Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

The Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 was passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly and received Royal Assent on 27 April 2022. The legislation builds on the Housing Strategy Action Plan 2012-2017 and makes several changes to the Private Tenancies Order (Northern Ireland) 2006 which is the main primary legislation governing the private rented sector in Northern Ireland.

The changes include information that must be provided to tenants, changes to the rules for tenancy deposits and new regulations affecting the standards of homes including energy efficiency and electrical safety.

The Act is being introduced gradually, with changes to notice periods having been in place since 5 May 2022. Sections 1-6 are coming into force from 1 April 2023 with additional regulations that will be consulted on and introduced. 

Preparing for private tenancies act (Northern Ireland)
Webinar slides
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Provisions of the Act

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A Guide to Sections 1-6 for Tenants and Landlords

The Department for Communities have created a selection of guides that you can share with your landlords and tenants.

LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES
04 Jun 2024
Private Tenancies Act Section 8 coming into force on 1 September

The Smoke, Heat and Carbon Monoxide Alarms Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 set the standards for the number and type of alarms that must be installed in privately rented properties. Once they come into force, letting agents and landlords will be responsible for installing and keeping alarms sufficient in any property they rent out.

Resources for members

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03 Jul 2023
FAQs: Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Sections 1-6 of the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 were enacted on 1 April 2023. This FAQ document provides answers to the most common questions that we have received from Propertymark members.

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07 Mar 2023
Fact sheet: Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Act 2022

The Housing Strategy Action Plan 2012–2017 committed the Department for Communities to review the private rented sector in Northern Ireland. This led to the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 which received Royal Assent on 27 April 2022.

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07 Mar 2023
Fact sheet: Notice to quit periods

Under the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, the changes made to notice to quit periods by the emergency legislation was established as a long-term measure. This permanent extension to the notice to quit period was one of many changes introduced by the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.

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27 Mar 2023
Fact sheet: Tenancy deposit requirements in Northern Ireland

In 2011, the Northern Ireland Assembly passed the Housing (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and later the Tenancy Deposit Schemes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 which introduced regulations for protecting tenancy deposits in Northern Ireland.

How did we get here

Aerial nightime photo of Belfast
12 Apr 2017
Private Rented Sector in Northern Ireland — Proposals for Change

In January 2017, the Department for Communities published proposals for significant changes to the sector including introducing Agent Regulation, subjecting all unfit properties built before 1956 to rent control and banning letting agent fees.

Lettings agent's let board
09 Nov 2021
Northern Ireland Private Tenancies Bill Call for Evidence

Propertymark has long called for greater regulation of the private rented sector in Northern Ireland, our recent response to the Assembly’s Call for Evidence cautions against the introduction of too many regulatory changes in one go, which could result in landlords exiting the sector and undermining the ambitions of the Bill.

Man reading an evicition notice
25 Jan 2022
Notice to Quit Consultation

While the Private Tenancies Bill continues its progression through the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Department for Communities has sought views on the appropriate length of Notice to Quit periods for tenancies in Northern Ireland.