Housing Rights welcomes the proposed introduction of extended notice periods as an important step forward for renters’ rights in Northern Ireland. Extended notice periods will support greater security of tenure, and provide tenants with longer preparation time to source, apply for, and access alternative accommodation should they receive a notice to quit from their landlord. This should help lower their risk of experiencing homelessness during the transition between tenancies.
This submission provides Housing Rights response to the proposals outlined in the Department for Communities consultation on longer notice to quit periods, per Article 14 of the Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 as amended by Section 11 of the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022. Our positions within this response have been informed by our advice experience, best practice from other jurisdictions and through engagement with people with lived experience through our policy and participation work.
Whilst acknowledging the need to establish special case exceptions to the longer notice to quit periods to be enacted in the Private Tenancies Act, Housing Rights are deeply concerned that the proposals for these exceptions as they stand, risk undermining the spirit of the PTA and have the potential to threaten the NI Executive’s wider policy agenda, particularly concerning homelessness prevention.