Ireland's deposit protection scheme: why it never started, and what you can do now

By the DepositSafe team · Updated 13 October 2026 · 7 minute read

General information, not legal advice. The law changes, and every tenancy is different. For your own case, check the Residential Tenancies Board (rtb.ie), Threshold or a solicitor.

The short answer

Ireland has no working deposit protection scheme. The law to create one, run by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), was passed in 2015, but the government never switched it on. So in 2026 most rental deposits still sit with the landlord or the letting agent until the tenancy ends, and a tenant who disagrees about deductions has to go to the RTB after the money has already been kept.

What the 2015 law says

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 added a deposit scheme to the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. Under it, landlords would pay each deposit over to the RTB at the start of the tenancy, and the RTB would hold it and return it at the end. Those sections are still marked "not commenced" in the revised acts: they are law on paper, but they need a commencement order from the Minister before they apply to anyone. You can see this in the revised text of section 135A of the 2004 Act.

Where your deposit sits today

With no scheme in force, the deposit is paid to the landlord or the agent and held by them. The landlord must return it promptly when the tenancy ends. Under section 12(1)(d) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, they can keep part of it only for rent arrears, other charges the tenant owes under the tenancy, or the cost of damage beyond normal wear and tear.

Normal wear and tear is not a reason to keep a deposit: faded paint, light marks from furniture or a worn carpet in a well-used room are part of living in a home. Damage beyond that, such as a broken window or a burn on a worktop, can be deducted, but the landlord should be able to show it. See what a landlord can deduct.

How much a landlord can ask for

For tenancies created since August 2021, a landlord can ask for a deposit of no more than one month's rent, plus an advance payment of rent of no more than one month's rent. That is section 19B of the 2004 Act, added by the Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 (revised text). Students in student-specific accommodation can choose to pay more rent in advance if the landlord agrees. More in our guide to deposit rules in Ireland.

Why it matters: deposit disputes keep growing

The RTB logged more than 1,800 deposit-related requests in 2024, 65% more than in 2021 (TheJournal.ie). Because the landlord already holds the money, the tenant is the one who has to start a dispute, wait for an outcome, and in the meantime find a deposit for the next home.

Is anything changing?

Two proposals are in front of the Oireachtas.

The Protection of Tenants' Deposits Bill 2025 would require the 2015 deposit provisions to be commenced within 90 days of the bill passing. It was initiated at Dáil First Stage on 13 February 2025 (Oireachtas).
Threshold's Deposit Protection Scheme Bill, drafted by the national housing charity, proposes an independent third party that holds deposits for the whole tenancy at no extra cost to tenants or landlords, and returns them at the end unless the landlord claims evidenced expenses (TheJournal.ie).

Neither is law yet. We will update this guide when either moves forward.

If you have rented in the UK

The rules are different. In England and Wales, landlords have had to protect deposits in a government-approved scheme since 2007, and in Northern Ireland since 2013. Guidance you find on gov.uk or Northern Ireland sites does not apply to a tenancy in the Republic of Ireland. Our Ireland vs UK comparison sets out the differences.

What you can do now as a tenant

Record the condition at move-in. Take dated photos and videos of every room, meters and appliances, and agree an inventory with the landlord in writing.
Keep every receipt and message about the deposit, the rent and any repairs.
At the end, ask for the deposit back in writing, and ask for evidence of any deduction: photos, quotes or invoices. Our guide My landlord won't return my deposit has a letter you can send.
If you cannot agree, go to the RTB. It offers free mediation, or adjudication (€30), where an independent adjudicator makes a legally binding decision (RTB dispute options). The RTB sets a time limit for each type of dispute, some as short as 28 days after the tenancy ends, and extends them only in exceptional circumstances, so apply as soon as you know you cannot agree and check the limit for your case on rtb.ie. Our guide on referring a deposit dispute to the RTB walks through it.

What you can do now as a landlord

Agree a written inventory with photos at the start, and do the same at the end.
Keep quotes or invoices for any repair you deduct, and explain each deduction to the tenant.
Return the undisputed part of the deposit promptly, even if one item is still being discussed.

Protecting a deposit without waiting for the law

Nothing stops a landlord and a tenant from agreeing that a neutral third party holds the deposit at the riskiest moment, before the tenant has the keys. That is what DepositSafe does: the tenant pays the deposit by card into escrow, neither side can take it alone, and it is released to the landlord only after the tenant confirms the move-in. It is not a substitute for the scheme the law describes: once released, the deposit is held by the landlord for the rest of the tenancy. The RTB remains open to both sides throughout.

Protect your next deposit until you have the keys. Setting up a contract takes a few minutes.

See how it works