Practical tips

Housing Rights summer to autumn training programme has just been released.  Based on your feedback we have come up with a range of sessions all aimed at making your job easier.

The clock is ticking on the NI welfare reform mitigations package. So far, the devastating impacts of the bedroom tax have not been felt in Northern Ireland to the same extent as they have elsewhere. But, this may mean that certain people are subject to this tax who should not be.

Many of the cases we feature on our website are the result of long investigations and complex work carried out by our casework team. But, we regularly turn around positive outcomes much more quickly for people who contact our daily housing helpline. In a recent example, Victoria used her knowledge of housing and consumer law to prevent homelessness for a young single mum who had been given notice to quit by her landlord.

Housing Rights has produced a new professional resource on the lawfulness of letting fees within the private rental sector.

Letting fees are additional charges for services included in the routine letting and management of properties. They affect both tenants and landlords in the private rental sector – a sector which is increasing in size on account of a shortage of social housing and barriers to home ownership.