RTB Notice Periods Ireland — Full Guide 2026

Serving a valid notice of termination is one of the most legally sensitive tasks an Irish landlord faces. Get the notice period wrong — even by a single day — and the RTB will rule the notice invalid, leaving you back at square one. This guide covers every notice period required under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004–2022.

Notice periods by tenancy duration (2022 rules)

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2021 substantially increased notice periods, effective from June 2022. The following periods apply to most standard terminations where the landlord is not relying on a specific ground (e.g. sale of property, own use):

Tenancy duration	Notice period required
Less than 6 months	90 days
6 months to 1 year	152 days
1 year to 2 years	180 days
2 years to 3 years	196 days
3 years to 4 years	224 days
4 years to 5 years	238 days
5 years to 6 years	252 days
6 years or more	266 days

Shorter notice periods for specific grounds

Where the landlord is terminating on a specific ground under Schedule 2 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, different (shorter) notice periods apply:

Non-payment of rent: 28 days
Anti-social behaviour (serious): 7 days
Anti-social behaviour (less serious): 28 days
Breach of tenant obligations (other): 28 days

Grounds for termination (Section 34)

After six months of a tenancy, a landlord can only terminate on one of the grounds listed in Schedule 2 of the Act. The most common grounds are:

Non-payment of rent
Breach of tenant obligations (anti-social behaviour, damage to property)
The property is required for the landlord's own use or that of a family member
The property is being sold (vacant possession required)
The property is being substantially refurbished (planning permission required)
The landlord is changing use — e.g. residential to commercial

How to serve a valid RTB notice

A notice of termination must be in writing and served on the tenant. It must state: the date of the notice, the grounds for termination (after 6 months), the date of termination, the period of notice, and must advise the tenant of their right to refer a dispute to the RTB.

The notice can be served by handing it directly to the tenant, leaving it at the property, or sending it by registered post. Registered post is strongly recommended — it provides a date-stamped proof of service.

Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) implications

If your property is in an RPZ (which covers most urban areas in Ireland), you must use the RPZ rent calculator to determine the maximum permitted rent increase before serving a Section 12 rent review notice. Rent increases are capped at HICP general inflation, with a maximum of 2% per year. You must give 90 days' notice for any rent increase in an RPZ.

Common mistakes that invalidate RTB notices

Using the wrong notice period for the tenancy duration
Failing to state the grounds for termination (required after 6 months)
Not including the tenant's right to refer to the RTB
Serving by ordinary post without registered post confirmation
Calculating the termination date from the wrong start date
Not registering the tenancy with the RTB before serving notice