New safeguards for tenants renting privately

The borough council will be able to issue a penalty of up to £500 to landlords who fail to provide a tenant with a rent receipt for a cash payment or fail to issue a Tenancy Information Notice.

The new legislation will come into effect on April 1.

Under the Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, the borough council has responsibility for privately rented dwellings locally ensuring obligations of landlords and tenants under private tenanciesare fulfilled. These involve issuing certificates of fitness or notices of unfitness or disrepair.

A Tenancy Information Notice is a legal document which provides the landlord and tenant with information on their respective rights and responsibilities and can help to minimise disputes as information, such as the rent payable, deposit details, duration of tenancy, responsibility for repairs and notice of termination is included. It also provides the landlord’s contact details.

A landlord will be required to provide a written receipt for any payment made in cash.

Deposit Scheme

In addition, the time limit for a tenancy deposit to be protected in an approved tenancy deposit scheme has changed from 14 days to 28 days and the duration landlords have to provide information to tenant has changed from 28 days to 35 days.

Commenting at a meeting of the council’s Operations Committee on Monday evening, Antrim Ulster Unionist Councillor Jim Montgomery said: “These are sensible changes that are being made. It would be nice to see similarly practical measures being brought in to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive but they are not private.”

Party colleague Cllr Robert Foster, Macedon, stated: “I am happy to see private tenants being extended some stability and legal recourse. I am sure many members have had private tenants inform them about private landlords not fulfilling obligations.”

Antrim DUP Ald John Smyth asked how the council would accommodate the new duties. He was told that the authority has resources to carry out inspections and the legislation change will provide additional powers.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter