AQO 7774/11-15

Mr Ross Hussey
Ulster Unionist Party
West Tyrone

Tabled Date: 26/02/2015
Answered On Date: 10/03/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Social Development for his assessment of how landlords are cooperating with the Landlord Registration Scheme.

Answer:

At 1 March 2015 over 35,000 landlords have registered and provided details of over 77,000 private tenancies. I assess this as a positive indication that landlords are cooperating well with the Landlord Registration Scheme. According to the 2011 House Condition Survey there were 125,000 private tenancies so we now have details of approximately 62 per cent of these.

Immediately prior to the Landlord Registration deadline of 25 February 2015 there were approximately 2,000 landlords registering per day.

In the first year of the Scheme, a number of landlords have raised concerns regarding the requirement of all joint owners to register separately and each pay the fee. I announced a review of the role and regulation of the private rented sector in November 2014 and have agreed to look at this requirement in the planned review.

My Department will continue to work with local councils to publicise and enforce the Landlord Registration Scheme to improve co-operation further.