Online help for people struggling with housing problems and homelessness

Dealing with poor housing, homelessness, rent arrears and mortgage debt causes huge levels of stress and people often don’t know where to turn for help.   With over 40,000 people on the waiting list, it’s important to be informed about housing options and rights.

Local charity, Housing Rights Service has just redeveloped its online resource www.housingadviceNI.org to ensure people in Northern Ireland have round the clock access to advice and information on their housing problems.

Etain Ní Fhearghail, the site’s editor said: “housingadviceNI.org is a really useful website full of information and advice that can help people find solutions to their housing problems. The site has been redeveloped to make it more attractive and user friendly.  The new layout means people can get information about housing problems 24 hours a day using their mobile, tablet or computer.”

With over 800 pages of practical advice www.housingadviceni.org has dedicated sections providing:

• advice to homeowners at risk of repossession
• advice on housing issues for private tenants
• guidance for private landlords operating in NI
• information on housing rights of migrant workers (translated into Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Lithuanian, Slovak, Cantonese, Mandarin and French
• advice on housing issues that prisoners or former prisoners face
• advice on housing issues faced by young people

The site is written and managed by Housing Rights Service and funded by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.  Siobhan McCauley, Housing Executive Director of Regional Services said: “Providing comprehensive and easily accessible housing advice is a key objective of the Housing Executive’s Homelessness Strategy. We will continue to work in partnership with the Housing Rights Service to ensure that all our customers have the widest choice of information available to allow them to choose the best housing option for them.”


Ms Ní Fhearghail continued: “As well as explaining local housing law and policies in simple terms, the site also allows users to email their questions directly to Housing Rights Service advisers.  If you’ve fallen behind on your mortgage and you’re worried about going to court or losing your home, you can use the site to chat confidentially with our advisers.  People who have already used this service have been really positive about it, with one lady saying it was an excellent service that gave her plenty of options on how to proceed .”

People struggling with housing problems can get advice and information to help online at www.housingadviceNI.org


ENDS

Notes to editors:
For further information contact Claire at Housing Rights Service on 90 245640

Spokespersons will be available for comment


•    Established in 1964 Housing Rights Service (HRS) is the leading specialist provider of independent housing advice in Northern Ireland.  The charity works to improve lives by tackling homelessness and housing problems.
•    housingadviceNI is funded in full by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive
•    The website had over 650K visits and over 3.5m pageviews in 2013/2014