1. Homelessness
Avoiding homelessness
Homelessness & the Housing Executive
- Housing Executive's responsibilities to homeless people
- 4 tests for homelessness
- Homelessness test
- Eligibility for assistance test
- Priority need test
- Intentionality test
- Passed all homelessness tests?
- Failed one or more homelessness tests
- Temporary accommodation for homeless people
- Challenging a decision that says you are not legally homeless
Homelessness in Northern Ireland
Help from Social Services
Hostels, nightshelters and foyers
Help in an emergency
Help for homeless young people
2. Housing options in NI
Looking for a new privately rented home
Applying for social housing in Northern Ireland
Sheltered and supported housing
Buying or selling a home
- Finding a home to buy
- The buying process
- Mortgages
- Help to buy a home
- Problems buying a home
- The selling process
- Problems when selling
- Work out your stamp duty
Housing for students
Squatting
Getting help to stay in your current home
Planning a move
Affordable privately rented property from Smartmove Housing
3. Waiting list for housing
Applying for social housing
Working out your points
Waiting time and offers
- Getting an offer of housing
- Getting an offer when your points are low
- Dealing with an offer you don't want
- Problems on the waiting list
- Purchasing a home for someone with very specific needs
Areas of choice
The Housing Selection Scheme
Disqualified from applying for social housing
4. Advice for Housing Executive tenants
Rights of Housing Executive tenants
- Legal rights of NIHE tenants
- The Right to Buy your home
- Transfers
- Exchanging or swapping your home
- Passing on your tenancy
- Adding someone to your tenancy
NIHE and tenant responsibilities
Repairs for Housing Executive tenants
- Responsibility for repairs
- Getting repairs carried out
- The Right to Repair and Self Help Schemes
- Heating your home
- Compensation for damage caused during repairs
- Improvement schemes
- Dealing with bad weather if you are an NIHE tenant
- Complaining about repairs
Complaining about the Housing Executive
- Challenging a housing benefit decision
- Challenging a negative decision on homelessness or suitability of accommodation
- Complaining about repairs
- Formal complaints procedure
- Complaining to the Ombudsman
Housing Executive or housing association rent arrears
- Falling behind on your rent
- Paying your landlord the rent that you owe
- Budgeting skills
- People who can help you manage your debts
Ending a social tenancy
- Eviction of social tenants
- Reasons for eviction
- Evicting introductory tenants
- Evicting secure tenants
- Help at court
- Decisions that the court can make
- Abandoning your tenancy
- Ending your own social tenancy
Working out your points
5. Advice for Housing Association tenants
Rights of Housing Association tenants
- Legal rights of Housing Association tenants
- The Right to Buy your home
- Transfers
- Exchanging or swapping your home
- Passing on your tenancy
- Adding someone to your tenancy
Housing Association and tenant responsibilities
Housing Association repairs
- Responsibility for repairs
- Right to repair scheme for housing associations
- Compensation for damage and redecoration payments
- Heating your home
- Dealing with bad weather if you are a Housing Association tenant
Housing Executive or housing association rent arrears
- Falling behind on your rent
- Paying your landlord the rent that you owe
- Budgeting skills
- People who can help you manage your debts
Ending a social tenancy
- Eviction of social tenants
- Reasons for eviction
- Evicting introductory tenants
- Evicting secure tenants
- Help at court
- Decisions that the court can make
- Abandoning your tenancy
- Ending your own social tenancy
Working out your points
Complaining about your housing association
6. Advice for Private Tenants
Looking for a new rented home
Before you sign a tenancy agreement
- Tenant or licensee
- Is the property suitable?
- Can you afford it?
- What furnishings are included?
- How long is the tenancy?
- Who manages the tenancy?
- Your tenancy agreement
Deposits in private tenancies
- Tenancy deposits - the basics
- Help with deposits
- Deposit protection
- Deposit protection for joint tenants
- Getting your deposit back
Taking on a new tenancy
- Your tenancy agreement
- Rent book and tenancy statement
- Moving in to your rented home
- Tenancy deposits - the basics
- Help with deposits
- Deposit protection
- Rent in advance
Your rights as a private tenant
- Your basic rights as a tenant
- Rent book and tenancy statement
- Freedom from harassment and illegal eviction
- Right to housing benefit
- Repairs and safety
- Notice to quit and due process
- Deposit protection
- Lodgers, licensees and subtenants
- Tenancy health check
Your responsibilities as a private tenant
Rent, rates and housing benefit
- Paying rent for a private tenancy
- Problems paying rent
- Housing benefit and LHA for private tenants
- Overview of Local Housing Allowance
- Who can claim Housing Benefit?
- How much housing benefit will you get if you rent privately?
- Applying for housing benefit
- Payments of housing benefit
- Help if your housing benefit doesn't cover your full rent
- Housing benefit for single people
- Housing benefit after a change in circumstances
- Rates in private tenancies
- Rates arrears
- Withholding rent payments
- Rent increases
- Rent control in private tenancies
Repairs and safety for private tenants
- Who is responsible for repairs?
- The Fitness Standard and fitness inspections
- Gas safety
- Fire safety
- Electrical and furniture safety standards
- What to do if your landlord refuses to carry out repairs
Houses in Multiple Occupation, sharing and flatmates
- Reasons for sharing
- Finding shared accommodation
- Liability for rent in shared properties
- Renting a home with other people
- Living in a House of Multiple Occupation
- Practical arrangements
- Problems with housemates
- Splitting up with a partner when you rent privately
Harassment by landlords
Getting to know your neighbourhood
- Your responsibilities to your neighbours
- Getting involved in a residents group
- Noise and nuisance problems
Protected tenancy
- Finding out if a tenancy is protected
- Rent control in private tenancies
- Rights and repairs in protected tenancies
- Being evicted from a protected tenancy
- £1 per week housing benefit
Ending a private tenancy
- Coming to the end of a tenancy agreement
- Giving and receiving notice to quit
- Ending a joint private tenancy
- Getting out of your tenancy agreement
- Paying up and moving out
- Getting your deposit back
- Evicted from a private tenancy
Other problems when renting
- Landlord repossession
- Illegal eviction
- Dealing with bad weather when you're a private tenant
- Service charges
Top tips for renting privately
Links for private tenants
7. Advice for other tenants and homeowners
Buying or selling a home
Living in a caravan or a mobile home
Leaseholders, freeholders and ground rent
Compulsory redevelopment of an area or vesting
Dealing with bad weather if you own your home
Planning permission and building control
Lodgers, licensees and subtenants
Repair issues for homeowners and leaseholders
- Leaseholder repairs
- Claiming against your insurance
- Building guarantees
- Dealing with bad weather if you own your home
- Planning permission and building control
8. Advice for young people
Problems living at home or with parents
- Leaving home in a hurry
- Living with your parents
- Getting your own place - plan and prepare
- Leaving care
Help for homeless young people
- Avoiding homelessness
- Homeless 16-17 year olds
- Homeless 18-21 year olds
- Homelessness for people aged over 21
Housing Executive help
Housing for young parents
Renting problems
Money matters - financial help
Housing for students
Organisations that can help young people
9. Advice for prisoners
Keeping your home
Going into prison
- What happens to your home when you go into prison?
- Caring for your personal items while you're in prison
- Claiming benefits from prison
Homeless on release?
- I know my release date
- I don't know my release date
- Homelessness tests for prisoners
- Help from the Housing Executive
Hostel accommodation
Renting privately
Support in prison and after release
10. Help and advice for private landlords
Thinking of becoming a landlord?
- Am I a landlord?
- Things to consider before becoming a landlord
- Hiring an agent
- Keeping records
- Communicating with your tenants
- Duties to tenants
Registering as a landlord
Help for landlords
Required property standards
- Fitness certificates
- Fitness standards and council inspections
- Gas safety requirements
- Electrical and furniture safety requirements
- Houses in multiple occupation
Preparing your property for renting
- Essential paperwork
- Houses in multiple occupation
- Utilities
- Furnished or unfurnished
- Setting rent
- Listing your property to rent
- Block management and service charges
Choosing tenants
Getting ready for new tenants
Your rights as a landlord
Your responsibilities as a landlord
- Legal documentation
- Repairs and maintenance
- Peaceful enjoyment
- Keep tenants informed
- Pay your mortgage and rates
- Be accessible
- Possession action and due process
- Taking deposits
- Landlord registration
Taking deposits
- Background to deposit protection
- Custodial deposit protection scheme
- Insurance based deposit protection
- Retaining a tenant's deposit
- Disputes over protected deposits
- Disputes over unprotected deposits
Housing benefit for landlords
- Who can claim?
- Housing benefit or local housing allowance
- Calculating and paying housing benefit
- Overpayments of housing benefit
Payment of rates
Handling repairs
- Liability for repairs
- Damage caused by tenants
- Financial help with repairs
- Fitness standards and council inspections
- Rent restrictions and rent control
Dealing with problem tenants
- Abandonment of property
- Tenant rent arrears
- Subletting
- Ending tenancy before fixed term expires
- Nuisance
- Illegal activity
- Displacement
- Harassment by tenants
- Damage caused by tenants
Process for ending a tenancy
- End of fixed term
- Issuing a notice to quit
- Tenant issues notice to quit
- Possession action and due process
- Dealing with deposits at the end of a tenancy
- Small claims court action
Protected tenancy information for landlords
- Finding out if a tenancy is protected
- Rent restrictions and rent control
- Rights and repairs
- Regaining possession of a protected tenancy
Tools to help landlords
Links for landlords
11. Living with others
Houses in Multiple Occupation, sharing and flatmates
- Reasons for sharing
- Finding shared accommodation
- Liability for rent in shared properties
- Renting a home with other people
- Living in a House of Multiple Occupation
- Practical arrangements
- Problems with housemates
- Splitting up with a partner when you rent privately
What happens your home if you split with a partner?
- Domestic abuse
- Splitting with a partner when you rent privately
- Splitting up if you're a social tenant
- Selling a shared home
- Passing on a social tenancy
- Living together as seperate households
Moving in with a partner
Problems living at home or with parents
- Leaving home in a hurry
- Living with your parents
- Getting your own place - plan and prepare
- Leaving care
Sharing and subletting
12. Repairs, grants and financial assistance
Grants
- Grants for people with disabilities
- Repairs grant for private landlords
- Discretionary Housing Executive grants
- Homeowner flood protection grant
- Energy efficiency grants
Adapting your home
Repairs for Housing Executive tenants
- Responsibility for repairs
- Getting repairs carried out
- The Right to Repair and Self Help Schemes
- Heating your home
- Compensation for damage caused during repairs
- Improvement schemes
- Dealing with bad weather if you are an NIHE tenant
- Complaining about repairs
Housing association repairs
- Responsibility for repairs
- Right to repair scheme for housing associations
- Compensation for damage and redecoration payments
- Heating your home
- Dealing with bad weather if you are a Housing Association tenant
Repairs and safety for private tenants
- Who is responsible for repairs?
- The Fitness Standard and fitness inspections
- Gas safety
- Fire safety
- Electrical and furniture safety standards
- What to do if your landlord refuses to carry out repairs
Repair issues for homeowners and leaseholders
- Leaseholder repairs
- Claiming against your insurance
- Building guarantees
- Dealing with bad weather if you own your home
- Planning permission and building control
13. Support in your home
Getting help to stay in your home
Adapting your home
Sheltered and supported housing
Care homes
14. Paying for your home
Understanding rent, how it is set and what to do if you can't pay
Mortgages
- Choosing a mortgage
- Applying for a mortgage
- Switching mortgages
- Problems paying your mortgage
- How much of a mortgage can you afford?
Rates
- Working out and paying your rates bill
- Rates relief and housing benefit for rates
- Rates allowances
- Paying rates on empty homes
- Avoiding rates arrears
- Rates in private tenancies
Help from the social fund
Housing benefit
Insurance costs
Utility costs
15. Housing benefit
Who can claim housing benefit?
Housing benefit for Housing Executive and housing association tenants
Housing benefit and LHA for private tenants
- Overview of Local Housing Allowance
- Who can claim Housing Benefit?
- How much housing benefit will you get if you rent privately?
- Applying for housing benefit
- Payments of housing benefit
- Help if your housing benefit doesn't cover your full rent
- Housing benefit for single people
- Housing benefit after a change in circumstances
Rates relief and housing benefit for rates
Housing benefit for students
Working out your housing benefit
Housing benefit if you can't live in your home
Problems with housing benefit
Challenging a housing benefit decision
The Bedroom Tax
16. Welfare reform and housing
Future changes to Housing Benefit
- Cuts to help with housing costs for young people
- Applying LHA to Housing Executive and housing association rents
- Change to help with housing costs for homeowners
Universal Credit in Northern Ireland
- Introducing Universal Credit to Northern Ireland
- Working out your Universal Credit payment
- Help with housing costs through Universal Credit
- Help with rates if you are claiming Universal Credit
Changes to disability benefits
- What is a Personal Independence Payment or PIP?
- Claiming Personal Independence Payment in Northern Ireland
- Financial help after moving from DLA to PIP in Northern Ireland
Changes that may have already affected your Housing Benefit
- Bedroom tax
- Housing Benefit and the benefit cap
- Changes to Housing Benefit premiums under Welfare Reform
17. Help with debt
Problems paying your mortgage
Private sector rent arrears
Housing Executive or housing association rent arrears
- Falling behind on your rent
- Paying your landlord rent that you owe
- Budgeting skills
- People who can help you with debt problems
Rates arrears
Insolvency, debt relief and bankruptcy
People who can help with debt problems
Budgeting skills
Getting the most out of your income
18. Mortgage arrears and repossession
Get help now - mortgage debt advice service
Problems paying your mortgage
- First things first
- Get to grips with your debts
- Plan your way out of arrears
- Possession order granted against your home
Going to court for mortgage arrears
- Taken to court by your lender
- Get ready for your court hearing
- Attend your hearing
- Defences at court
- Decisions that the court can make
- Allowed to stay in your home
- Possession order granted against your home
- Watch what happens - court repossession video
Chat live to a mortgage debt adviser
19. Court action
Northern Ireland legal system
Court costs and legal aid
Going to court
- Small Claims Court
- Eviction of social tenants
- Judicial review
- Going to court for mortgage arrears
- Evicted from a privately rented property
- Watch what happens - court repossession video
Help at court
20. Making a complaint
Complaining about your housing association
Complaining about the Housing Executive
- Challenging a housing benefit decision
- Challenging a negative decision on homelessness or suitability of accommodation
- Complaining about Housing Executive repairs
- Using the formal complaints procedure
- Complaining to the Ombdusman
Complaining to the Ombudsman
Complaining about an estate agent or letting agent
21. Neighbourhood issues
Getting to know your neighbourhood
- Your responsibilities to your neighbours
- Getting involved in a residents group
- Noise and nuisance problems
Harassed or intimidated by neighbours
Boundary disputes
Planning permission and building control
Crime and security
Noise and nuisance problems
Antisocial behaviour
22. Equality and discrimination
Equality and housing
Examples of discrimination in housing
Fair treatment when applying for housing
Accessible housing
Housing problems, mental ill-health and equality law
23. Do it yourself
Convert amounts tool
Budgeting and money tools
- Planning your savings
- Quick cash finder
- Work out loan repayments
- Work out your earnings
- Work out how much you spend
- Quick basic household budget
- Preparing an income list
- Prepare a spending list
- Debt test
- Pay off your cards timeline
Write a letter
- Send a letter to a private landlord or agent
- Send a letter to the Housing Executive
- Send a letter to a housing association
- Letters to deal with debt problems
Jargon buster
Tools for homebuyers and owners
- Work out your stamp duty
- How much can you afford to borrow
- Work out your monthly repayments
- How will interest rate rises affect your mortgage?