What is a Rent Pressure Zone?
A Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) is a designated area (usually a Local Electoral Area) where rents are rising rapidly and special rent controls apply. In RPZs, landlords cannot increase the rent by more than 2% per year (or the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), if that rate is lower).
Which Areas Are RPZs?
Since 20 June 2025, the entire country has been designated as a Rent Pressure Zone (the designation runs until 28 February 2026). Key RPZ areas include:
- Dublin — All Local Electoral Areas in Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, and South Dublin
- Cork — Cork City and most of County Cork
- Galway — Galway City and surrounding areas
- Limerick — Limerick City
- Waterford — Waterford City
- Other cities/towns — Many other urban areas including Kilkenny, Sligo, Athlone, Dundalk, Drogheda, Wexford, Bray, Greystones, and more
To check if a specific address is in an RPZ, use the RTB's RPZ search tool.
How the Rent Cap Works
The cap limits the rent charged to an existing tenant. The key rules are:
- Rent can only be increased once every 12 months
- The increase cannot exceed the CPI inflation rate or 2%, whichever is lower
- The increase is applied to the current rent, not the market rate
- Landlords must give 90 days' written notice of any rent increase
Calculation Example
If your current rent is €1,500 per month:
- Maximum increase = 2% × €1,500 = €30 per month
- New rent = €1,530 per month
- Minimum notice period for the increase = 90 days
Exemptions to the RPZ Rules
Not all properties in an RPZ are subject to the 2% cap. Exemptions include:
| Exemption | Description |
|---|---|
| New tenancies | Since December 2021 the RPZ cap applies to new tenancies too: the initial rent must not exceed market rent, and every increase after that is capped at 2% a year. From 1 March 2026, rents for new tenancies must also be justified against the RTB rent register. |
| Substantial refurbishment | The old exemption for substantially refurbished properties was abolished in December 2021 — the 2% cap applies regardless of any works carried out. |
| Rent set below market rate | Where the current rent is substantially below market rate, the landlord can apply to the RTB to set a higher rent; the RTB decides, and any increase is still limited. |
| Newly built apartments (from 1 March 2026) | Newly built apartments with a commencement notice on or after 10 June 2025 are exempt from the 2% cap — their rent increases are limited only by the Consumer Price Index. |
What If Your Landlord Breaches RPZ Rules?
If your landlord increases the rent by more than the RPZ cap:
- The rent increase is void and unenforceable
- You can refuse to pay the excess amount
- You can report the landlord to the RTB
- The RTB can order the landlord to refund any overpaid rent plus interest
- Landlords who breach RPZ rules can be penalised and named publicly
Daft RPZ Data (2026)
According to the RTB's latest Rent Index, average rents in RPZ areas across Ireland continue to show that the 2% cap is holding — but the _starting rent_ for new tenancies has risen sharply, as the cap only applies to in-tenancy increases.
Key Dates
- December 2016: RPZs first introduced
- December 2021: Cap reduced from 4% to 2% (or HICP, whichever lower)
- July 2022: RPZ designation expanded to cover most of the country
- 2026: RPZ regime remains in effect with the 2% cap
The whole country is a Rent Pressure Zone (until 28 February 2026)
Under the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2025, in force since 20 June 2025, Rent Pressure Zone designation covers the entire country until 28 February 2026. In an RPZ, rents cannot rise by more than 2% per year (or the rate of inflation, if lower), only once every 12 months, and only with 90 days' written notice. The old exemptions that allowed above-market rents for new tenancies or after refurbishment were abolished in 2021 — the cap applies to every increase, and the initial rent of a new tenancy must not exceed market rate.
What changes on 1 March 2026
The RPZ regime is replaced from 1 March 2026 by the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026, which applies to all new tenancies created on or after that date (existing tenancies keep their RPZ protections). The key features: a national system of rent control — increases capped at the lower of general inflation (now measured by the Consumer Price Index, replacing HICP for all tenancies) or 2% a year; a new RTB rent register used to determine market rent; and rent can only be re-set to market value in specific situations (tenant leaves voluntarily, tenant breaches obligations, the property no longer suits the tenant's needs, or the six-year tenancy of minimum duration ends) — and never after a no-fault eviction. Landlords re-setting rent must explain to the tenant and the RTB how the new rent was calculated, citing three comparable properties from the rent register. Newly built apartments (commencement notice on or after 10 June 2025) are exempt from the 2% cap and are limited only by CPI.
Action steps
- Check the RTB's RPZ calculator (rtb.ie) to see the maximum lawful increase for your tenancy.
- Never agree to an increase above 2% — even if you sign a new agreement, the statutory cap applies.
- If you are a landlord, use the RTB's prescribed notice-of-rent-review form and give exactly 90 days.