Mayo concerns grow as the government approves new rental laws

The government has formally approved the Residential Tenancies 2026 Bill, with the new legislation set to come into effect on March 1 2026.

The reforms aim to provide tenants with longer-term security through rolling six-year tenancies and a national system of rent control, while also allowing landlords to reset rents to market rates between tenancies.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne T.D., welcomed the Cabinet approval.

“We are in a housing crisis and this is a critical measure to change course and increase supply. The current system is simply not serving those who need a viable and working rental sector. We need reform – and these reforms embed greater certainty for renters and a sector more attractive to grow the amount of rental homes we need.”

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Minister Browne said the Bill will significantly restrict ‘no fault’ evictions and strengthen tenant protections, including for smaller landlords with three or fewer tenancies. He also emphasised measures to grow the rental supply.

“Providing the policy conditions for a sustained increase in supply is essential because it will help ease price pressures across the rental market, and will widen the pool of available rental properties, thereby facilitating greater choice for individuals and families.”

While the government hailed the Bill as a balance between tenant protection and market stability, local councillors in Mayo voiced concern about its potential unintended consequences at County Council meetings.

Several small landlords have reportedly begun serving notices to quit ahead of the March rollout, raising fears of increased homelessness.

Independent Councillor Chris Maxwell said dozens of families in west Mayo are already affected. “People have been told they have to leave their homes where they’ve been living for four years because landlords decided to sell up. This is happening all over Mayo, and I’m sure it’s happening across the country. Instead of helping the housing crisis, these new rules have made it worse,” he said.

Auctioneer and councillor Michael Burke added that the new regulations are driving small landlords out of the market.

“You can get a bad tenant, and you can be stuck with them for a long time [...]. Who wants that?”

Other councillors highlighted a sharp rise in termination notices in Mayo, which jumped from 83 in the fourth quarter of 2024 to an average of 126 by the third quarter of 2025. They warned that uncertainty over the rules could lead to a collapse of rental availability in smaller towns.

Under the new legislation, landlords will only be able to end tenancies for specific reasons. Larger landlords will no longer be able to terminate tenancies to sell, move in, renovate, or change property use, while smaller landlords face similar limits during the first six years of a tenancy.

The government maintains the package strikes a balance between protecting tenants and ensuring the rental market remains viable, but Mayo councillors say immediate attention is needed to prevent disruption to the county’s rental market.

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