Northern Ireland’s private rented sector is dystopian – here’s how to fix it

This is the dystopian nightmare some renters are living in, and time has long since passed for the Stormont executive to act. In the absence of any meaningful plans from the Democratic Unionist Party housing minister, Alliance has published its own progressive policy proposals to fix the sector’s major issues of affordability, security and standards.

First, we need to get to grips with spiralling rents, which rose by close to 10% during the past year and can account for up to half of the monthly income of some of our lowest earners. People should never have to choose between a roof over their heads or dinner on their tables, but that is the situation facing many local renters. Boosting supply is the most effective tool we have to drive average rents down.

“People should never have to choose between a roof over their heads or dinner on their tables, but that is the situation facing many local renters”

In the long term, that means addressing the major structural barriers to housebuilding, not least our overstretched wastewater infrastructure and planning-system bottlenecks.

In the shorter term, it means making the most of the existing stock to provide greater access to affordable rental accommodation. With 21,000 empty homes across Northern Ireland, we need to learn from best practice elsewhere and bring as many back into use as possible, while also strictly capping licences for short-term holiday lets.

For those who are already in tenancies, Alliance wants a considered system of rent controls to ban inflation-busting rent hikes, cap any rent rises to once per year, and limit them only in response to legitimate extra costs for landlords. This should be enforced by a new housing ombudsman with statutory powers to hold rogue landlords to account.

Second, we need to provide meaningful security for tenants and move away from a system which forces many to plan their lives one 12-month rental contract at a time. By making open-ended tenancies the default, we would deliver the levels of security that are so valued by renters in places like Germany and other parts of Europe – giving families a chance to develop roots in their communities and young people the stability that is important for their education and development.

It’s also essential that we replicate the Labour government in banning no-fault evictions, so families can’t be forced out of their homes in retaliation for reporting a repair or because their landlord wants to bring in new tenants at a higher monthly rent.

The international evidence is clear. Countries across the Anglosphere that banned no-fault eviction have a higher proportion of people renting from private landlords than in the UK. This crucial measure should be welcomed by renters and their landlords alike.

“Alliance wants a considered system of rent controls to ban inflation-busting rent hikes, cap any rent rises to once per year, and limit them only in response to legitimate extra costs for landlords”

Finally, we need to deliver a fit-for-purpose enforcement regime for minimum standards and maintenance in the private rented sector. No one should have to live in a mould-ridden home, wait months for their central heating to be fixed or risk injury every day because of unsafe fixtures, but that is what happens when landlords are allowed to dither and delay repairs with little or no consequence.

Alliance wants statutory timeframes for the investigation and delivery of repairs in rental properties, taking inspiration from the campaign for Awaab’s Law that has already successfully shaped policy in Westminster.

There are many great landlords operating in Northern Ireland today, and they have nothing to fear from Alliance’s plans. Our proposals are designed to address the worst excesses in the sector – protecting tenants from unaffordable rent hikes, offering them greater security in their homes, and ensuring they enjoy a comprehensive programme of rights when things go wrong.

That is the minimum that every renter in Northern Ireland should be entitled to, and with Alliance’s new deal for private renters, we can make it a reality.

Kellie Armstrong, member, Northern Ireland Assembly and housing spokesperson, Alliance Party