Short Term Letting – New Regulations
In July 2019, the government introduced restrictions around short-term lettings in Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) around the country. A short-term letting is defined as a rental that is for a duration of under 14 days. The regulations differentiate between principal private residences (PPR) and second homes or investment properties.
Under the regulations, planning permission is required for short-term rentals in RPZs. If it were your PPR, you could rent out your property on a short-term basis for up to 90 days without having to seek planning permission. Provided you were residing in the property, renting out rooms is allowable and exempt from requiring planning permission.
From June 20th 2025, the RPZs have been extended throughout the country, and these rules have come into a much sharper focus. The Short Term Letting and Tourism Bill is to come into effect in May 2026. The bill aims to regulate the sector and build on the 2019 regulations. Below are the key features of the new legislation:
- Property owners can let out their PPR for up to 90 days per year without restriction.
- For properties that aren’t one’s PPRs or if you are renting out your PPR on a short-term basis for longer than 90 days, then planning permission is required.
- All short-term letting properties will need to be registered with Failte Ireland.
- In order to register your property, the correct planning permission will be required or in case of a PPR, an exemption applied for through the local authority.
- Failte Ireland will issue registration numbers, which will be required to advertise on short-term letting websites, including Airbnb and booking.com.
- Local authorities will be enforcing the legislation, focusing on both property owners and advertising platforms.
- In population centres of over 10,000 people, planning permission is unlikely to be granted for the short-term letting of individual properties.
Short-term rentals have always been a feature in rural tourist areas throughout the country, they are relatively new in large towns and cities. They provide a more diverse type of accommodation for tourists, but they have greatly reduced options and supply for long-term tenants.
In our experience, when factoring in time and costs, long-term rental can be just as financially rewarding and without many of the headaches associated with short-term rental. If you are considering renting out your property on a long-term basis, talk to us today.