Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) were introduced in December 2016 in areas where rents were high and rising quickly, initially covering 12 local authority areas. The scheme was expanded to further areas, with rent increases originally limited to 4% every 24 months, before changes generally moved to a limit of 2% or inflation, whichever was lower. Ireland later extended rent-control protections nationally, and from 1 March 2026 the RPZ system was replaced by a national rent-control framework. The applicable rules can depend on the tenancy and date, so check the RTB or gov.ie for the current position.