According to the latest Daft.ie report, rents in Ireland surged by 4.4% between December 2025 and March 2026, marking the largest quarterly increase on record. The spike occurred as the government's new rent control system came into effect, aiming to stabilize the rental market.
The report highlights that the average monthly rent nationwide reached €1,956 in the first quarter of 2026, up from €1,874 in the previous quarter. Dublin saw the steepest rise, with average rents hitting €2,542 per month, a 5.1% increase from the previous quarter.
Housing expert Ronan Lyons from Trinity College Dublin noted that the new rent controls, which limit annual increases to 2% in designated pressure zones, have not yet curbed rising costs due to a severe shortage of supply. 'The fundamental issue remains a lack of available rental properties,' Lyons said in the report.
The number of properties available to rent on March 1, 2026, stood at just 1,200 nationwide, a historic low. This scarcity has driven competition among tenants, pushing rents higher despite the regulatory changes.
