Ronan had been renting a two-bedroom apartment in the city centre of Galway for three years when his landlord issued a rent increase notice. The landlord claimed the increase was justified by market evidence — properties in the area had risen in value, he said, and the new rent reflected what similar properties were commanding. Ronan was unhappy with the increase, which would add several hundred euros to his yearly costs, but he wanted to understand whether his landlord's claim held water before taking action.
When Ronan looked at the evidence his landlord provided, he noticed something odd. The comparable properties listed weren't actually comparable at all. Some were three-bedroom properties — larger than his own apartment. Others were located on the other side of the city, in a different neighbourhood where rental prices were genuinely higher. None of them matched his actual property in size, condition, or location. Ronan realised that by picking properties that were either bigger or in pricier areas, his landlord had artificially inflated what the "market rent" supposedly was. This wasn't a fair way to calculate what his rent should be.
Ronan decided to challenge the increase. He gathered details of actual comparable properties — two-bedroom apartments of similar standard in his actual neighbourhood — and documented what they were genuinely renting for. His evidence showed that his existing rent was already at or above the true market rate for his property. When the matter was reviewed, it became clear that the landlord's comparison properties were simply not valid. The rent increase was overturned, and Ronan's rent remained where it was.