AQW 45815/11-15

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 15/05/2015
Answered On Date: 01/06/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Social Development whether his Department monitors non-compliance with tenancy deposit scheme requirements; and if so, to detail the number of prosecutions or fines imposed since 2013.

Answer:

The Tenancy Deposit Schemes Regulations (NI) 2012 came into effect on 1 April 2013. Council environmental health departments are responsible for enforcement action where a landlord / agent does not comply with the law.

My Department monitors non compliance on a quarterly basis and is aware that standard council practice is to issue warning letters before issuing a fixed penalty.

Since the introduction of the Tenancy Deposit Schemes in April 2013 there have been 4 fixed penalties, 2 of which resulted in court referrals.