AQW 46708/22-27
Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down
Tabled Date: 20/05/2026
Answered On Date: 22/06/2026
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail (i) the number of social housing properties empty in North Down; and (ii) the average; and (ii) maximum, period of vacancy of those properties.
Answer:
This issue is an operational matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, they have advised me as follows: “As of 21st May 2026, there were 29 actionable* and 20 non-actionable** Housing Executive voids in the North Down Parliamentary Constituency. The Housing Executive has a KPI to relet properties within 30 days. The average time taken to relet a property in North Down & Ards Area is 24 days. Relet times are not available by Parliamentary Constituency. As of 21st May 2026, the longest void duration was 2865 days. This property is situated in a block of flats which was subject to ASB and had a high rate of tenancy turnover. A decision was taken in 2018 not to relet any properties in the block, allowing for improvement work to be completed when vacant possession of the entire block was obtained. This did not occur until 2025. Work will commence in July 2026 to bring the properties back to a lettable standard and back into stock. *Actionable voids are properties which are vacant while in the process of being allocated/ awaiting change of tenancy repairs. These may also include properties deemed difficult to let. **Non-Actionable voids are properties that are not immediately available for allocation and are held vacant for operational reasons i.e. decanting purposes (where they are being used to house a tenant on a temporary basis pending works to their home), planned maintenance schemes, and properties which have been identified for sale/transfer or have approval for demolition.” My Department does not hold the requested information for Housing Association properties.
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