Rents continue to rise across the region

Rents in Cavan and Monaghan continued to rise in 2025 with a lack of rentals in the market the main factor driving prices, writes Ryan Sheridan.

In Cavan, the average monthly rent for a three-bedroom house was €1,467 during the last quarter of 2025, up 5.3% on a year previous. In Monaghan, renters were paying an average of €1,315 a month for a comparable property, up 4.4% on the same period in 2024.

The figures are contained in the latest Daft.ie report and come as the property website celebrates 20 years in business.

Market rents nationally rose by 4.4% during 2025, according to the latest Rental Report, compared to an increase of 3.6% during 2024.

Market rents have now risen in 13 of the last 14 years and are one third above their pre-covid levels and 80% higher than a decade ago.

There were fewer than 1,800 homes available to rent nationwide on February 1. This is down 22% compared to the same date one year ago and is by far the lowest level availability for this time of year in a series extending back to 2006.

A search by the on Monday of this week, February 23, on Daft.ie revealed there were just 13 properties available to rent in County Cavan and eight in all of County Monaghan.

The cheapest properties available for rent in Cavan are both priced at €950 per month. The first is a two-bed house in Kilconny, Belturbet; while the second is a one-bed apartment on Town Hall Street in Cavan Town.

The most expensive property in the Breffni county is also it Belturbet. It's advertised at €2,000 a month. It is a three-bed home in River Run.

The best value in the region was to be found in Ballybay where a two-bed apartment was listed at €850 per month. At other end of the scale, the most expensive property in Monaghan is a three-bed house in Lough Na Glack, Carrickmacross, priced at €1,950 per month.

Other examples of properties available across the two counties to rent on Monday were:

- A three-bed house in Crossdoney at €1,200pm;

- A four-bed house in Ballinagh for €1,600pm;

- A four-bed house in Magheracloone for €1,500pm;

- A four-bed home in Carrickmacross for €1,500pm;

The fall in availability of rental properties is particularly acute in Dublin, where the number of homes to rent is down annually by over one third.

Commenting on the new-look report, its author Ronan Lyons, Professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin, said: “Widespread uncertainty about the new rent controls appears to have exacerbated ongoing supply shortages in the rental market. Across the country, there have been steep falls in rental availability over the last year. There were fewer homes available to rent on February 1 this year than at the same time of year at any stage back to 2006.

Mr Lyons said it remains to be seen whether supply is holding off until new tenancy terms come in on March 1 or whether the change in rent controls has led to "a further reduction in the stock of rental homes, as landlords sell up".