Assembly roundup: May 2015

A round up of housing related questions to the Minister for Social Development during May 2015. 

More funding secured for support to homeowners in negative equity

To ask the Minister for Social Development, in light of the recommendations of the Mortgage Taskforce, what support will be offered to home owners who find themselves in negative equity. Mrs Dolores Kelly (SDLP - Upper Bann) AQW 45510/11-15    

Recent statistics on mortgage lending show encouraging growth in the regional market, especially with the number of people buying their first home being at its highest level since 2006; and for households that can afford their monthly repayments and do not need to move, negative equity will progressively become less of an issue. However, despite this context many households continue to be affected by the rise and fall in house prices, particularly those where the home is no longer suitable for their purposes.

In the first instance, solutions to negative equity related problems can be secured through dialogue with the mortgage lender. Where mortgage arrangements are no longer suitable homeowners can take advantage of transitional arrangements which allow lenders to waive the affordability tests for existing customers. For households where the loan is affordable yet the home is no longer suitable for their purposes, mortgage porting can allow homeowners to ‘port’ their negative equity to a new property. In both cases my Department is working with the Council of Mortgage Lenders to improve the availability of these negative equity products.

Should homeowners encounter difficulties or obstacles during their discussions with the mortgage lender, the Mortgage Debt Advice Service is available to provide additional support. The Mortgage Debt Advice Service, which has recently received a 50 per cent increase in funding from my Department, can offer bespoke advice and speak to a homeowner’s mortgage lender on their behalf. This free, independent and confidential service can be contacted on Tel: 0300 323 0310.

More information on the options available to households in negative equity can be viewed at the Money Advice Service website

Addressing problems with the Common Selection Scheme

To ask the Minister for Social Development when he plans to address the problems with the Housing Selection Scheme to ensure people do not have lengthy stays in hostels and over-crowded conditions. Mr Fra McCann (SF - West Belfast)  AQO 8229/11-15 

In line with a commitment made within my Department’s Housing Strategy, independent research was commissioned both to analyse the way social housing is accessed and allocated, and to make recommendations for further improvement to current approaches and systems.

Following the consultation on these independent recommendations, my officials are developing proposals for change which I will consider in due course. Consultation on these proposals is likely to begin in the autumn.

Provision of complex needs accommodation

To ask the Minister for Social Development how many homes have been developed or adapted to accommodate families with complex needs within social housing in each of the last three years. Mrs Judith Cochrane  (APNI - East Belfast) AQO 8228/11-15 

In the last three years 95 new social housing units for complex needs have been developed plus four special acquisitions made.

With regard to adaptations since 2012 a total of 1,368 major adaptations which include the building of extensions to provide down stair bedroom and bathrooms, installation of lifts and change of heating have been completed.

Broken down by year:

There were 515 major adaptations in 2012/13;

491 major adaptations in 2013/14; and

362 major adaptations in 2014/15.

Waiting list for home adaptations for people with disabilities

To ask the Minister for Social Development for an update on the budget and waiting lists for home adaptations for people with disabilities. Mr Alex Attwood (SDLP - West Belfast) AQO 8227/11-15 

The Housing Executive has advised that the Capital Extensions budget for 2015/16 for adaptations for a person with a disability has been set at £4m. The minor adaptation budget - which includes heating, showers and lifts - is a further £2.7m.

Although adaptations are generally demand led, there are currently 299 schemes programmed for 2015/16 including 227 extensions and 43 stair lifts.

The Housing Executive has further advised that it does not hold a waiting list for adaptations to Housing Association properties, but does howevermanage the administration of Disabled Adaptations Grant payable to Housing Associations for the adaptation of their properties to meet the specific requirements of tenants. Disabled Adaptation Grants are paid out of the Housing Association Grant budget, and £1.2m was spent on this in 2014/15.

Turning to the private housing sector, Disabled Facilities Grants are available to owner occupiers, tenants and private landlords to make adaptations. The Housing Executive has indicated that it anticipates a target of 900 Disabled Facilities Grants approvals in 2015/16 with an indicative budget of around £10m.

Number of vacant properties in Northern Ireland

To ask the Minister for Social Development how many vacant properties are on the current list of the Housing Executive, broken down by constituency.   Mr David McNarry (UKIP - Strangford) AQW 45335/11-15 

The Housing Executive has advised that at 5 May 2015 they had a total of 1,257 vacant properties in Northern Ireland, as broken down by Parliamentary constituency.

Right to buy; number of sales, value of assets sold, value of discount

To ask the Minister for Social Development how many homes have been purchased by sitting tenants from the Housing Executive in the last three years. Mr David McNarry (UKIP - Strangford) AQW 45337/11-15 

The Housing Executive has advised that 1,302 homes have been purchased by sitting tenants in the last three years (2012/13 – 2014/15).

To ask the Minister for Social Development to detail the value of property sold by the Housing Executive to sitting tenants in the last three years.  Mr David McNarry  (UKIP - Strangford) AQW 45331/11-15

The Housing Executive has advised that the value of property sold to sitting tenants in the last three years (2012/13 – 2014/15) was £61.2m.

To ask the Minister for Social Development to detail the discount value of property sold by the Housing Executive to sitting tenants in the last three years. Mr David McNarry  (UKIP - Strangford) AQW 45332/11-15

The Housing Executive has advised that the discount value of property sold to sitting tenants in the last three years (2012/13 – 2014/15) was £21.8m

Regulating Fees charged in the Private Rented Sector

To ask the Minister for Social Development whether his Department will bring forward legislation to effectively regulate the payment of upfront fees in the private rental sector.  Mr Stewart Dickson (APNI - East Antrim) AQW 45811/11-15 

The ‘Tenancy Deposit Scheme’ introduced by my Department in April 2013 safeguards tenancy deposits paid by a tenant at the start of a tenancy. In the first two years of operation over 40,000 deposits have been protected.

Protecting tenants from fees charged specifically by letting agents is one of a number of issues being considered under the review of the role and regulation of the Private Rented Sector which is currently underway. Developments in other jurisdictions, in relation to letting agents, will be considered under the review. A discussion document will issue before Summer to garner views. A consultation paper, on proposals for change, will issue before the end of 2015. Any legislation that will need to be introduced will be taken forward during 2016/17.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment can investigate any unreasonable charges under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999.

Tenancy deposit non-compliance

To ask the Minister for Social Development whether his Department monitors non-compliance with tenancy deposit scheme requirements; and if so, to detail the number of prosecutions or fines imposed since 2013. Mr Stewart Dickson (APNI - East Antrim) AQW 45815/11-15 

Targets for social housing development programme

To ask the Minister for Social Development (i) to detail whether the Programme for Government commitment of delivering 2,000 social homes in 2014/15 was delivered; and (ii) for a breakdown of new social home builds per constituency. Mr Colum Eastwood (SDLP - Foyle) AQW 45386/11-15 

The PfG target to secure 2000 new social housing starts during the 2014/15 Programme year was not only met but exceeded. In total, housing associations started work on 2013 new units of social housing during the period April 2014 to March 2015.

Across the 4 year PfG period, work has commenced on 6101 new social housing units, thereby exceeding the PfG starts target of 6000 new social starts. (Link to information broken down by Parliamentary Constituency.)

Future plans for Housing Executive stock

To ask the Minister for Social Development for an update on the progress of the Department for Social Development and Northern Ireland Housing Executive Asset Commission, Asset Management Strategy and five year investment plan for Northern Ireland Housing Executive stock.   Mr Chris Lyttle (APNI - East Belfast) AQO 8230/11-15