Eviction increase shows rental market ‘out of control’, TD says

A surge in evictions at the end of last year represent a rental system “out of control”, opposition TDs have argued.

The latest data from the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) shows that it received 5,207 notices of termination in the last quarter of last year – a 41% annual increase.

More than 60% of these were because the landlord said they intended to sell the property.

The RTB director’s quarterly update states that the Irish rental market grew in the fourth quarter of 2025 – while landlords with more than 100 tenancies continued to increase.

Nationally, registered private tenancies rose by 1.1% year-on-year to 243,598 in the last three months of last year.

An analysis conducted with the ESRI showed that, nationally, average rents continued to rise in Q3 – with rents growing by 5.4% for new tenancies and 4.6% for existing tenancies.

The average rent was 1,776 euro for new tenancies and 1,494 euro for existing agreements.

The figures represent a period months before the Government’s new rental reforms began on March 1, which opposition parties said would fuel rates of homelessness further.

The latest Department of Housing figures show that 17,112 accessed emergency accommodation during the last week of January: 11,793 adults and 5,319 children.

Sinn Fein housing spokesman Eoin O Broin was among opposition spokespeople calling for a no-fault eviction ban.

He said thousands of renters face higher rents or homelessness following a surge in eviction notices.

“Renters are now in an even more vulnerable position than they were before the Government’s controversial rent legislation was passed into law.

“The RTB report also confirms that both new and existing rents continue to rise in the year to September 2025 – and this is before the new rent setting rules have kicked in.”

Labour housing spokesman Conor Sheehan said the number of notices of termination was “completely unsustainable”.

He said: “We have had four confirmed mass evictions in 2026 alone with more yet to come and the Government are sitting back and facilitating this with their rent hike bill.”

Calling for an eviction ban, he added: “Renters need emergency protections against Fine Gael and Fianna Fail’s rental disaster.”

People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett said the eviction data shows the housing and homelessness crisis is “still out of control”.

He also called for an eviction ban and a dramatic ramp-up of the tenant-in-situ scheme.