Budget 2027: What Changed for Dublin Landlords

Budget 2027 was announced in October, and if you own a rental property in Dublin the honest summary is that very little in it was aimed at you. The rental measures that made the headlines are mostly tenant-facing, and the one relief built specifically for small landlords does not move at all next year.

Here is what actually changed, what did not, and what it means for a property let in Dublin.

The landlord relief stays exactly where it is

Residential Premises Rental Income Relief — RPRIR — is the measure introduced to keep small landlords in the market. It is worth up to a fixed amount off your Income Tax bill, and it has been stepping up each year since 2024.

Revenue’s published maximums are:

• 2024 — €600
• 2025 — €800
• 2026 — €1,000
• 2027 — €1,000

So 2027 is the first year the relief does not rise. Budget 2027 left it alone.

Two details that are regularly misread. The relief is given at 20%, and it is the lowest of the annual maximum, 20% of the rental profit on the qualifying premises, or 20% of your overall Irish rental profit. In practice you need roughly €5,000 of qualifying rental profit to reach the full €1,000. And it applies to Income Tax only — not USC, not PRSI — and it is not refundable.

It also carries a clawback if you leave the rental market early. That is worth checking against your own plans before you count on it, because it is the part people forget.

The Rent Tax Credit went up — for tenants

The Rent Tax Credit rises by €150 for an individual and €300 for jointly assessed couples.

This is a credit your tenant claims, not you. It is worth knowing about because tenants increasingly ask the landlord for the details they need to claim it — the tenancy must be registered with the RTB for them to do so. If your tenancies are properly registered this is a non-event. If they are not, this is one more way that shows up.

Rent a Room relief rose to €16,000

The Rent a Room limit goes from €14,000 to €16,000 from 1 January 2027, and the relief was extended to certain designated auxiliary dwellings for income received after 27 July 2026.

This is the one genuinely increased property measure, and it applies to letting a room in the home you live in — not to a separate rental property. If you own an investment property in Dublin, it does nothing for you. If you have a spare room, or a converted space attached to your own home, it is now worth up to €16,000 a year tax-free, provided you stay under the limit. Go a euro over and the entire amount becomes taxable, which is the trap in that scheme and always has been.

What was not in it

Just as useful to know. The Budget 2027 tax changes summary announced no change to:

• pre-letting expenses for vacant residential property
• the Vacant Homes Tax
• Local Property Tax
• stamp duty on residential property

So the cost base of running a rental in Dublin is broadly unchanged going into 2027. If you were waiting to see whether the Budget would improve the arithmetic on holding a property, it did not, in either direction.

What this means for a Dublin rental

Nothing in Budget 2027 changes whether a Dublin rental is worth holding. The numbers that decide that are the ones that were already there: the rent you are allowed to charge under Rent Pressure Zone rules, your mortgage cost, the condition of the property and what it needs to meet minimum standards, and how much of the year it is actually let.

The relief is €1,000 at best. A single void month on a Dublin three-bed costs more than that. Which is the honest way to think about it — the tax measures are not where the money is won or lost on a rental. Occupancy, arrears and repair costs are.

Common questions

Do I have to do anything to claim RPRIR?

It is claimed through your Income Tax return for the year in question. It is not automatic, and because it is not refundable it only helps if you have an Income Tax liability to set it against.

Does the relief apply per property or per landlord?

The cap is an annual maximum for the year, and the calculation looks at both the qualifying premises and your overall Irish rental profit. Owning several properties does not multiply the maximum.

My tenant is asking for details so they can claim the Rent Tax Credit. Do I have to give them that?

The credit depends on the tenancy being registered with the RTB, and a tenant claiming it will need the tenancy details. If a tenancy that should be registered is not, that is a separate problem and a more serious one than the credit.

Is Rent a Room relief any use if I rent out an apartment I do not live in?

No. Rent a Room applies to a room, or rooms, in your own principal private residence. A separate investment property is ordinary rental income.

Did Budget 2027 change anything about short-term lets?

Not on the tax side. The change affecting short-term lets is the national register, which opens on 1 December 2026 with a registration deadline of 31 December 2026. That is a registration and planning matter rather than a Budget one.

Thinking about what to do with a Dublin rental?

If the question on your mind is whether a property is still worth holding, that is a conversation about the actual numbers on your property rather than about the Budget. We look at what it would realistically let for, what it needs first, and what it costs to run — and we will tell you if the answer is that you should sell.