AQW 8649/16-21

Mrs Pam Cameron
Democratic Unionist Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 06/12/2016
Answered On Date: 15/12/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities whether he plans to introduce legislation to require landlords of residential rental properties experiencing damp to take remedial action to alleviate this issue, in line with other parts of the United Kingdom.

Answer:

There are no plans to introduce legislation specifically regarding this issue however the Department is aware that council environmental health officers give advice to both landlords and tenants on the prevention of damp.

The housing fitness standard, which sets the minimum condition which all dwellings must meet to be considered fit for human habitation, requires that every dwelling must be free from dampness prejudicial to the health of the occupant. Legislation provides powers for councils to intervene in private rented properties to address this.