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028 9024 5640: Housing & Debt Helpline for Northern Ireland

Housing Rights responds to Civil Justice Review

2 January 2018

Housing Rights has responded to the review of civil justice.

Online dispute resolution

Housing Rights welcomes the review’s proposal for a pilot online dispute resolution scheme for disputes under £5,000 in value. Housing Rights has recently published research on Alternative Dispute Resolution in the private rented sector, which recommends a 3-stage dispute resolution process for private rented disputes, with online self-resolution software and the options of mediation and early neutral evaluation before formal litigation is resorted to.

Housing Rights would recommend that the Departments of Justice and Communities consider implementing this process as the pilot dispute resolution scheme, and a potential “stepping stone” to a broader scheme.

Civil Justice Council

Housing Rights welcomes the proposal for the creation of a Civil Justice Council, and strongly believes that membership of this Council should go beyond the legal profession and judiciary to include key stakeholders including consumers and voluntary organisations.

Read our full response.

Disputes in the private rented sector

If you are renting privately and have a housing issue, you can get free and expert advice from our advice site housingadviceNI, or on our housing helpline at 028 9024 5640.

This article was written on 2 January 2018. It should not be relied on as a statement of the current law or policy position. For help with housing issues please contact our helpline on 028 9024 5640 or use our online chat service at www.housingadviceNI.org.