Housing in Ireland

Information

You should arrange accommodation before you arrive in Ireland, even for the first few days of your stay. Organise in advance to stay with friends or book yourself in to a hotel or a hostel in order to give yourself time to look around and get to grips with the accommodation situation in the area in which you plan to live.

Buying a house

If you are thinking of buying a house, you need to be aware of the price trends in this country, the process by which houses are bought and sold and the initial costs that are involved.

Renting accommodation

Rented accommodation comes in many forms. You will be able to choose from houses, flats, apartments, house-shares and bed-sits, according to what suits your needs and your budget. You will need to know how these are advertised and rented and what your rights and responsibilities are as a tenant.

Social housing

Local authorities are the main providers of social housing for people who cannot afford to buy their own homes. Non-Irish nationals must have a legal right to remain in the State on a long-term basis to be eligible to apply for social housing. Detailed rules are contained in Circular Housing 47/2011 Access to social housing supports for non-Irish nationals (pdf).

Buying agricultural land

There are no restrictions on the purchase or rent of residential property or non-agricultural land.