Housing Rights launch Landlord Advice - a free service for landlords

“Landlord Advice" is a free advice service for landlords being piloted by Housing Rights on behalf of the Department for Communities (DFC).  Its aim is to help landlords comply with their legal requirements and promote good practice by offering free confidential advice and information.

Photo from left to right:  Rhonda McFall, Department for Communities, Raymond Crooks, Landlord Association for Northern Ireland Chairperson, Severina Kelly, Service Adviser and Janet Hunter, Housing Rights Director.

Promoting a professional PRS

The private rented sector in Northern Ireland has grown dramatically with one in five households now privately renting their home.  Rather than large scale investors, eight out of ten local landlords only have one or two properties. The “Landlord Advice” service aims to promote a professional and well managed private rented sector that is good for both landlords and tenants.

 Catherine Feely, Advice Manager in Housing Rights, welcomes the opportunity to help private landlords who operate in a complex legal environment.

“We are delighted to pilot this service which is a great free resource for landlords, people thinking about becoming landlords, and estate & managing agents.  We can help with the application and interpretation of relevant housing and landlord tenant legislation. We can also advise on key issues like preparing to rent, property standards, rights and responsibilities and ending tenancies. ”

The service has been welcomed by the Landlords' Association for Northern Ireland Chairperson Raymond Crooks:

“We are pleased that local landlords now have access to free advice and believe this will benefit our members, their tenants, and the broader rental sector in Northern Ireland. “

Contact Landlord Advice

Landlords can get free advice by contacting 028 9024 5640 and selecting option 5, or by emailing  [email protected].

The helpline will be available between 9.30am-2.30pm Monday to Friday.

Who can use the Landlord Helpline?

• Residential landlords
• People thinking about renting out a property
• Professional Estate & Managing agents.
• What can the Landlord Helpline provide advice on?

Helpline staff will be available to provide information on the application and interpretation of relevant consumer, housing and landlord tenant legislation. They will also be able to advise landlords on key issues like:

• Preparing to rent
• Property standards
• Rights and responsibilities
• Ending tenancies.
• Where additional support is required advisers can offer information on referral to specialist services.

The helpline won’t be able to assist with

• Conveyancing
• Tax matters, or other specialist aspects of renting property