What is a renoviction and what liability does a buyer take on if they plan renovations after buying a tenanted property?

A renoviction refers to ending a tenancy so that renovations or repairs requiring the unit to be vacant can be carried out, which the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 addresses through its own notice and requirements, separate from the purchaser's or landlord's own-use notice used to move in personally. A landlord using this route generally needs to show a genuine need for vacant possession to do the work, and in some circumstances the tenant has a right of first refusal to move back in once renovations are complete, at a rent based on what they were paying before.

A buyer planning renovations after taking over a tenanted property inherits this same framework; wanting to renovate is not, on its own, a shortcut around the tenant's rights, and the process still requires proper notice and a genuine basis for needing the unit empty. Buyers with renovation plans should factor the time, notice requirements, and potential right of first refusal into their timeline and budget before assuming the tenant can simply be moved out quickly once closing happens.