Rent arrears is a statutory ground for termination under Section 34(a) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, and also one of the most common subjects of RTB disputes when a tenant challenges the termination or the amount claimed.
What Gets Disputed
- Whether the arrears figure is accurate (payment records, bank statements, and receipts are the deciding evidence)
- Whether the landlord gave the tenant a fair opportunity to pay before terminating (not a strict legal requirement, but weighed by adjudicators)
- Whether the notice period and form were correct once arrears is used as the stated ground
See our full guide to serving a Notice of Termination for rent arrears for the exact statutory requirements.
Practical takeaway: Written communication with the tenant about the arrears — even informal texts or emails — is the strongest evidence in a rent arrears dispute. Keep everything.