Empty

Total: £0.00

picture of telephone  click icon for access to housing law in practice reference manual for membersMailing ListTwitterFacebook  YouTube

When everyone has a home

028 9024 5640: Housing & Debt Helpline for Northern Ireland

Private Tenancies

Adviser: Landlord repossessions

29 June 2013

How do I deal with landlord repossessions?  It very much depends on whether the landlord’s done what he or she is supposed to do!

If the landlord didn’t get the right permission from the mortgage lender or acted outside the terms in the mortgage agreement, your client could be in trouble.

Read more

Tagged In

Private Tenancies, Practical tips, Landlord, Adviser

Letting fees in Northern Ireland

28 June 2013

We recently carried out an undercover survey of 40 NI based lettings agencies to find out more about the fees and charges that prospective tenants are forced to hand over before they can find rented accommodation.

Read more

Tagged In

Private Tenants Forum, Private Tenancies, Affordability

Adviser: Rates liability in the private rented sector

28 June 2013

Imagine you’re a private tenant, paying rent each month and confident that you’re doing everything that’s required of you.  One day you open your post to find a final demand from Land & Property Services insisting that you pay £2000+ by the end of the month or face court.  It’s particularly confusing when your tenancy agreement says your rent includes rates and your landlord’s responsible for paying these to LPS.

Read more

Tagged In

Private Tenancies, Practical tips, Affordability, Adviser

Private Tenants Forum responds to review of rates liability

28 June 2013

The Private Tenants Forum, a group of tenants in private rented accommodation who have come together to campaign for better conditions, has responded to the Department of Finance & Personnel's recent consultation on a review of rates liability in the landlord sector. 

Read more

Tagged In

Landlord, Private Tenancies, Private Tenants Forum

Review of Rates Liability for the Landlord Sector

Consultation Response
June 2013

The consultation paper seeks views on proposed changes to clarify the rules covering landlord liability for rates. It is argued the current rules are complicated to administer and difficult for landlords (owners) and tenants (occupiers) to fully understand who is legally liable for rates on rented property.

PDF icon Briefing to the Committee for Finance & Personnel on the Review of Rates Liability for the Landlord Sector . HRS. May 2013.pdf

Tagged In

Private Tenancies, Policy, Landlord, NI Assembly

Response to Reviewing Support for Repair and Housing in the Private Housing Sector

Consultation Response
January 2013

We are encouraged that the Department is reviewing the current system which has become largely ineffective due to the discretionary nature of the scheme and lack of investment. Any new scheme will have to take into account the financial difficulties many owners are facing and the problems many experience in accessing and servicing loans. Housing Rights Service is in general agreement with the proposition to simplify support arrangements for repair and improvement and to provide for more flexible forms of assistance which meet the particular needs of applicants.

PDF icon HRS consultation response to Reviewing Support for Repair and Improvement January 2013.pdf

Tagged In

Private Tenancies, Policy, Landlord

Meeting the housing needs of vulnerable homeless people in the private rented sector in Northern Ireland

Research Paper
November 2012

Housing Rights Service has released the findings of a ground breaking research study into how the private rented sector can provide a long-term and sustainable housing solution for homeless people with multiple and complex needs. Although the study shows that no single model of housing and support is likely to be appropriate for all chronically homeless people, it nevertheless finds that the use of rented accommodation in ‘Housing First’ or ‘Housing Led’ models of housing support could provide a solution if adequate safeguards are put in place.

PDF icon Executive Summary.pdf
PDF icon Meeting the Housing Needs of Vulnerable People.pdf

Tagged In

Private Tenancies, Policy, Homelessness

Fundamental Review of the Regulation of Houses in Multiple Occupation

Consultation Response
September 2012

We believe the proposed change from HMO registration to a licensing system, as already exists in England, Scotland and Wales, will greatly assist in protecting life, enhancing standards and eliminating the duplication that exists in administering the current systems of HMO registration and regulation in Northern Ireland. In this paper we address a number of overarching issues of concern to our clients and include responses to the questions contained in the consultation paper

PDF icon HRS Response to the DSD Consultation Paper on the Fundamental Review of the Regulation of Houses in Multiple Occupation September 2012(2).pdf

Tagged In

Private Tenancies, Policy, Landlord

Pages

Subscribe to Private Tenancies