The number of eviction notices issued by landlords surged by 50% during the first quarter of 2026, according to newly released figures from the Residential Tenancies Board, amid growing controversy over the Government’s revised rental regulations.
Data published by the RTB showed that 7,062 notices of termination were issued between January and March this year, compared with 4,693 during the same period in 2025. The figures mark the highest quarterly level of eviction notices ever recorded by the regulator.
Despite the sharp annual increase, the RTB said the monthly figures suggest a decline after a spike in February. Notices rose from 1,998 in January to 3,138 in February before falling back to 1,926 in March.
The regulator also reported a modest rise in landlord participation in the rental sector, with the number of private landlords increasing by 1.3% year-on-year to more than 105,000.
Around 60% of all termination notices issued in the first three months of the year were linked to landlords intending to sell their properties.
The figures coincide with major rental reforms introduced on 1 March, which altered the rules governing rent increases and tenancy agreements.
Under the updated measures, landlords are now permitted to reset rents to market levels when a property becomes vacant, replacing the previous 2% cap on increases in many areas. The changes also require landlords to offer new tenants six-year lease agreements.
The Government defended the reforms at the time, arguing that they were necessary to encourage investment and boost housing supply. However, opposition parties and housing advocates warned the measures could trigger higher rents and increased evictions, while some property owners argued the rules were pushing landlords out of the market.
Separate RTB data showed that the average standardised rent for new tenancies climbed by 5% over the past year to €1,755 per month. Dublin recorded the highest average rents nationally at €2,322.
The number of registered private tenancies also increased by 1.4% annually, while tenancy growth among Approved Housing Bodies rose by 11.9%.
Eoin Ó Broin, Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson, described the latest figures as alarming and blamed the Government’s recent policy changes for the increase in eviction notices.
“It is a direct result of the Government’s disastrous changes to rent pressure zone rules earlier this year,” he said.
“Thousands of renters are now facing eviction at the very time that Government has allowed landlords charge new tenants even higher rents.”
He called on the Government to reverse the changes to rent pressure zone regulations and introduce a ban on rent increases and no-fault evictions, alongside a significant expansion in the delivery of social and affordable housing.
