Be ready before you view
Have these ready so you can apply the same day:
- Photo ID for everyone who will be on the lease.
- A reference from your current or previous landlord.
- An employer's reference or recent payslips. Students can use a guarantor.
- Recent bank statements, if asked.
Request a viewing from any listing on this site. Agency Dublin will reply to arrange a time.
What you pay up front
By law, a landlord can't ask for more than one month's rent as a deposit and one month's rent in advance at the start of a tenancy. Always get a receipt. The deposit is returned at the end of the tenancy, less any money owed for rent or for damage beyond normal wear and tear.
Your lease and the RTB
Your landlord must register the tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). Read the lease before you sign it: it should state the rent, when it is due, who is responsible for bills, and the rules on pets and subletting.
Your rights as a tenant
- The home must meet the minimum standards for rented housing, including heating, ventilation, safe electrics and a working smoke alarm.
- Rent can only be reviewed at the intervals the law allows, and increases are limited. The landlord must give you written notice of a new rent.
- Your landlord must give you proper written notice to end a tenancy, and can only do so for the reasons set out in law.
- If there is a dispute, the RTB offers mediation and adjudication.
Moving out
Give written notice in line with your lease and the law. Leave the home clean, return all keys, and agree a date for the final inspection so your deposit can be returned quickly.
Last reviewed September 2026. Rules for renting change often. rtb.ie has the current rules, including rent limits and notice periods. This guide is general information, not legal advice.