NI Assembly

Reform of HMOs on the way

9 September 2015

Back in 2012 the Department for Social Development undertook a fundamental review of the regulation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), which Housing Rights responded to at the time.

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Fitness, Regulation, Private Tenancies, Landlord, NI Assembly

Assembly Roundup: Summer 2015

27 August 2015

A round up of housing related questions answered by the Minister for Social Development during summer 2015

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NI Assembly

Introductory tenancies: Does the scheme penalise secure tenants in emergency accommodation?

30 July 2015

Solicitor Chris McGrath discusses some recent Housing Rights cases where victims of domestic violence and intimidation have been required to fulfil the requirements of the introductory tenancy scheme despite being long standing secure tenants.

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Social Tenancies, NI Assembly, Legal

Court holds that NI Executive has failed in its legal duty to adopt an anti-poverty strategy

24 July 2015

The terms of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 placed a legal duty on the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly “to adopt a strategy setting out how it proposed to tackle poverty, social exclusion and patterns of deprivation based on objective need”

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NI Assembly, Legal

Housing announcements in 2015 budget

9 July 2015

The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave his budget to Parliament on Wednesday 8th July. The full budget and supporting documents can be found on Gov.uk. We've rounded up some of the headline announcements which will impact on those who work in housing.

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Benefits, Outside NI, Affordability, NI Assembly

Assembly roundup: June 2015

8 July 2015

A round up of housing related questions answered by the Minister for Social Development during June 2015

Eligibility for the Affordable Warmth Scheme

To ask the Minister for Social Development whether he plans to revise the guidelines for eligibility to the Affordable Warmth Scheme to exclude Disability Living Allowance as part of the income threshold. Mrs Dolores Kelly (SDLP - Upper Bann) AQW 47005/11-15

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Social Tenancies, Private Tenancies, Policy, NI Assembly

Social housing rent setting policy

30 June 2015

The Social Housing Reform Programme (SHRP) is turning its attention to rent setting. Rent policy alignment focuses on the need to develop a fairer system of affordable rents in the social housing sector. As a pre-consultation exercise, DSD recently attended our Housing Advice Practitioners’ Forum to present their early thoughts on social rent policy.

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Regulation, Policy, NI Assembly

Housing Rights responds to DSD's consultation on regulatory framework for social housing providers

11 June 2015

Housing Rights has responded to the Department for Social Development's consultation on Proposals for a New Regulatory Framework for Social Housing Providers in Northern Ireland. The key proposals in the consultation document are:

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Social Tenancies, Policy, NI Assembly

Assembly roundup: May 2015

4 June 2015

A round up of housing related questions to the Minister for Social Development during May 2015.

More funding secured for support to homeowners in negative equity

To ask the Minister for Social Development, in light of the recommendations of the Mortgage Taskforce, what support will be offered to home owners who find themselves in negative equity. Mrs Dolores Kelly (SDLP - Upper Bann) AQW 45510/11-15