Guide to letting your property in Dublin

What you need to have in place before a tenant moves in, and what the law expects of landlords during a tenancy.

Before you let

  • Mortgage and insurance. If the home has a mortgage, get your lender's consent to let it. Switch to landlord insurance.
  • BER certificate. Required before the property is advertised, and the rating must appear in the advert.
  • Minimum standards. Rented homes must meet the legal standards for rented housing, including heating that tenants can control, proper ventilation, safe gas and electrics, fire safety equipment, and cooking and laundry facilities.
  • Tax. Rental income is taxable. Register with Revenue, and keep records of the expenses you can deduct.

Setting the rent

Rent should reflect what similar homes nearby are letting for, and it must follow the legal limits on rent and rent increases. The RTB publishes the current rules and a calculator. Agency Dublin's rental valuation gives you a realistic figure based on recent local lettings.

Finding and choosing a tenant

Check ID and references from a previous landlord and an employer. You can't refuse a tenant on any of the grounds covered by equality law, including family status and receiving housing assistance.

Starting the tenancy

  • Take no more than one month's rent as a deposit and one month's rent in advance.
  • Sign a written lease, and agree an inventory with photos on the day the tenant moves in.
  • Register the tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). Registration is renewed every year.
  • Give the tenant your contact details, or your agent's, for repairs.

During and after the tenancy

Carry out repairs promptly and give reasonable notice before inspections. Rent reviews and ending a tenancy both need written notices in the form the law sets out, with the correct notice periods. A notice that is wrong in any detail can be invalid, which is one of the main reasons landlords use an agent.

With full management, Agency Dublin handles all of this for you. See letting and property management.

Last reviewed September 2026. Landlord rules change often. Check rtb.ie and revenue.ie for the current rules. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.