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

March 2016

Responses to the review of the Private Rented Sector show split opinions on landlord licensing

25 March 2016

The Department for Social Development has released a summary of responses to the Review of the Role and Regulation of the Private Rented Sector.

Read more

Tagged In

Regulation, Private Tenancies

Assembly Roundup: March 2016

24 March 2016

A roundup of the questions answered by the Minister for Social Development in March. 

Homelessness

To ask the Minister for Social Development for the definition of rough sleepers, as used by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.  Mr Steven Agnew, Green Party AQW 54898/11-16

Read more

Tagged In

NI Assembly

Benefit Cap to be rolled out in Northern Ireland

23 March 2016

The benefits cap is to be introduced to Northern Ireland from 31st May, 2016.

What is the benefits cap?

The cap is contained in the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015, and places a limit on the total amount of benefits working-age households can receive. Benefits which count towards the calculation of the cap are:

Read more

Tagged In

Benefits, Money Matters, Welfare Reform

ADVISER: Right to reside for foreign nationals with an Irish spouse

22 March 2016

Faith, an adviser with our Community Housing Advice Partnership, recently helped to have a young mother’s housing benefit payments reinstated.  The Community Housing Advice Partnership offers a support service to partner agencies who work in the voluntary sector and need expert advice to deal with complex housing cases.

Read more

Tagged In

Benefits, Minority Groups, Practical tips, Adviser

Housing Rights highlights letting fees in Response to Consumer Council’s draft Corporate Plan

22 March 2016

Housing Rights has highlighted the charging of fees by letting agents as a key issue for consumers, in our response to the Consumer Council’s consultation on its Draft Forward Work Programme 2016-17 and Corporate Plan 2016-2021.

Read more

Video resources on housingadviceNI

21 March 2016

We've just added a new video to our video library on housingadviceNI.  The housingadviceNI website is funded by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and aims to provide information in plain English to help people find the answers to their housing problems. 

Read more

Tagged In

Practical tips

The extent of court's discretion to stay an order for possession in mortgage arrears cases

21 March 2016

The Northern Ireland High Court of Justice decision in The Woolwich v Boyd [2015] NICh 16 , issued by Mr Justice Deeny in the High Court Chancery Division, deals with the issue of the extent of the discretion of the court in an application for a stay on an order for possession of a home; and how this discretion is exercised.

Read more

Tagged In

Repossession, Case law, Legal

Housing Rights respond to consultation on NIHE Rural Policy Proposals

16 March 2016

Housing Rights has recently responded to a Housing Executive consultation on their draft Rural Policy Proposals.

Read more

Tagged In

Minority Groups, Policy, Equality, Affordability

JRF launches their 2016 report, ‘Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion in Northern Ireland’

15 March 2016

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has launched its 2016 report, ‘Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion in Northern Ireland.’ The report draws on the latest data on household income, labour force participation, workers’ earnings and education, to show the extent and nature of poverty in Northern

Read more

Changes to Support for Mortgage Interest: The Impact in Northern Ireland

9 March 2016

Support for Mortgage Interest (‘SMI’) is a payment available to people receiving Income Support; income-based Jobseekers’ Allowance; income-based Employment & Support Allowance; and Pension Credit. These payments are vital in allowing low-income households to maintain their mortgage repayments and sustain their homes. 

The next few years will see several changes to the SMI scheme, specifically:

Read more

Tagged In

Benefits, Repossession, Homelessness, Legal

Department keen to hear from tenants living in private rented sector

8 March 2016

The Department for Social Development is keen to hear more from tenants who are currently renting a home from a private landlord or through a private agent in Northern Ireland.  The Department is currently carrying out a comprehensive review of the private rented sector.  

Read more

Tagged In

Private Tenants Forum, Private Tenancies, Policy, NI Assembly