NI Housing Bulletin for April - June 2015 is released

The latest Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin shows that there has been a decrease of 5% on the number presenting as homeless to the Housing Executive compared to last quarter.

The Bulletin, which covers the period of April to June 2015 also shows a decrease of  13%  in the number of households accepted as full duty applicants compared to the previous quarter.

Key facts from the NI Housing Bulletin include

• In total, 4,776 households presented as homeless to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive during April - June 2015. This is a decrease of 264 (5%) from the previous quarter. The most common reason reported by those presenting as homeless (976) was that their accommodation was not reasonable. This was followed by those who reported a sharing breakdown or family dispute (948).
• The number of households accepted by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive as full duty applicants for the quarter April - June 2015 was 2,477, a decrease of 13% compared to the previous quarter. The most common reasons reported by full duty applicants for their current situation was that their accommodation was not reasonable (31%) or they were experiencing a sharing breakdown or family dispute (19%). Of those households accepted as full duty applicants during the quarter 223 were discharged. A full duty applicant is an applicant considered by the Housing Executive to be eligible, homeless (threatened with homelessness), in priority need and unintentionally homeless, to whom the Housing Executive owes full housing duty.
• The Residential Property Price Index in Quarter 2 (April – June) 2015 stands at 101, 6% higher than in Quarter 2 2014. ¬ Between Quarter 1 (January – March) and Quarter 2 (April – June) 2015 residential property prices increased by 3%.
• During the quarter ending March 2015, 221 (revised figures) new National House Building Council (NHBC) registered dwellings were sold, a decrease of 17% on the same period in 2014.
• The average price of NHBC-registered new dwellings for the quarter ending March 2015 was £167,700 which is an increase of 12% on the previous quarter (£149,900).

The Bulletin also contains information on the number of new dwellings started and completed and the Residential Property Price Index. You can read the full report on the Department for Social Development's website.