As a landlord, you must: 

● Register the tenancy every year with the RTB and update them about any changes to the tenancy, such as a change in rent 

● Provide your tenant with a rent book or statement of rent paid 

● Make sure that the property meets certain minimum standards (though the standards for food preparation, storage and laundry purposes do not apply to AHBs)

● Repair and maintain the inside of the property to the standard it was in at the start of the tenancy 

● Repair and maintain the structure of the property 

● Provide a Building Energy Rating (BER) for the property 

● Reimburse tenants for any repairs they make which are your responsibility ● Insure the property (if it is impossible to get insurance, or if the cost is unreasonable, this doesn’t apply) 

● Provide the tenant with information about any agents who are authorised to deal with them on your behalf (such as management companies, agencies, personal representatives) 

● Ensure that the tenant knows how to contact you or your agent 

● Give private tenants 90 days’ notice of a rent review and follow the rules about how often you can do this (AHBs should give notice “as soon as is practicable”)

● Provide tenants with a valid written notice of termination and follow all the rules around terminating a tenancy 

The landlord must ensure that the property does not have damp and is structurally sound internally and externally. 

This means that roofs, roofing tiles, slates, windows, floors, ceilings, walls, stairs, doors, skirting boards, fascia, tiles on any floor, ceiling and wall, gutters, down pipes, fittings, furnishings, gardens and common areas must be kept in good condition. They must not be defective because of dampness or for any other reason. 

The landlord must also ensure that: 

● Electricity or gas supplies are safe and in good repair 

● Every room is adequately ventilated with heating that tenants can control ● Every room has both natural and artificial lighting

Private landlords must provide their tenants with access to: 

● A washing machine 

● A clothes-dryer if the property does not have a private garden or yard They must also provide facilities for cooking and for the hygienic storage of food, including: 

● A 4-ring hob with oven and grill 

● A cooker hood or extractor fan 

● A fridge and freezer, or a fridge-freezer 

● A microwave oven 

● Suitable and adequate storage cupboards for storing food and non-food items (for example, cleaning products) 

● Sink with mains water supply of cold drinking water, piped supply of hot water and draining area 

● A sink with hot and cold water 

● A separate room, for the exclusive use of each rented unit, with a toilet, a washbasin and a fixed bath or shower with hot and cold water. These facilities must be maintained in good working order and the room must be well ventilated. 

● A permanently fixed heater in each bathroom or shower room. These must be working well and be properly maintained. 

● A fixed heating appliance in each room, which provides enough heat for the room and can be controlled by the tenant. There should also be suitable facilities for removing fumes. 

● A fire blanket and fire detection and alarm system 

● Access to vermin-proof and pest-proof rubbish storage facilities. The landlord must also make efforts to prevent the infestation of pests and vermin at the property.

● Safety restrictors on windows that are located above a certain height, to prevent falls ● Information on the property, building services, appliances and their maintenance requirements 

● A carbon monoxide alarm which must be suitably located and maintained If a landlord fails to meet the minimum standards, they can be penalised and prosecuted.

Landlords must register residential tenancies with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) every year and update the RTB if information about a tenancy changes. 

The RTB uses this information to keep a public register of tenancies. The register shows the address of the property and the number of bedrooms. It does not show the identity of the landlord or the tenants, or the amount of rent paid. 

Since 4 April 2022, landlords have to register their tenancies annually. Tenancies must be registered every year, within a month of the date of when the tenancy began. 

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 sets out the requirement for tenancies to be registered annually.

Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) are areas where rents are highest and rising quickly. An area must meet certain criteria to become an RPZ. In these areas, annual rent increases are capped. 

RPZs were introduced on 24 December 2016. They were due to end on 31 December 2024, but the Government extended them until 31 December 2025. 

See below for the list of areas that are Rent Pressure Zones. 

While a dwelling should be left clean and tidy when the tenant leaves, a landlord cannot expect the dwelling to be returned in the same condition it was presented in at the beginning of the tenancy. The tenant should not do anything which causes damage to the property beyond normal wear and tear. 

It can be difficult to identify what is normal wear and tear and what is excess wear and tear 

A landlord must take the following into consideration when determining what is considered normal wear and tear: 

● the length of the tenancy, 

● the number of occupants in the dwelling, 

● whether or not there were children living in the dwelling, 

● whether any deterioration to fixtures, furnishings, walls or floor coverings reflected “ordinary and reasonable use”, and other relevant matters including: 

○ the condition and age of fixtures and furnishings at the commencement of the tenancy 

○ type of flooring (carpet, tiles, wood or laminate) 

Scuffs and scrapes are unavoidable, for example a dwelling a dwelling with 5 occupants would be expected to show more signs of wear and tear when compared to a dwelling that is occupied by a single person. 

Dwellings require painting at reasonable intervals and furniture, fittings and appliances have an expected life span. 

Damages which would be considered excess of reasonable wear and tear would likely include: 

– holes in walls and doors 

– burn marks 

– excessive staining to carpets 

– missing fixtures

– smoke damage in the event that smoking was expressly prohibited 

– torn curtains 

– broken glass in windows 

However, what is considered reasonable wear and tear after one month is different to reasonable wear and tear after a tenancy of ten years’ duration. 

you cannot ask for upfront payments of more than 2 month’s rent when renting out a property. This includes a deposit of a month’s rent and one month’s rent in advance. This came in under the Residential Tenancies (No.2) Act 2021. Students in student-specific tenancies can opt-out of this restriction and pay a larger upfront payment if they want. However, this opt-out is only allowed if the student is paying rent and tuition to the same provider, such as a public or private educational provider. 

You can only withhold a tenant’s deposit if: 

● The tenant has not given you proper notice when ending the tenancy ● You have been left with unpaid rent or outstanding bills, for example for electricity or gas 

● The tenant has caused damage beyond normal wear and tear 

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provides for a tenancy deposit protection scheme, where the RTB would manage and hold deposits for tenants and landlords. These provisions are not yet in effect. 

Landlords and/or their authorised agents may request access at reasonable intervals to carry out repairs or inspections of the property. This must be done at a date/time agreed with you in advance. If a suggested time is not convenient, an alternative should be arranged as soon as possible. There is no legal minimum period of notice that must be given (e.g. 24 hours). It is a matter of what is agreed between you and your landlord/agent. 

Unless there is an emergency situation (e.g. fire or flood), a landlord should not call to the property unannounced or enter the property without your permission. 

If renting on a room-by-room basis the landlord may access the common areas without consent and may show vacant rooms to prospective tenants. 

A tenant cannot change the locks without the landlord’s consent and the landlord would be entitled to a key for emergencies. 

Letting agents typically charge between 6% and 10% of either the monthly or annual rent for their services, though VAT is often not included in the quoted price—so it’s important to clarify this upfront. Some agents may also charge a fixed fee instead of a percentage. In many cases, it’s standard for letting agents to take the first month’s rent as their letting fee.

As mentioned, the general fee range is 6% to 10%, but for comprehensive property management services, the cost usually falls between 6% and 12% of the rent.