estimates that new renters will face an average rent increase of 16.8 per cent from next month—equivalent to an additional €249 per month. The Residential Tenancies Bill is due to come into effect on 1 March 2026.

Under the legislation, landlords will be restricted to rent increases of no more than 2 per cent during a tenancy. However, landlords will be permitted to reset rents to market rates once a tenancy ends. Sinn Féin argues that this provision will negatively affect families whose tenancy agreements are nearing expiry, exposing them to sharp rent hikes.

The party’s housing spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin, said the changes would benefit landlords rather than tenants, pushing more low- and moderate-income earners into homelessness. While existing tenants will not be affected until their current agreements end, Sinn Féin cautions that most renters will fall under the new regime within a few years, as the average tenancy lasts around three and a half years.

Sinn Féin estimates that rents for apartments in Dublin could rise by an average of €237, or 12.1 per cent, within three years of the reforms. Outside the capital, tenants are also expected to face substantial increases. According to party figures, rents could rise by nearly 20 per cent (€417) in some Dublin areas and by more than 26 per cent (€305) elsewhere in the country.

The government has rejected claims that the legislation will undermine tenant protections, insisting the reforms will significantly strengthen renters’ rights. It has emphasised that landlords will only be allowed to refurbish rental properties once every six years or at the end of a tenancy.

The Department of Housing maintains that the market reset mechanism is necessary to attract investment into the private rental sector and sustain housing supply. The government has also reiterated plans to introduce a rental price register to improve transparency in rental costs, arguing that the reforms are designed to increase the availability of rental homes nationwide.

Irish Samachar English News

Kindly click to join WhatsApp group chat to get important news and breaking news from Irish Samachar