What are Rent Pressure Zones (RPZ)?

Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) are areas located in parts of the country where rents are highest and rising, and where households have the greatest difficulty finding affordable accommodation.

What are Rent Pressure Zones?

A Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) is a designated area where rents cannot be increased by more than general inflation, as recorded by the Harmonised Index of the Consumer Price (HICP). Any rent increase in a RPZ can not exceed general inflation, as recorded by Harmonised Index of the Consumer Price (HICP) and the rent previously set, cannot increase by more than 2% per year pro rata, where HICP inflation is higher. This applies to new and existing tenancies (unless an exemption is being applied). 

Rent Pressure Zones are located in parts of the country where rents are highest and rising, and where households have the greatest difficulty finding affordable accommodation. They are intended to moderate the rise in rents in these areas and create a stable and sustainable rental market that allows landlord and tenants to plan financially for their future.

What criteria must an area meet to be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone?

For an area to be designated a Rent Pressure Zone, the following criteria is used: 

  • The standardised average rent in the previous quarter must be above the appropriate reference standardised average rent in the quarter; and 
  • The annual rate of rent inflation in the area must have been 7% or more in four of the last six quarters. 

There are three different standardised average rents (see below), which to use depends on the location of the area being assessed:  

Dublin: The standardised average rent in Dublin is now compared to the National Standardised Average Rent for the propose of RPZ designation. All of Dublin is currently designated as an RPZ. 

GDA: The standardised average rent for LEA’s in the GDA (Meath, Kildare and Wicklow, excluding Dublin) is now compared to the Non-Dublin Standardised Average Rent for the purposes of designating an LEA as an RPZ. The Non-Dublin standardised average rent refers to the standardised average rent in the country, when Dublin is excluded. 

Rest of Country: The standardised average rent for LEA’s in the rest of the country is now compared to the Rest of Country Standardised Average Rent for the purposes of designating an LEA as an RPZ. The Rest of Country standardised average rent refers to the standardised average rent in the country, when Dublin and the GDA are excluded. 

The new legislation extends all current Rent Pressure Zones out until 31 December 2024. To find out if you are in a Rent Pressure Zone you can type your address into the RPZ Rent Calculator.  

Outlined below is the list of the Local Authority (LA) areas and Local Electoral Areas (LEAs) that have been designated as Rent Pressure Zones and the dates they were designated.: All of the RPZs listed below will remain designated as a RPZ until 31 December 2024.  

Where are Rent Pressure Zones currently? 

24th December 2016 

Cork City Council  

Dublin City Council  

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council 

Fingal County Council 

South Dublin County Council  

27th January 2017 

Ballincollig – Carrigaline LEA, Co. Cork  

Galway City Central LEA, Co. Galway 

Galway City East LEA, Co, Galway 

Galway City West LEA, Co. Galway 

Celbridge-Leixlip LEA, Co. Kildare 

Naas LEA, Co. Kildare 

Newbridge LEA, Co. Kildare 

Ashbourne LEA, Co. Meath 

Laytown-Bettystown LEA, Co. Meath 

Ratoath LEA, Co. Meath 

Bray LEA, Co. Wicklow 

Wicklow LEA, Co. Wicklow 

24th March 2017 

Cobh LEA, Co. Cork 

Maynooth LEA, Co. Kildare 

22nd September 2017 

Drogheda LEA, Co. Louth  

Greystones LEA, Co. Wicklow 

28th March 2019 

Limerick City East LEA, Co. Limerick 

Navan LEA, Co. Meath  

2nd July 2019 

Fermoy LEA, Co. Cork 

Midleton LEA, Co. Cork 

Athenry-Oranmore LEA, Co. Galway 

Gort-Kinvara LEA, Co. Galway 

Kilkenny LEA, Co. Kilkenny 

Graiguecullen-Portarlington LEA, Co. Laois  

Portlaoise LEA, Co. Laois  

Limerick City North LEA, Co. Limerick 

Limerick City West LEA, Co. Limerick 

Ardee LEA, Co. Louth  

Dundalk-Carlingford LEA, Co. Louth  

Dundalk South LEA, Co. Louth  

Kells LEA, Co. Meath 

Trim LEA, Co. Meath 

Waterford City East LEA, Co. Waterford 

Waterford City South LEA, Co. Waterford 

Athlone LEA, Co. Westmeath 

Gorey LEA, Co. Wexford 

Arklow LEA, Co. Wicklow 

26th September 2019 

Carlow LEA, Co. Carlow  

Macroom LEA, Co. Cork  

18th December 2019 

Cobh LEA, Co. Cork 

Piltown LEA, Co. Kilkenny  

Sligo-Strandhill LEA, Co. Sligo  

Baltinglass LEA, Co. Wicklow  

22nd April 2020 

Mallow LEA, Co. Cork 

Killarney LEA, Co. Kerry 

Athy LEA, Co. Kildare 

Tullamore LEA, Co. Offaly 

Mullingar LEA, Co. Westmeath 

16th July 2020 

Bandon-Kinsale LEA, Co. Cork 

29th September 2020  

Kildare County Council