AQW 42648/11-15
Mr Seán Rogers
Social Democratic and Labour Party
South Down
Tabled Date: 20/02/2015
Answered On Date: 02/03/2015
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister for Social Development to outline the additional protections afforded to private tenants, that are not already covered by existing legislation, by the introduction of the Landlord Registration Scheme.
Answer:
Prior to the introduction of the Landlord Registration Scheme there was no central database of private landlords. Therefore when a landlord was not complying with the law and a tenant reported this to the local council environmental health department it was often difficult for enforcement action to be taken, specifically because they could not access up to date contact details for the landlord. With the introduction of Landlord Registration existing and prospective tenants are encouraged to check if the landlord is registered and ensure the property is included in a registered landlord’s portfolio. In addition, council environmental health officers can access the full information on the Register to enable them to proactively enforce private tenancy law. On registration landlords receive a toolkit which details their obligations and duties under private rented sector law. Landlords are kept up-to-date with any proposed changes and can be involved in policy development. As of 25 February 2015, over 33,000 landlords have registered providing details of over 70,000 tenancies.
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