To make a complaint to the RTB, you first need to work out which of its two services fits your problem: dispute resolution (for a tenancy dispute you want resolved in your favour) or a compliance complaint (for reporting a landlord’s breach of the law). Most people need dispute resolution, applied for online for €30 or less, with a decision in an average of 20 weeks.
That single choice trips up a lot of people, and it’s the first thing to get right before you spend time filling in the wrong form.
Table of Contents
Which RTB complaint do you actually need?
The Residential Tenancies Board runs two separate processes, and they lead to very different outcomes. Confusing them wastes weeks.
| Dispute resolution | Compliance complaint | |
|---|---|---|
| Use it when | Your rights as a tenant, landlord or third party have been breached and you want compensation, a repair, or a ruling | You’re reporting a landlord for breaking the law and want the RTB to investigate and sanction them |
| Example | Invalid termination notice, illegal rent increase, unpaid deposit, illegal eviction | Unregistered tenancy, unlicensed multi-unit letting, repeated breaches of the Act |
| Who benefits | You, directly, through a binding Determination Order | The state; fines go to the RTB, not to you |
| Cost to you | Free (mediation) or €30 (adjudication) | Free |
| Can be anonymous | No, the other party sees your name | Partly, you can report via the RTB’s webform without giving contact details |
According to the RTB’s own guidance on complaining about a landlord, dispute resolution is the right route if you’ve “received an invalid Notice of Termination (NoT) or rent review” or experienced an illegal eviction. A compliance complaint, by contrast, covers one of 11 forms of improper conduct set out by the RTB, and can result in fines of up to €15,000 per breach, paid to the RTB rather than to you.
If you want your deposit back, a repair done, or an eviction notice overturned, you want dispute resolution. If you want a landlord who’s letting an unregistered flat investigated, that’s a compliance complaint. This guide focuses on dispute resolution, since that’s what most renters and landlords mean by “making a complaint.”
Common mistake: filing a compliance complaint when you actually want money back or a tenancy issue resolved. The Investigations and Sanctions Unit doesn’t award you anything. If you want a personal remedy, you need dispute resolution.
Step-by-step: how to apply for RTB dispute resolution
Since July 2025 the RTB has run all dispute applications through one online system, the Dispute Resolution Centre, replacing the old separate paper forms for mediation and adjudication. Here’s exactly what happens, screen by screen.
- Create an account. Go to the RTB website and click the blue Dispute Resolution Centre button in the top right corner. You’ll register with your email address and set a password before you can start an application.
- Select your dispute type. The consolidated form asks you to pick the category that fits, for example rent arrears, an invalid termination notice, deposit retention, or a rent review dispute. Choosing the right category early saves time later, since it determines which supporting documents the system asks for.
- Enter the tenancy and party details. You’ll need the tenancy address, the RTB tenancy registration number if you have it, and the name and contact details of the other party (landlord, tenant, or agent).
- Upload your evidence. According to the RTB’s application form guidance, some dispute types need a specific document attached, for example a copy of the notice of rent arrears, the notice of rent review, or the notice of termination you’re disputing. You can also attach emails, texts, bank statements, utility bills, receipts, photos, videos and a copy of the lease.
- Redact anything irrelevant. The RTB explicitly asks you to black out personal data and confidential information in your documents that isn’t related to the case before you upload it.
- Pay the application fee online. Adjudication costs €30; mediation is free. You pay through the portal at the point of submission.
- Wait to be contacted. The RTB will get in touch to discuss whether mediation or adjudication suits your case, then confirm a hearing date once that’s decided.
- Track your case. From that point you can log back into the portal to check your case status, see your hearing date, and message your case officer directly, rather than waiting on post or phone calls.
If you’d rather not apply online, you can still submit by email to [email protected] or by post to RTB, PO Box 13841, Killorglin, Co Kerry, FKY7736, a route confirmed on Citizens Information’s page on the RTB.
Documents and evidence checklist
Before you start the online form, gather these so you’re not searching for them mid-application:
- Your tenancy agreement or lease
- The specific notice relevant to your dispute (notice of rent arrears, rent review, or termination)
- Emails, letters and text messages between you and the other party
- Bank statements, receipts or invoices that back up any money claim
- Utility bills if they’re relevant to your case
- Photos or videos, for example of disrepair or damage
- Witness statements, if anyone else saw what happened
Keep copies of everything you submit. If your case goes to a hearing, you’ll be presenting from the same file.
Pro tip: if your dispute involves damage to the property, whichever side you’re on, photograph everything before it’s fixed or thrown out. Adjudicators decide on the evidence in front of them, not on what either party says happened.
RTB complaint fees
Fees are the same regardless of whether you’re the tenant, landlord or a third party.
| Stage | Fee |
|---|---|
| Mediation | Free |
| Adjudication | €30 |
| Appeal a mediation outcome to tribunal | €30 |
| Appeal an adjudication decision to tribunal | €85 |
These figures are confirmed on both the RTB’s own dispute resolution pages and Citizens Information. There’s no fee for a compliance complaint about a landlord’s conduct.
How long does an RTB complaint take?
This is the question the RTB’s own pages answer least clearly, so here’s what to expect at each stage.
Mediation. If both sides agree to mediate and the RTB thinks it’s suitable, sessions happen by phone, video or in person, after both parties submit a short position statement in advance. If you reach agreement, it’s turned into a binding Determination Order roughly two weeks later, according to Citizens Information’s guide to landlord-tenant disputes.
Adjudication. This is the formal route, where an independent adjudicator reviews the evidence and makes a legally binding decision without either side needing legal representation. The RTB states this takes an average of 20 weeks from application to outcome. Hearings run on weekdays at 10am, 11:30am and 2:15pm, mostly by video call, and typically last one to two hours depending on complexity, as set out in the RTB’s guide to adjudication.
After the decision. Once the adjudicator issues a Determination Order, either side has 10 working days to appeal to a tribunal if they believe the decision is wrong in law or that important evidence was overlooked. If no one appeals, the order becomes legally binding after roughly two weeks.
Tribunal. A tribunal hearing, held before a three-member panel and open to the public, takes place at least 21 days after you’re notified. You can present evidence and cross-examine the other side; legal representation is allowed but not required. A tribunal’s decision is final except for an appeal to the High Court on a point of law, which must be lodged within 21 days.
So a straightforward adjudication case, uncontested, typically runs from application to a binding order in around five to six months. A case that goes to appeal and tribunal can easily take longer.
Time limits: don’t miss your deadline
Miss these and the RTB can refuse to hear your case at all, though it may extend a deadline in exceptional circumstances.
| Dispute type | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Rent arrears | Within 28 days of the tenancy ending |
| Invalid termination notice, where the tenant met their obligations | Within 90 days of the notice |
| Invalid termination notice, where the tenant breached their obligations | Within 28 days of the notice |
| Rent review or rent increase dispute | Before the increase takes effect, or within 28 days of getting formal notice of it |
Source: Citizens Information’s guide to resolving disputes between landlords and tenants. If you’re not sure which deadline applies to your situation, apply as early as possible rather than waiting to build a stronger case; the clock doesn’t stop for that.
What to do if the RTB refuses your case or the other party won’t engage
This is the part most guides skip, and it’s usually the part people actually need.
If the other party ignores the process, you don’t need their cooperation for the case to proceed. The adjudicator or tribunal makes a decision based on the evidence submitted, including evidence submitted by only one side, so silence from the other party doesn’t stop your case. It does, however, mean your own evidence needs to stand on its own; there’s no one to contradict a weak account, but there’s also no one filling in gaps for you.
If you lose at adjudication, you have 10 working days to appeal to a tribunal. Use that window if you genuinely believe the adjudicator got the law wrong or missed key evidence, not simply because you’re unhappy with the outcome; tribunals expect a specific legal or evidential ground.
If the other side ignores a Determination Order, it doesn’t enforce itself. Orders are enforced through the District Court, and Citizens Information points to courts.ie for the enforcement procedure. This is a real extra step, and one worth knowing about before you assume winning your case is the end of it.
If you’re not sure your case is strong enough, Threshold, the tenants’ rights charity, offers free advice on RTB complaints and can occasionally provide representation at a hearing, though availability is limited. You can reach them on 1800 454 454.
Warning: an RTB case becomes part of the public record. Determination Orders are published, and the RTB notes that landlords can use these records to screen future tenants. Weigh that before deciding whether to proceed, particularly for a smaller dispute.
How to report a landlord without applying for dispute resolution
If your issue is regulatory rather than personal, for example an unregistered tenancy or an unlicensed multi-unit letting, use the RTB’s compliance route instead. According to the RTB, you can report one of the 11 forms of improper conduct it investigates. If you submit a formal complaint, the landlord will be told your name but not your contact details. If you’d rather stay fully anonymous, the RTB’s webform lets you flag a concern without identifying yourself at all, though the RTB says this limits how far it can act on the report.
Fines from this route, up to €15,000 per breach, go to the state, not to you. It’s the right tool for stopping bad practice, not for getting your own deposit back.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying under the wrong category. Picking the wrong dispute type on the online form can mean the RTB asks for the wrong documents or redirects your case, adding weeks.
- Missing the deadline because you were still trying to sort it out informally. Keep talking to the other party, but apply to the RTB before your deadline passes if there’s any chance of missing it.
- Submitting evidence with irrelevant personal data still visible. The RTB asks you to redact this yourself; failing to do so can delay processing.
- Assuming mediation and adjudication are interchangeable. Mediation only works if both sides genuinely want to agree. If the relationship has broken down, adjudication is usually the more realistic route.
- Not registering the tenancy. If you’re a landlord and the tenancy in question was never registered with the RTB, sort that first; it complicates a dispute application. https://howtoireland.com/how-to-check-if-your-tenancy-is-registered-with-rtb/
FAQ
How much does it cost to make a complaint to the RTB? Mediation is free. Adjudication costs €30. If you want to appeal a mediation outcome to a tribunal it’s €30, and appealing an adjudication decision costs €85. Fees are the same whether you’re the tenant, landlord or a third party.
How long does an RTB complaint take to resolve? Adjudication takes an average of 20 weeks from application to decision. Mediation can be quicker if both sides agree quickly, with a binding order issued around two weeks after agreement. A tribunal appeal adds a hearing at least 21 days after notification, on top of the original timeline.
Can I complain to the RTB anonymously? Not for dispute resolution, since the other party will see your name. For a compliance complaint about a landlord’s conduct, you can use the RTB’s webform to flag a concern without giving your contact details, though this limits how the RTB can follow up with you.
What happens if my landlord or tenant ignores the RTB process? The case still proceeds. The adjudicator or tribunal decides based on the evidence submitted, even if only one side takes part. If the other party later ignores a binding Determination Order, it’s enforced through the District Court rather than by the RTB itself.
What to do next
- Work out which route fits your problem: dispute resolution for a personal remedy, or a compliance complaint for reporting a breach.
- Gather your evidence, including the specific notice for your dispute type, before you start the online form.
- Register for the RTB’s Dispute Resolution Centre and submit your application before your deadline.
- If you’re unsure of your case, call Threshold on 1800 454 454 for free advice before your hearing.
