Tenancy notice periods, in plain English
End a tenancy the right way and the timeline is predictable. Get one detail wrong and the notice is invalid, which means the tenancy hasn't ended and you start the whole clock again. Here's exactly how much notice to give, what a notice has to say to count, and what the 1 March 2026 rules changed.
How much notice a landlord gives
For a no-fault ending, where you're not ending it because the tenant broke the rules, the notice you owe depends on how long they've lived there. The longer the tenancy, the more notice.
| How long they've lived there | Notice you give |
|---|---|
| Less than 6 months | 90 days |
| 6 months to 1 year | 152 days |
| 1 to 7 years | 180 days |
| 7 to 8 years | 196 days |
| 8 years or more | 224 days |
If the tenant is at fault, shorter periods apply
| Situation | Notice |
|---|---|
| Serious anti-social behaviour, or damage to the property | 7 days, no warning needed |
| Rent arrears | a 28-day warning to pay, then 28 days' notice if it's still unpaid |
| Another breach of their obligations | a warning and reasonable time to put it right, then 28 days' notice |
How much notice your tenant gives
Your tenant owes you notice too, on the same kind of sliding scale. They don't have to give a reason unless they're leaving because you breached your obligations.
| How long they've lived there | Notice they give |
|---|---|
| Less than 6 months | 28 days |
| 6 months to 1 year | 35 days |
| 1 to 2 years | 42 days |
| 2 to 4 years | 56 days |
| 4 to 8 years | 84 days |
| 8 years or more | 112 days |
Shorter notice a tenant can give
| Situation | Notice |
|---|---|
| In student-specific accommodation | 28 days |
| The property is a danger to life or safety | 7 days |
| You've breached your obligations (after written notice and time to fix) | 28 days |
What makes a notice valid
This is the part landlords trip over. A Notice of Termination only works if it's complete. Miss anything and it's invalid. The tenancy doesn't end, and you're back to the start.
Every notice has to:
- ✓Be in writing: a letter or an email.
- ✓Be signed by you, or by your agent.
- ✓State the date you serve it: the day the tenant gets it.
- ✓State the termination date, and say the tenant has the full 24 hours of that day to leave.
- ✓State the reason you're ending the tenancy, where a reason is required.
- ✓Tell the tenant their dispute deadline: 90 days to bring a no-fault dispute to the RTB, or 28 days for arrears or a breach.
The slip that catches most people
Copy it to the RTB the same day.
On the day you serve the notice on your tenant, send a copy to the RTB as well. Miss that and the notice is invalid. This has been the rule since July 2022, so it isn't new in 2026, and you file it at services.rtb.ie.
Some reasons need an extra document
| Why you're ending it | What you also need |
|---|---|
| The property no longer suits the tenant's needs | a statement |
| Substantial refurbishment | a statement and a statutory declaration |
| You're selling | a statutory declaration |
| You or a family member will live there | a statutory declaration |
| Change of use | a statutory declaration |
A statutory declaration is sworn in person, in front of a commissioner for oaths, a solicitor, a notary or a peace commissioner, and it commits you to offering the tenancy back if the property comes up to rent again within 12 months.
What changed on 1 March 2026
The reform didn't change the notice periods above. It changed the grounds you can use to end a tenancy, and it gave tenants security of tenure sooner. This applies to tenancies created on or after 1 March 2026. Earlier ones keep the previous grounds.
Security of tenure after six months
Once a tenant has been in the property for six continuous months without a valid notice, they're secure for the rest of a six-year cycle. In the first six months you can still end the tenancy for any reason, with a valid notice, copied to the RTB the same day.
Small landlord: 1 to 3 tenancies, not a company.
You can end a tenancy for: a tenant breach; the property no longer suiting the tenant's needs; hardship sale; or you or close family needing to live there. The broader grounds come back at the end of the six-year cycle: family occupation, sale, substantial refurbishment, change of use.
Large landlord: 4+ tenancies, or any company.
Only two grounds during the cycle: a tenant breach, or the property no longer suiting the tenant's needs. You can't end for sale, family occupation, refurbishment or change of use at any point in the cycle.
Rent rises during the six years are capped, our rent increase calculator does the maths.
When a tenant won't leave
Overholding is when a tenant stays past the end of a valid notice. (If the notice was invalid, there's no overholding, the tenancy never ended.) They should keep paying rent, and taking that rent doesn't mean you've agreed to let them stay.
What you can do
Bring it to the RTB. The RTB can order the tenant to leave, and if they still don't, you apply to the District Court to enforce that order.
What you can't do
You can't change the locks, cut off services, or move their belongings out while the tenancy still exists. That's an illegal eviction, and the cost of it lands on you. The RTB route is the only lawful one, which is the quiet case for getting the tenant right the first time.
Free notice templates
The RTB publishes free sample Notices of Termination and statutory declarations for every reason, they're the authoritative versions, kept current, so use those rather than writing your own.
Common questions
How much notice does a tenant have to give?
Between 28 and 112 days, depending on how long they've lived there: 28 days under six months, rising to 112 days at eight years or more. Less in a few cases: 28 days in student-specific accommodation, or 7 days if the property is a danger to life or safety.
How much notice does a landlord have to give?
For a no-fault ending, between 90 and 224 days depending on the tenancy length. Much shorter when the tenant is at fault: 28 days for rent arrears or a breach after a warning, and 7 days for serious anti-social behaviour.
What makes a notice of termination invalid?
Anything missing: no signature, no service date, no termination date, the wrong notice period, or the statement or statutory declaration your reason needs. The most common slip is forgetting to copy the RTB on the same day. An invalid notice doesn't end the tenancy. It restarts the clock.
What is overholding?
When a tenant stays past the end of a valid notice. They should keep paying rent, and your only lawful route to get the property back is the RTB, then the District Court. You can't change the locks or cut off services.
Do I have to send the notice to the RTB?
Yes. A copy of every Notice of Termination goes to the RTB on the same day you serve it on the tenant, or the notice is invalid. It's been the rule since July 2022, and you file it at services.rtb.ie.
A notice is only as good as the tenant behind it.
Under a six-year tenancy, the tenant you pick is the decision that protects you. RightTenantry analyses every applicant and ranks your shortlist fairly, with the evidence in front of you. Your first three are free.
These figures come from the RTB. Tenancy law is changing, so check the current position on the RTB's notices of termination pages before you serve notice.
This is general information for Irish landlords, not legal or financial advice. The rules change, so check the current position with the RTB before you act.