Minister announces review of Private Rented Sector

Social Development Minister, Mervyn Storey MLA has announced a review of the private rented sector.

Speaking at our Bigger & Better conference yesterday, the Minister said “…now is the right time to look again at the regulation of the private rented sector.”

The private rented sector has grown significantly in past years and, with shortages in social housing, there is a fresh focus on how to make this housing tenure more appropriate and acceptable to the wider population in Northern Ireland.  Recent legislative changes have introduced tenancy deposit protection and landlord registration, but there is more that needs to be done if renting privately is to become an attractive choice for households in Northern Ireland.  

Meetings with stakeholders

The Minister stated that his departmental officials have begun a series of meetings with interested bodies and have already developed a list of issues.  These issues include some of those raised by the Private Tenants Forum in its newly launched “Agenda for Action”.   The Minister encouraged those present at yesterday’s conference to make their voices heard during the forthcoming discussions and consultations.

The Bigger & Better conference featured presentations on how the private sector differs in other jurisdictions and the Minister said that the review will “take account of what is happening in Great Britain and across Europe and consider whether there are initiatives that could be adapted to enhance the private rented sector in Northern Ireland.”