Tenant’s right to stay in a rented property - Residential Tenancies Board

Tenant’s right to stay in a rented property

What is ‘security of tenure’?

Security of tenure is a tenant’s right to stay in a rented property after an initial period.

Once a tenant has lived in a property for a continuous 6 months without a valid Notice of Termination served within that period, they have security of tenure and can only be evicted for specific legal reasons.

The amount of time you are entitled to stay in rented accommodation after the first 6 months depends on when your tenancy began. For tenancies created from 1 March 2026, it also depends on how many tenancies your landlord has.

Security of tenure is also known as Part 4 tenancy rights, referring to Part 4 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, which deals with security of tenure.

What security of tenure protections apply to my tenancy?

During the first six months of a tenancy, a landlord can end a tenancy for any reason. They must still serve you with a valid Notice of Termination and send a copy to the RTB on the same day.

You have security of tenure when:

  • When you have lived continuously in a property for six months
    and
  • Your landlord has not served you with a valid Notice of Termination in that time

Your landlord can now only evict you for specific legal reasons. The reasons a landlord can end your tenancy depend on the date your tenancy started.

Tenancy created from 1 March 2026: Small landlord (1-3 tenancies) Your tenancy is subject to rolling 6-year Tenancies of Minimum Duration (TMD).

During a 6-year tenancy cycle After 6 months, your landlord can only end your tenancy on very limited grounds during the 6-year tenancy cycle. These are:
  • -If you do not meet your obligations, including not paying rent.
  • -If the property is no longer suitable for your needs.
  • -If they need to sell the property due to financial hardship.
  • -If the landlord or a close family member needs to live in the property.

At the end of a 6-year tenancy cycle At the end of your 6-year Tenancy of Minimum Duration, your landlord can the tenancy for additional reasons. These are:
  • -If they want to sell the property
  • -If they or a family member need to live in the property
  • -If they plan to substantially refurbish or renovate the property
  • -If they plan to change the use of the property

If your landlord does not end your tenancy at the end of a 6-year tenancy cycle, a new 6-year Tenancy of Minimum Duration begins.
Tenancy created from 1 March 2026: Large landlord (4+ tenancies) After 6 months, you have a tenancy of unlimited duration. This means that you have the right to stay in the property without a set end date, once:
  • -You have lived in the property continuously for 6 months.
  • -You have not been served with a valid Notice of Termination within that 6-month period.
  • -The landlord does not have any legal reason to end the tenancy.

Your landlord can only legally end your tenancy:
  • -If you do not meet your obligations, including not paying rent.
  • -If the property is no longer suitable for your needs.
Tenancy created between 11 June 2022 and 28 February 2026: All landlord sizes After 6 months, you have a tenancy of unlimited duration.
This means that you have the right to stay in the property without a set end date, once:
  • -You have lived in the property continuously for 6 months.
  • -You have not been served with a valid Notice of Termination within that 6-month period.
  • -The landlord does not have any legal reason to end the tenancy.

Your landlord can only legally end your tenancy if:
  • -You breached your obligations in your tenancy agreement. For example, by not paying their rent.
  • -The property is no longer suitable for your needs. For example, it is too small.
  • -The landlord plans to sell the property within 9 months.
  • -The landlord or an immediate family member needs to live in the property. This only applies to private landlords.
  • -The landlord plans to carry out substantial refurbishments to the property.
  • -The landlord plans to change the use of the property, for example to convert it into an office.
Part 4 tenancies started between 25 December 2016 and 10 June 2022: All landlord sizes Your tenancy follows a 6-year Part 4 tenancy cycle:
After 6 months of living continuously in the property (without a valid Notice of Termination being served) you get Part 4 tenancy rights. This means you have the right to stay in the property for a further 5 ½ years, unless the tenancy is legally ended.

During a 6-year Part 4 tenancy: Your landlord can only legally end your tenancy if:
  • -You breached your obligations in your tenancy agreement. For example, by not paying their rent.
  • -The property is no longer suitable for your needs. For example, it is too small.
  • -The landlord plans to sell the property within 9 months.
  • -The landlord or an immediate family member need to live in the property. This only applies to private landlords.
  • -The landlord plans to carry out substantial refurbishments to the property.
  • -The landlord plans to change the use of the property, for example to convert it into an office.

At the end of a 6-year Part 4 tenancy:
  • -Your landlord can end the tenancy at the end of the 6-year Part 4 cycle without giving a reason.
  • -If your landlord does not end the tenancy at the end of this cycle, it automatically becomes a tenancy of unlimited duration.

By 11 June 2028, all tenancies will be tenancies of unlimited duration. This is because all existing 6-year Part 4 tenancy cycles will have ended by then.

Fixed term tenancies

A fixed term tenancy is agreed for a specific period (for example one year). However, Part 4 rights apply alongside it, meaning you still get security of tenure after 6 months of living continuously in the property (once a valid notice of termination has not been served within that period).

Even if a fixed term agreement ends, you have the right to stay in the property under Part 4 rules unless the landlord has a legal reason to end the tenancy.

If you have a fixed-term tenancy and you want to stay in the property under a Part 4 tenancy, you must notify your landlord of your intention to stay. You must notify them no earlier than 3 months and no later than one month before your fixed term agreement expires.

Special cases

Approved Housing Body (AHB) tenants

Most tenants in AHB housing have security of tenure after 6 months, except those in transitional housing (typically lasting 18 months or less).

Student specific accommodation

Security of tenure rules do not apply to student specific accommodation

Landlord lives in one of two properties that was originally a single dwelling

Security of tenure rules do not apply in the following situation:

  • The building has been divided into two separate properties but was originally a single dwelling,
  • The landlord lives in one of the two properties, and
  • Before the tenancy started, the landlord served the tenant with a notice in writing stating that Part 4 tenancy rules would not apply.

Lettings connected to employment

Security of tenure rules do not apply where your entitlement to live in the property is tied to your employment. You must leave the property when your contract of employment ends.