Rent Increase Calculator Ireland 2026
From 1 March 2026, rent increases everywhere in Ireland are capped at the lower of CPI inflation or 2% per year. Rent Pressure Zones no longer exist. With CPI at 3.6% (CSO, May 2026), the cap for most tenancies today is 2%. This calculator uses the official CSO index numbers, pulled live from the CSO API, to work out your exact maximum.
Enter your current monthly rent.
The date cannot be in the future.
The date the current rent took effect. Rent can be reviewed once every 12 months.
Qualifying: apartments or student-specific accommodation, including 25%+ extensions or change of use, with a commencement notice on or after 10 June 2025. These follow CPI only, with no 2% cap.
Affects your market rent reset rights, not the yearly cap.
Manual override for what-if scenarios. Use the live CSO figure for a real review.
Pulled automatically from the CSO PxStat API each month. The calculation uses the official monthly CPI index numbers between your two dates, the same numbers the law refers to.
How this works: the law (Residential Tenancies Act 2004 s.19(4), as amended in 2026) allows the lower of two limits, applied to the period since the rent was last set. Limit one is 2% of the current rent per year elapsed, pro-rata. Limit two is the actual movement in the CSO Consumer Price Index between your two dates, which this page computes from the official monthly index numbers (Base Dec 2023=100). Qualifying new apartments and student accommodation use limit two only. Figures are rounded down. This is not legal advice; confirm against the official RTB calculator and current guidance before serving a rent review notice.
What changed on 1 March 2026
The Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026 replaced Rent Pressure Zones with one national system. Six rules now decide every rent review in Ireland.
One national cap
Rent can rise once per year by the lower of CPI inflation or 2%. The cap applies in every county, with no zones and no separate rules for designated areas. The old exemption for homes not let in the previous two years is gone; the only category with a different cap is qualifying new apartments and student accommodation.
CPI replaced HICP
The inflation measure is now the CSO Consumer Price Index, not the EU harmonised index. The 12-month CPI rate to May 2026 is 3.6%, so the binding cap for standard tenancies today is 2%.
New builds: CPI only
Apartments and student-specific accommodation in developments with a commencement notice on or after 10 June 2025 follow CPI with no 2% ceiling. This also covers major extensions (25%+ extra floor area) and change-of-use works. It was designed to attract investment into new rental supply.
90 days, plus the RTB copy
A rent review notice must give the tenant at least 90 days, include three comparable rents from the RTB Rent Register, and be copied to the RTB on the same day it is served. Miss the same-day copy and the notice is invalid.
Market rent resets
For tenancies created from 1 March 2026, rent can be reset to the open market level when a new tenancy starts (unless it follows a no-fault termination) and at the end of each 6-year tenancy cycle. Pre-2026 tenancies cannot be reset except after substantial refurbishment.
Small and large landlords
Landlords with 1 to 3 tenancies keep extra termination grounds (family use, hardship sale, refurbishment, change of use). Landlords with 4 or more tenancies, or corporate landlords, can end a tenancy only for tenant breach or where the property is no longer suitable. The rent cap is the same for both.
A standard 2026 rent review
A landlord in Cork charges 1,800 euro per month and last set the rent 12 months ago. CPI is 3.6%, so the cap is 2% (the lower figure). The maximum new rent is 1,800 × 1.02 = 1,836 euro, an increase of 36 euro per month or 432 euro per year. The landlord must serve a written notice at least 90 days before the new rent starts, include three comparable rents from the RTB Rent Register, and send a copy to the RTB the same day.
If the same landlord had skipped a year and last set the rent 24 months ago, the 2% limb doubles to 4% (2% per year elapsed, pro-rata), but the increase is still limited by the actual CPI index movement over those 24 months if that is lower.
| Current rent | €1,800 / month |
| CPI (May 2026) | 3.6% |
| Cap applied (lower of CPI or 2%) | 2% |
| Maximum new rent | €1,836 / month |
| Earliest the new rent can start | 90 days after notice |
Rent increase rules FAQ
How much can a landlord increase rent in Ireland in 2026?
Once per year, by the lower of CPI inflation or 2%. With CPI at 3.6% (CSO, May 2026), the cap for standard tenancies is 2%. On a rent of 1,800 euro per month that is a maximum increase of 36 euro. Apartments and student housing in qualifying new developments follow CPI only.
What if I have not reviewed the rent for several years?
The cap accumulates pro-rata. The 2% limb is 2% of the current rent for each year that has elapsed since the rent was last set, plus a proportional amount for any part year, without compounding. A landlord reviewing after 30 months can apply up to 5% under that limb. The increase is still limited by the actual CPI index movement over the same period if that is lower. This calculator computes both limits from your exact dates.
Are Rent Pressure Zones gone?
Yes. RPZs were abolished on 28 February 2026. From 1 March 2026 a single national system applies to every rented home in Ireland under the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026. The cap that used to apply only inside RPZs now applies everywhere.
What inflation rate is used for rent increases?
The CSO Consumer Price Index (CPI). It replaced the EU harmonised index (HICP) that RPZ rules used. The 12-month CPI rate to May 2026 is 3.6%. Because that is above 2%, the binding cap for most tenancies is 2%. This page pulls the figure and the underlying index numbers directly from the CSO API every month.
When can rent be reset to the open market rate?
Only for tenancies created on or after 1 March 2026, and only in two situations: when a new tenancy begins (unless it follows a no-fault termination), and at the end of each 6-year tenancy cycle. Tenancies that began before 1 March 2026 cannot be reset to market rent, except after a substantial refurbishment.
How often can rent be reviewed?
Once in any 12-month period. The tenant must get a written rent review notice at least 90 days before the new rent takes effect.
What must a rent review notice include in 2026?
The new rent amount, the date it takes effect, and three examples of comparable rents from the RTB Rent Register. From 1 March 2026 the notice must also be copied to the RTB on the same day it is served on the tenant, otherwise it is invalid.
Do the new rules apply to new apartment developments?
Apartments and student-specific accommodation in developments with a commencement notice dated on or after 10 June 2025 are a special category: rent increases follow CPI with no 2% cap. The category also covers 25%+ extensions and change-of-use works. All other properties, including older apartments, follow the standard lower-of-CPI-or-2% rule.
What is the difference between a small and a large landlord?
A small landlord has 1 to 3 tenancies; a large landlord has 4 or more, or is a company. The rent cap is identical for both. The difference is in ending tenancies: small landlords keep extra grounds such as family use or sale in hardship, while large landlords can only end a tenancy for tenant breach or where the property is no longer suitable for the household.
Does the 2% cap apply outside Dublin?
Yes. Since 1 March 2026 the cap applies nationwide, in every city, town, and rural area. Location no longer matters for rent reviews; only the tenancy start date and the property type do.
Is this rent increase calculator official?
No. This is a free estimating tool from Rentalize that applies the published 2026 rules using official CSO index data. The RTB is the official source. Always confirm against the official RTB calculator and current guidance before serving a notice.
Stop calculating rent reviews by hand
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