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Read the latest news on housing and homelessness issues in Northern Ireland

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Two children playing with a white cat in a bedroom

Can landlords turn away renters with children or pets?

Demand for private tenancies in Northern Ireland is at an all-time high. Renters face stiff competition when applying for homes. Some renters are struggling to arrange a viewing or get their applications accepted. There are reports that some landlords and agents will not rent to tenants with children and pets.

11 August 2023
Faith Westwood — Practitioner Support Officer
Benefits Private rented sector Landlord
person hold a receipt, there is food in the background

Report identifies housing cost as key contributor to cost of living crisis in Northern Ireland

Last week The Centre for Progressive Policy (CPP) published its report ‘The cost of living crisis across the devolved nations: How rising costs are hitting different places across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

Housing Rights welcome this report which highlights the scale of the crisis in Northern Ireland, casting a much-needed light on the struggles of people coping with the financial pressures of what is a generational cost of living crisis. 

 

27 July 2023
housing rights staff

Housing Rights awarded funding for new programme

Housing Rights is one of six organisations who have each received £25,000 from the Community Foundation’s Community Solutions to Housing and Homelessness programme.

The money will fund a new housing and domestic abuse and immersive learning programme.

21 July 2023
Image of houses with stacked money and percentage increase signs

Mortgage Charter addresses borrowers’ fears but does not help homeowners already in arrears

Yesterday the UK Government published the Mortgage Charter which aims to help homeowners who have seen interest rates steadily rise to 5% over the last 18 months.

27 June 2023
Stephen Morrison — Policy Coordinator
Mortgage
Image of a chalkboard with increasing interest rates and a house

Continued worry for NI homeowners as mortgage interest rates soar

Households in NI will continue to struggle with soaring mortgage costs despite intervention in light of the continued interest rate rises. Some households may still face homelessness, according to local housing charity Housing Rights.

23 June 2023
Homelessness Mortgage
Rooftops of houses

Joint Organisational letter re DfC Budget 2023-24 Equality Impact Assessment

We have written a joint letter to the Department for Communities Permanent Secretary Colum Boyle, regarding the proposed budget reductions. 

 

8 June 2023
Homelessness
Characters holding bits of a jigsaw puzzle

Involving people in decisions about housing and homelessness

We asked Involve to research what is being done to involve 'experts by experience'  in decisions about housing policy and services.

6 June 2023
Homelessness
Two girls sitting on floor in housing talking, there are moving boxes around them

Tips for surviving a student rental

As students across Northern Ireland prepare for the next academic year, we’ve come up with some handy tips for anyone taking on a new rental tenancy.  

 

22 May 2023
Person holding a calculator that says mortgage

Changes to Support for Mortgage Interest

The Loans for Mortgage Interest (Amendment) Regulations 2023  came into effect on 3 April 2023. These regulations change some of the rules for claiming Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI).  

The government hopes these changes will make it easier for borrowers to get help through SMI during the cost of living crisis. But the Department for Work and Pensions recently estimated that the changes would only lead to an extra 900 families applying for the loan. 

27 April 2023
Faith Westwood — Practitioner Support Officer
generic street view with to let signs on houses

Changes to the private rented sector from 1 April 2023

The Private Tenancies Act received royal assent in April 2022. It created new notice to quit rules for landlords and tenants.  The act contains other changes to the private rented sector, however, regulations are needed to make these changes into law. Some of these regulations have now been put in place and will be effective from 1 April 2023. 

28 March 2023
Faith Westwood — Practitioner Support Officer
Private tenants Private rented sector Landlord
Father hugging small son

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