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The short answer
It depends on whether the owner lives in the house. If you rent a room in your landlord's own home, the Residential Tenancies Board says it cannot get involved, so you are a licensee whose protection comes mainly from your agreement. If the owner lives elsewhere and you rent a room in a shared house, that exclusion does not apply, and the Residential Tenancies Act's rules on deposits, rent and notice generally protect you.
The question that decides everything: does the owner live there?
Many Nigerians starting out in Dublin, Cork or Limerick rent a single room before taking a flat. The same word, renting, covers two arrangements that the law treats very differently, and the difference is not what you pay or whether there is a written agreement. It is whether the person you pay lives in the house with you.
| Arrangement | Usual legal position | Can you go to the RTB? |
|---|---|---|
| Room in the owner's own home (often called rent-a-room or digs) | Licensee | No |
| Room in a shared house; owner lives elsewhere | Tenant under the Residential Tenancies Act | Yes |
| Room let by a tenant who sub-lets to you | Depends on the head tenancy and the landlord's consent | Check with the RTB |
The RTB's guide lists the situations it cannot deal with. They include living with your landlord under the rent-a-room scheme, being the spouse, parent or child of the landlord with no written letting agreement, short-term holiday lets and local authority tenancies. It also says digs-style or rent-a-room style student accommodation is outside its remit.
If you live with the owner: your position as a licensee
A licence gives you permission to occupy a room, but not the package of statutory rights that a tenancy carries. In practice that means:
- There is no RTB registration and no RTB dispute service for your arrangement.
- The RTB's deposit cap, rent review rules and notice periods are written for tenancies; they do not govern a licence.
- What protects you is what you agreed, so a written agreement covering rent, deposit, notice on each side, use of the kitchen and bathroom, guests and bills matters far more than it would in a tenancy.
- If there is a disagreement you cannot resolve, the remaining route is a claim through the courts rather than the RTB.
This is why the owner's tax position, often called rent-a-room relief, is sometimes mentioned in adverts. It is a Revenue matter for the owner and does not give you any extra rights.
What to put in writing
- The weekly or monthly amount, the day it is due and how you pay it.
- The deposit amount and when and how it comes back.
- How much notice each of you will give to end the arrangement.
- Which bills are included.
- Which rooms you can use, and any rules on guests.
Pay by bank transfer and keep each receipt. A record of every payment is your strongest evidence if a dispute reaches court.
If the owner lives elsewhere: your rights as a tenant
Where the owner is not living in the house, you are generally a tenant, even if you only have one room and share the kitchen. Then the RTB's rules apply:
- Deposit. The RTB's FAQ on the 2021 Act says a deposit cannot exceed one month's rent, advance rent cannot exceed one month's rent, and a landlord cannot ask for more than the equivalent of two months' rent in total to secure the tenancy.
- Rent increases. From 1 March 2026, the RTB says national rent control covers all private tenancies: one review a year, capped at 2% or inflation, whichever is lower, with different rules for some newer apartments. See can my Dublin landlord raise the rent.
- Security of tenure. The RTB's 2026 tenant overview says that once you have been in the tenancy for six continuous months you have security of tenure unless a valid notice of termination is served.
- Disputes. You can bring a case to the RTB even if the landlord has not registered the tenancy; the RTB guide says registered landlords and all tenants can apply.
You can see whether a tenancy at the address is registered using the RTB's register check; our guide on checking a landlord is registered with the RTB walks through it.
Grey areas worth checking
Some arrangements sit between the two. If the person who rents you a room is a tenant rather than the owner, your position depends on the head tenancy and whether the landlord agreed to the sub-letting. If the owner lives in the house only part of the time, the facts matter. In either case, contact the RTB before you rely on a particular protection; this guide is information, not legal advice.
Where Pryme fits
Whichever arrangement you are in, a clean payment record helps. Paying rent from a Pryme euro account gives you a dated record of each payment, and you can generate a statement through receipts and statements if you need to show what you paid.
What to check first
- Does the person you pay live in the house?
- Is there a written agreement, and does it set out notice and the deposit?
- If the owner lives elsewhere, is the tenancy registered with the RTB?
- Do you have proof of every payment, including the deposit?
Questions people ask
Is a lodger in Ireland covered by the RTB?
No. The RTB says it cannot get involved where you live with your landlord under the rent-a-room scheme. Your protection comes from your agreement and, if needed, the courts.
Am I a tenant if I rent a room in a house share?
Generally yes, if the owner does not live there. Living with the landlord is the exclusion the RTB names; a share with an absent owner is not on that list.
How much deposit can a landlord ask for a room in Ireland?
For a tenancy covered by the Act, no more than one month's rent as a deposit, and no more than two months' rent in total including advance rent. A licence is not covered by that cap.
Can my live-in landlord ask me to leave at short notice?
The RTB notice periods do not apply to a licence, so the notice is what you agreed. Agree it in writing before you move in.
Sources
- RTB: The Good Landlord/Tenant Guide (up to date 21 Oct 2021) · accessed Oct 2026
- RTB: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Act 2021 FAQs (updated 16 Jul 2021) · accessed Oct 2026
- RTB: Rental law changes from 1 March 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- RTB: New Rental Rules, Tenant Overview (Feb 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.