Major legislative changes under the Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026 have come into force across Ireland, granting the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) enhanced enforcement powers and opening dispute adjudication hearings to the public.

Under the statutory framework, the RTB can now issue fixed payment notices of €100 or €200 for six specific administrative and compliance breaches of tenancy law. On-the-spot fines apply to failures to register a tenancy, failures to update tenancy register details, non-provision of required rent-setting data at tenancy commencement, setting rent above statutory limits in Rent Pressure Zones, failure to notify the board of a rent exemption, and serving invalid rent review notices. The administrative fines complement the board's existing powers to launch formal investigations and criminal prosecutions, which can result in court fines of up to €5,000.

In a move designed to enhance transparency, all RTB dispute adjudication hearings are now open to the public, aligning them with existing tribunal hearing procedures. Weekly schedules will be published on the RTB website, and full adjudication reports—containing party names, property locations, evidence presented, and final determinations—will be made available online for applications submitted under the new rules.

The legislation also revises procedural requirements for landlords and property management agencies. Landlords are granted seven days to submit copies of notices of termination or rent reviews to the RTB after serving them to tenants, relaxing a previous requirement for simultaneous same-day service. Property owners also receive a extended timeframe of one month to furnish prescribed rent-setting compliance data to the board. Additionally, dispute notification windows and appeal timeframes have been shortened to accelerate case resolutions.

Speaking on the reforms, RTB Director Rosemary Steen stated that the measures strengthen the regulatory body's capacity to enforce rental law, improve sector transparency, and deliver a more effective service for both tenants and landlords.