If your landlord keeps your deposit unfairly, you can take a case to the Residential Tenancies Board. Mediation is free and adjudication costs €30.
If your landlord will not return your deposit, you can apply to the RTB (Residential Tenancies Board) through its online Service Centre. Mediation is free and adjudication costs €30.
Who this is for
You can use the RTB if you rent privately, or from an approved housing body, student accommodation or a cost rental home. You can apply even if your landlord never registered the tenancy. It does not cover council housing, or a room in a home where your landlord also lives.
What a landlord can and cannot keep
Your deposit must be returned promptly when the tenancy ends. It does not have to be on the day you move out, because the landlord may inspect first. A landlord may only keep money for:
- Rent you still owe at the end of the tenancy
- Unpaid utility bills that were your responsibility
- Damage beyond normal wear and tear, such as broken windows or holes in walls
- Not giving proper notice, or leaving a fixed-term tenancy early
What you need
- Your tenancy agreement (lease)
- Proof you paid the deposit and rent, such as bank statements
- Inventory and condition reports from the start and end of the tenancy
- Dated photos of the property when you moved in and out
- Messages or emails with your landlord about the deposit
- Final utility bills showing they were paid
- Witness statements, if you have any
Step by step
- Ask your landlord in writing to return the deposit. Give a date and keep a copy.
- Check whether your tenancy is registered on the RTB's national register. You can still apply if it is not.
- Gather your evidence. Black out personal data you do not need to share, put documents in date order and number the pages.
- Apply online through the RTB Service Centre. If you cannot apply online, download the application form and email it to disputes@rtb.ie or post it to RTB, PO Box 13841, Freepost FKY7736, Killorglin, Co Kerry.
- Choose mediation or adjudication. Mediation needs both sides to agree. If it fails or is not agreed, your case goes to adjudication.
- Pay the €30 fee if you choose adjudication. You can pay online in the RTB Service Centre.
- Upload your evidence at least 5 working days before your hearing. You cannot send audio or video in advance, but you can ask to show it at the hearing.
- Take part in the hearing. Mediation is usually by phone, and the mediator calls each side separately. Adjudication is usually by video call and lasts 1 to 2 hours.
- Read your Determination Order. It says who must pay what, and by when.
How much it costs and how long it takes
| Stage | Fee | Average time in 2025 | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediation | Free | About 10 weeks | Phone calls, up to 1.5 hours; binding if you agree |
| Adjudication | €30 | 20 weeks | Video hearing; adjudicator decides |
| Tribunal appeal (after mediation) | €30 | Not published | Panel of 3 people |
| Tribunal appeal (after adjudication) | €85 | Not published | Panel of 3 people |
The RTB sets fixed deadlines for some disputes, such as 28 days after a tenancy ends for rent disputes. It does not publish a separate deadline for deposits, so apply as soon as you can.
What changed in 2026
For applications made from 14 September 2026, adjudication hearings are public. The RTB publishes the full report, which can include names, the property address, evidence and the outcome. Mediated agreements stay confidential.
After the decision
Either side can appeal to an RTB Tribunal within 10 working days. If no one appeals, the Determination Order becomes legally binding. If your landlord still does not pay, the District Court can enforce the order, and the RTB may help with legal costs in some cases.
Common mistakes
- No move-in photos. Without dated photos or a condition report, it is hard to prove damage was already there.
- Missing the evidence deadline. Evidence must arrive at least 5 working days before the hearing.
- Sending originals. Send copies, as the RTB does not return documents. Keep the originals for the hearing.
- Missing the appeal window. You have only 10 working days to appeal.
My landlord can hold on to my belongings until I pay what I owe.
No. The RTB says a landlord cannot hold your belongings against money you owe.
If something goes wrong
- RTB: 0818 303 037 or 01 702 8100 (9am to 5pm).
- Landlord not following the order: email enforceorder@rtb.ie or call 0818 30 30 37 about the Order Enforcement application form.
- Threshold, the housing charity: 1800 454 454.
- Citizens Information Phone Service: 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).
Related guides
- How to apply for HAP (Housing Assistance Payment)
- How to get a verified MyGovID
- How to check your tenancy is registered with the RTB
From 14 September 2026 the RTB can issue €100 fixed payment notices to landlords who do not register a tenancy.
A deposit protection scheme, where the RTB would hold deposits, is in law since 2015 but is not yet in effect.
- RTB: Guide to adjudication
- RTB: Guide to mediation
- RTB: Guide to evidence
- RTB: Security deposits
- RTB: Enforcement of determination orders
- Citizens Information: Resolving disputes between landlords and tenants
- Citizens Information: Residential Tenancies Board
- gov.ie: Your rights and obligations under a tenancy
- Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021, section 7
