Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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555. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of smaller landlords that own three or fewer rental properties in relation to the forthcoming changes in laws related to renting (details supplied); the extent to which these issues have been considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66070/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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On 10 June 2025, the Government approved policy measures including modifications to rent controls to come into effect on 1 March 2026 in order to boost investment in the supply of homes available for rent and keep existing landlords in the market. The changes agreed will also provide significantly stronger tenancy protections and are finely balanced between the interests of tenants and the need for further private investment in the rental market across the country.

On 14 October 2025, Government approved the General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2025. This legislation is now subject to priority drafting by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage is currently conducting pre-legislative scrutiny.

For existing tenancies (i.e. those in place on 28 February 2026), landlords will continue to have the right to terminate a tenancy in line with the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2025 (RTA) as they apply on 28 February 2026.

All landlords will continue to have the right, at any time, to terminate any existing or new tenancy if there is a breach of tenant obligations or where the dwelling is no longer suitable to the accommodation needs of the tenant household. All landlords will continue to have the right to sell a rented dwelling with the tenant in situ.

The enhanced tenancy protections will only apply to new tenancies created on or after 1 March 2026.

To offer greater protection to tenants, rolling 6-year tenancies of minimum duration (TMD) will apply for new tenancies created between parties on or after 1 March 2026. Such a new tenancy that continues for 6 months becomes a tenancy of unlimited duration, with rolling 6 year TMDs.

To mitigate the impact of TMDs on smaller landlords (i.e. landlords who have 3 or fewer tenancies and are not a company), they will be allowed to terminate a TMD during its 6 year term, if:

• the landlord intends to sell the rented dwelling due to financial hardship (to be prescribed in law) and does not wish to do so with the tenant(s) in situ; or
• the landlord requires the property for himself/herself or an immediate family member (spouse/civil partner, child or parent) to occupy as a principal private residence.

• the landlord intends to sell the property;
• the landlord/family member requires the property for occupation;
• the landlord intends to substantially refurbish/renovate the property; or
• the landlord intends to change the use of the property.