Conference on the Future of Private Renting in NI

Housing Rights Service is holding a conference on the future of private renting in Northern Ireland on Thursday 6 November 2014 in Riddell Hall, Stranmillis Road, Belfast.

This one-day conference will open up debate on how the Northern Ireland private rented sector can genuinely offer a more viable and attractive longer-term tenure option.

The changing face of the private rented sector in NI

The private rented sector in Northern Ireland accounts for almost 20% of housing stock.  It is now much bigger than the social housing sector, accommodating growing numbers of low income and vulnerable households. In 2012-13 more than 60,000 private tenants were in receipt of Housing Benefit, with the housing benefit bill for the sector totalling £300m. However, emerging evidence suggests  tenants are struggling to meet rent shortfalls and more landlords are facing repossession or holding back on repairs or improvement works.

As part of the Housing Strategy 2012-17, Government has committed to “ensuring access to decent, affordable, sustainable homes across all tenures”. Within the private rented sector, this means reviewing and improving regulation.

The experts

We’ve invited a number of experts to examine the changing policy landscape for private rented accommodation and share their views.  They are:

• Professor Paddy Gray, University of Ulster
• Kath Scanlon, LSE London
• Dr Eoin O’Sullivan, Trinity College Dublin

Chairman of the Landlord’s Association NI, Raymond Crooks, and members of our own Private Tenants forum will be sharing their landlord and tenant experiences. 

We will also have contributions from Minister for Social Development, Mervyn Storey,  Managing Director for TDS NI, Ben Beadle, Mark Hitchen, Dept for Communities and Local Government, and Aileen Devanny, PResident of teh Scottish Private Rented Housing Panel.

Who should attend?

This event will be of great benefit to local politicians, academics, landlords, tenants and housing professionals who want to know what changes we need to make locally to create a bigger and better working private rented sector.

Early bird bookings

Tickets are £75 for members of Housing Rights Service, and £95 for non-members.