RTB Data Reports — Deposits
RTB Deposit Dispute Outcomes — What Tenants Actually Win (2022–2026)
Your landlord is keeping your deposit and you want to know whether taking it to the RTB is worth it. This page shows what the Residential Tenancies Board actually decides — not what the law says you're entitled to, but what adjudicators have actually ordered.
Analysis published: May 2026. Dataset: 3,513 RTB deposit retention adjudications, 2014–2026. Last refreshed: May 2026.
What happens to most deposit disputes at the RTB
In 44.7% of deposit cases decided since 2022, the RTB ordered the landlord to return some or all of the deposit to the tenant. The full picture:
| Outcome | Share of cases |
|---|---|
| Tenant wins in full | 44.7% |
| Tenant wins in part | 38.9% |
| Landlord wins | 15.5% |
| No order made | 0.9% |
Most tenants get something back. What determines how much is what both sides can prove.
Most of the landlords who win these cases succeed because they had documented evidence of specific damage caused by the tenant, above ordinary wear and tear. If your landlord is citing damage, cleaning, or rent arrears, the section below explains what the RTB actually accepts as justification.
How much do tenants actually win?
The spread matters as much as the average: whether you recover €400 or €2,000 depends mostly on your deposit size and what your landlord is claiming.
- Average award: €1,225
- Median award: €950 (half of tenants got more, half got less)
- Lower quarter: €500 or below
- Upper quarter: €1,605 or above
- Highest award in the dataset: €9,869
What that means for your specific case: if your landlord is claiming damage, the outcome depends almost entirely on whether they have invoices. A landlord who claims €1,500 for repairs but can only produce a €200 receipt will lose most of it. The RTB has discretion on partial awards, and it uses it.
What affects how much you get
- How much of the deposit is genuinely disputed. If your landlord is withholding €2,000 for cleaning that a reasonable standard of evidence would value at €300, the RTB will order the difference back to you.
- Whether you left the property in reasonable condition. “Reasonable condition” means ordinary wear and tear is allowed — faded paintwork, minor scuffs, worn carpet. Holes in walls, broken fixtures, or deep-clean-requiring mess are different.
- Whether you gave proper notice. If you left without serving a valid notice of termination, your landlord may be entitled to keep some of the deposit to cover the gap in rent. This doesn't mean they can keep everything — but it affects the RTB's calculation.
- Documentation on both sides. A check-in inventory signed at the start of your tenancy is the single most useful piece of evidence in a deposit dispute. If you have one and your landlord doesn't, that usually favours you.
What landlords say — and what the RTB makes of it
The three most common defences landlords raise in deposit cases are:
- Damage beyond wear and tear — cited in 52.5% of cases
- Cleaning costs — cited in 8.5% of cases
- Unpaid rent or rent arrears — cited in 13.0% of cases
Damage beyond wear and tear
No receipt, no claim — that is effectively the RTB's operating principle here. The RTB expects landlords to support damage claims with receipts, quotes, or photographic evidence. A landlord saying “the walls needed repainting” without evidence of how much that cost, or without demonstrating it was damage rather than age, is unlikely to prevail. The RTB applies the check-in/check-out comparison: if there is no check-in record, the burden falls on the landlord to show the damage existed during the tenancy.
Cleaning costs
Commercial cleaning invoices are accepted where the property was left in poor condition. A claim for a “professional clean” where the property was left reasonably tidy rarely sticks without photographic evidence of the state it was found in.
Unpaid rent
If your landlord claims rent arrears as a reason to keep the deposit, they need to show those arrears existed. A bank statement showing missed payments helps them; a statement showing you paid consistently helps you. The RTB will assess the actual amount owed rather than accepting the landlord's figure.
Has the RTB been getting tougher since 2022?
The number of deposit cases decided by the RTB has changed year on year:
| Year | Cases decided |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 332 |
| 2023 | 262 |
| 2024 | 444 |
| 2025 | 222 |
| 2026 (to date) | 10 |
The March 2026 Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act did not change the substantive rules on deposits — the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended) still applies, and the RTB's jurisdiction over deposit retention disputes remains the same. What changed is the volume of notices of termination (up 51% in Q1 2026) which tends to produce a downstream increase in deposit disputes as more tenancies end.
Regional breakdown: does it matter where you live?
Deposit cases are not evenly distributed. Dublin accounts for 52.9% of all cases in the dataset, reflecting the concentration of private rental tenancies there. Cork accounts for 9.7%, Galway 5.2%, with 28.3% spread across other counties.
Award amounts and success rates do not show statistically significant regional variation in the current dataset — the RTB applies the same statutory framework nationally. Where regional differences appear, they tend to track differences in average rental values rather than any difference in adjudicator approach.
FAQ: Deposit disputes at the RTB
How long does a deposit dispute take at the RTB?
The RTB aims to schedule adjudications within 10–15 weeks of a dispute being lodged. Tribunal appeals (if either party appeals the adjudication decision) add further time. Filing promptly matters.
Is there a time limit for bringing a deposit dispute?
Yes. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, disputes must generally be referred within six years of the alleged breach. For deposit cases, the practical limit is six years from the date the deposit should have been returned (typically 28 days after the tenancy ended and the property was vacated). Don't delay unnecessarily — the sooner you file, the fresher your evidence.
Do I need a solicitor?
No — you can represent yourself at RTB adjudication. The process is designed to be accessible to tenants without legal training. A good evidence pack (check-in/check-out records, communication with your landlord, photographs) is more valuable than legal representation in a typical deposit case.
My landlord hasn't responded to the RTB's correspondence. What happens?
If a landlord fails to participate, the RTB will proceed with the adjudication and can make a determination in your favour based on the evidence you provide. Non-participation does not mean you automatically win — you still need to show your entitlement — but it does mean you are unlikely to face a competing evidence bundle.
The RTB made an order in my favour but my landlord is ignoring it. What now?
RTB orders are enforceable through the Circuit Court. If your landlord fails to comply within the time specified in the order, you can apply to enforce it. For guidance on enforcement, contact Threshold on 1800 454 454 — they can advise on the next steps.
Find out where your case sits in the data
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Based on 3,513 RTB decisions. Updated May 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, contact Threshold (Freephone 1800 454 454) or a solicitor. righttostay.ie uses RTB decision data to provide information — we do not evaluate, rank, or recommend individual solicitors.