Housing Information for Tenants

Our Environmental Health team can give advice about your tenancy rights and responsibilities.

Tenancy Statements

If your tenancy started after April 2007, your landlord must give you a tenancy statement. The Tenancy Terms Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 statement includes the key details of your rental agreement.

If you don’t get this within 28 days, a six-month tenancy is automatically created, and your landlord must meet certain repair rules.

You can find these rules in the Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

For more help, visit Housing Advice NI

Landlord Registration

All private landlords must register with the Department for Communities. The registration lasts three years, and landlords must renew it after that.

If a landlord doesn’t register or gives false information, they may get a fine of up to £500. They may aslo face court action and a fine of up to £2,500.

For advice, visit Housing Advice NIor call 028 9024 5640.

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

If you pay a deposit when you rent a home, it must be protected by an approved scheme.
The landlord must:

Protect the deposit within 14 days
Tell the tenant within 28 days

If a landlord doesn’t protect your deposit, they could be fined up to three times the amount of the deposit or taken to court.

Deposits must be paid in money only — not goods or services.

Taking a deposit in another form can lead to a £500 fine or a court fine up to £2,500.

Types of Deposit Schemes

There are two types of deposit scheme

Custodial Scheme – the deposit is held safely by the scheme until the tenancy ends.

Insurance Scheme – the landlord keeps the deposit but pays a small fee to protect it.

Who Runs the Scheme?

Three appointed scheme administrators operate the schemes

My Deposits
The Dispute Service NI
Letting Protection Service Northern Ireland

The Council makes sure landlords follow these rules. If not, they may face a fine worth three times the deposit.

Report any concerns by emailing ehealth@nmandd.org .org or calling 0330 137 4024.

More information is also available on NI Direct website.

Inspections for Tenants

If your rented home is in poor condition or unsafe, tell your landlord or agent first. If the issue isn’t fixed, contact us on 0330 137 4024.

An Officer can visit your home and, if needed, issue one of these notices:

Nuisance Abatement Notice – if damp, rot, or other issues affect your health

Notice of Unfitness – if the home is not fit to live in

Notice of Disrepair – if repairs are needed within a set time

Harassment and Unlawful Eviction

A private tenant can only be forced to leave their home if a court of law has issued a court order.

Our public health and housing team can:

provide advice to landlords and tenants
investigate complaints of harassment and unlawful eviction
prosecute landlords who have harassed or illegally evicted their tenants.

Harassment

You can only be made to leave your home if a court order is issued.

We can:

Give advice to landlords and tenants
Investigate complaints about harassment or illegal eviction
Take legal action if needed
Harassment means any action to force you to leave your home, such as:
Turning off water, gas or electricity
Entering your home without permission
Making threats or refusing repairs
Visiting without warning, especially late at night
Keep a record of any incidents, including the date, time, and what happened.

Unlawful Eviction

This happens if a landlord removes you from your home without a court order. For example:

Changing the locks
Physically removing you
Blocking access to your home
A landlord must give you a Notice to Quit before applying for a court order.

Notice periods:

Tenancy under 5 years: 4 weeks’ notice
Tenancy 5–10 years: 8 weeks’ notice
Tenancy over 10 years: 12 weeks’ notice
Even after this notice ends, you cannot be evicted without a court order.

For advice, visit Housing Advice NI.

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

All HMOs must be licensed by the local council.

Belfast City Council runs the NI HMO scheme for all Northern Ireland councils.

You can apply for a licence online or at your council office.
Applications must include all required documentation and the appropriate fee.

Contact Details

Email: ehealth@nmandd.org

Telephone: 0330 137 4024