RTB Data Reports — Rent Arrears
RTB Rent Arrears Disputes — What Tenants Need to Know (2022–2026 Outcomes)
If your landlord has filed a rent arrears dispute against you at the RTB — or threatened to — this page explains what to expect based on 4,318 real RTB decisions. Rent arrears cases are serious: the RTB can order you to pay, and in some cases terminate your tenancy. But the decisions also show that landlords frequently claim more than they're owed, and that tenants who engage with the process have real options.
Dataset: 4,318 RTB rent arrears adjudications, 2014–2026. Updated May 2026.
How rent arrears disputes work at the RTB
When a landlord believes you owe rent, they can file a dispute with the RTB. You'll receive notice of the dispute and an opportunity to respond. An adjudicator will then hear both sides — your landlord's account of what's owed, and yours — and make a determination.
This is not a court proceeding, though the outcome can be enforced like one. The process is designed to be accessible to tenants without legal representation.
The important thing to understand: receiving an RTB dispute notice is not the end. It's the beginning of a process in which your position matters.
What landlords claim — and what the RTB actually awards
In the corpus, the median amount landlords claimed in rent arrears cases was €data not yet available — coming in our next release. The median amount actually awarded was €4,223.
That gap exists because landlords sometimes claim arrears that aren't properly owed — missed rent that was actually paid, claims that include disputed charges, or periods when the property had conditions problems that reduced the tenant's liability. The RTB will assess the actual arrears rather than accepting the landlord's figure.
The full outcome picture:
| Outcome | Share of cases |
|---|---|
| Landlord wins (some arrears found) | 78.7% |
| Tenant wins (no arrears found, or claim dismissed) | 3.7% |
| Partial finding (some but not all arrears upheld) | 16.4% |
| No order made | 1.2% |
Landlords win most rent arrears cases — rent is typically either owed or not, and non-payment is usually factual. But the data shows a meaningful proportion of cases where all or part of the claim is rejected. If your landlord's figure is wrong, saying so — with evidence — matters.
The average amount ordered in rent arrears cases is €7,028, with a median of €4,223.
Can the RTB evict you for rent arrears?
Yes, but not automatically. An ejectment order — which effectively terminates your tenancy and requires you to leave — was made in 12.2% of rent arrears cases in the corpus.
That means in the majority of cases, even where the landlord proved arrears, an ejectment order was not the outcome. The RTB has discretion and typically looks at whether the arrears are being actively addressed, whether the tenant has engaged with the process, and the circumstances of the case.
When an ejectment order is made
Ejectment orders in rent arrears cases tend to follow one or more of: a pattern of repeated default over a long period, cases where the tenant hasn't engaged with the RTB process at all, cases where the arrears are substantial relative to the rent and there's no credible repayment plan, or cases where the tenant has vacated the property already.
When it isn't
The RTB regularly makes arrears payment orders without ejectment where: the arrears arose from a temporary financial crisis that the tenant is addressing, the tenant is engaging with the process, there are countervailing issues (conditions, repairs, disputed charges), or the tenancy is otherwise compliant and long-standing.
Your defences and options
If you genuinely owe arrears
The RTB expects engagement, not silence. If you have arrears but a genuine reason for them — job loss, illness, a delay in housing benefit — tell the RTB. Come to the hearing with a repayment proposal. Adjudicators who made payment orders (rather than ejectment orders) frequently noted the tenant's cooperation and proposed repayment as factors.
If the arrears figure is wrong
Bring your bank statements, receipts, or any evidence of payments your landlord is claiming you didn't make. If your landlord is including charges that aren't rent (admin fees, service charges not in your tenancy agreement), dispute those specifically. The RTB will assess the actual rent liability — your evidence matters.
If there are conditions or repairs issues
If the property has been in poor condition — mould, heating failures, structural issues — you may have a counterclaim for breach of your landlord's obligations. This doesn't extinguish rent arrears, but it can reduce the net amount owed and demonstrate context that influences whether an ejectment order is appropriate.
What happens if you don't engage
Tenants who don't respond to RTB dispute notices or don't attend the adjudication almost always lose. The RTB will make a determination on the landlord's evidence if you're absent. Even if you dispute the arrears, failing to appear means the adjudicator has no tenant-side evidence to weigh.
Receiving an RTB dispute letter and doing nothing is the worst option available to you.
Rent arrears cases: year by year
| Year | Cases decided |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 525 |
| 2023 | 421 |
| 2024 | 742 |
| 2025 | 333 |
| 2026 (to date) | 16 |
FAQ: Rent arrears at the RTB
I'm behind on rent because of cost-of-living pressures. What should I say?
The RTB isn't set up to assess wider economic conditions as a defence — rent is owed or it isn't. But context matters for the remedy. If you explain your situation and propose a repayment plan, you improve the odds that the outcome is a payment order rather than an ejectment order.
My landlord says I owe three months' rent but I paid two in cash. How do I prove it?
Bank withdrawals, photographs of cash envelopes, text messages arranging cash payment, witness testimony — all are relevant evidence. This is an argument for never paying rent in cash without a receipt: even a simple “thanks, received” text from your landlord is evidence.
Can I bring someone to the RTB hearing with me?
Yes. You can attend with a support person, and you can be represented by a solicitor. If you're a member of a trade union, some unions offer representation assistance for housing disputes. Threshold (threshold.ie) can sometimes advise on cases.
My landlord filed the RTB dispute to intimidate me, but I'm not actually in arrears.
Respond to the dispute with your evidence of payment. If you have bank statements showing rent paid in full, the RTB will dismiss the claim. A vexatious arrears claim can itself be a breach of landlord obligations — the RTB can make adverse findings against a landlord who brings a clearly unmeritorious case.
Don't face this alone
righttostay helps you gather and organise the evidence you'll need — rent payment records, communications with your landlord, tenancy agreement, conditions history. Coming to an RTB hearing prepared makes a real difference.
Start building your case on righttostay.ie →Based on 4,318 RTB rent arrears decisions. Updated May 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, contact Threshold (Freephone 1800 454 454), MABS (mabs.ie) if financial difficulty is a factor, or a solicitor.