Eviction fears soar as Threshold blasts short-let delay

Housing charity Threshold has sharply criticised the Government’s decision to delay the introduction of a national short-term lets register until December, warning that thousands of renters are now facing mounting insecurity amid what it described as a worsening housing emergency.

The charity said the postponement comes at the worst possible time, pointing to new figures from the Residential Tenancies Board showing that 7,062 Notices of Termination were issued in the first quarter of 2026, the highest quarterly figure recorded since 2022 and a 50 per cent increase on the same period last year.

Threshold said the figures highlight the growing pressure facing renters across Dublin and the rest of the country, with more households being pushed towards homelessness while properties that could be used for long-term renting continue to operate as short-term tourist accommodation.

“The reality is that this summer, tourists will be in homes while families will be in hotels,” the charity said in a statement.

Threshold accused the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, of failing to progress EU-mandated legislation required to establish a register of short-term lets.

The organisation argued that even returning a small proportion of short-term lets to the long-term rental market could make an immediate difference for renters struggling to secure accommodation.

“There is no credible justification for delay,” Threshold said.

The charity said short-term let operators have known for years that tighter regulation was coming and noted that planning guidance requiring change-of-use permission for certain short-term lets has been in place since 2019.

Threshold rejected suggestions that the Government should wait for a new National Planning Statement before moving ahead with the register, insisting that the legislation should be brought before the Dáil immediately.

While acknowledging that short-term lets are not the sole cause of Ireland’s housing crisis, Threshold said they could still form part of the solution by helping return homes to long-term use more quickly than major housing developments can be delivered.

The charity also revealed that it had seen a 30 per cent increase in renters contacting the organisation about Notices of Termination during the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

According to Threshold, many tenants have told the organisation that some landlords are issuing termination notices because they are confused or fearful about rental law changes introduced on March 1 this year.

Threshold stressed that tenancies which began before March 1 remain subject to the previous rules, meaning landlords can still regain possession of their property by issuing a valid Notice of Termination.

“There is no six-year minimum term for a lease on tenancies which commenced before 1 March of this year,” the charity said.

Threshold said both the RTB and the Department of Housing have been attempting to clarify the rules to landlords since last summer, but warned that growing confusion is still contributing to increased eviction fears among tenants.

The organisation described housing as “a national emergency” and said the Government should be using every available measure to maximise long-term housing supply rather than delaying reforms.

Threshold is now calling on the Government to introduce the short-term lets register without further postponement as eviction pressures continue to intensify nationwide.