November 2014

Hector contacted Housing Rights Service for help back in July.

Tenants who are having problems in their privately rented homes can now turn to a new service for assistance.  Smartmove Housing is providing a tenancy sustainment intervention service as part of the Private Rented Sector Access Scheme, funded by the NI Housing Executive.

What is a Tenancy Sustainment Intervention scheme?

Smartmove officers can intervene in a failing tenancy and work with the tenant and the landlord to try to improve the situation.

Advisers and solicitors working with rural clients affected by repossession may not be aware of the impact that certain planning clauses may have on their clients’ options.  Permission to build certain rural dwellings may have been granted subject to a clause requiring that the property be occupied by a farmer or farm worker.   This type of clause can help you negotiate with a lender who is threatening legal action to repossess the property.

People from all walks of life end up in the Chancery Court in Belfast, facing the possibility of losing their home.  Sharon and Stephen are one such couple, who got help from our Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme last month, after meeting specialist representative Maria McNally at court. 

Earlier this week, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced a number of new measures which aim to minimise the impact of payday loan charges on borrowers.

From 2nd January 2015:

Going to court and facing the possibility of eviction or repossession creates unimaginable stress for many people.  Every day Housing Rights Service sends two specialist advisers, Maria and Eamonn, out to court hearings across Northern Ireland to offer free advice and representation to people who are attending court to try to save their homes.

Private tenants have, for the first time, published proposals for improving rented accommodation in Northern Ireland. The Private Tenants’ Forum has produced an ‘Agenda for Action’ which sets out 8 practical ways to improve rented accommodation in Northern Ireland.