New tenancies legislation debated at webinar next week

Propertymark members are to get a briefing on Northern Ireland’s new Private Tenancies Act at a webinar hosted by the trade body’s policy manager for the devolved nations.

Daryl McIntosh will be online next Tuesday - May 10, from 12.30pm to 1.30pm - to discuss the Private Tenancies legislation which has now received Royal Assent and paves the way for a number of changes to the law relating to private residential tenancies.

The immediate change from today - May 5 - is an extension of Notice to Quit periods.

But there are more wide-ranging implications such as the NI Assembly’s ability to control rents, as well as aspects relating to electrical safety standards, fire, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, energy efficiency regulations, prescribed information to be provided to tenants, and amendments to recovering possession - all subject to consultation.

Lettings agents and landlords must provide tenants with four weeks' notice if the tenancy has not been in existence for more than 12 months; eight weeks if the tenancy has been in existence for more than 12 months but not for more than 10 years; 12 weeks if the tenancy has been in existence for more than 10 years.

Tenants must provide landlords with written notice of four weeks if their tenancy has not been in existence for more than 10 years; 12 weeks for a tenancy of more than 10 years.

McIntosh says: “Variations to the notice periods are the only immediate change this Act will bring, but letting agents and their landlords also need to be aware of what else is to come further down the line and the potential impact that will have on the private rental sector.

“We agree broadly with the need to extend notice periods to provide greater security of tenure but will continue to argue against other elements that create too much of an imbalance between the rights and needs of tenants and letting agents and their landlords.

“I’d urge as many members as possible to join me as we go through the scope of the Act and so they can ask any questions they have about the implications in the short and long term.”

Propertymark members can book a place on the webinar here.