To rent or not to rent that is the question?

Did you know that certain private rented properties may require a fitness inspection to ensure they are fit to live in?

These fitness inspections are required under The Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 to help tackle unfitness and serious disrepair within dwellings. The legislation is also designed to clarify landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities, repairing obligations, rent book provisions, tenancy agreement, illegal eviction and harassment.

Moyle District Council Environmental Health Department can carry out fitness inspections on privately rented accommodation and can provide advice on many rental concerns which you may have. If you are a private landlord and you own a residential property which was built before 1945 which is available to rent or has been rented out to a new tenant within the last 3years or if you are a tenant who has started a new tenancy within the last 3 years and you believe the property was built before 1945 then we would like to hear from you.

Failure to apply for a fitness inspection is not only against the law but may affect rental income from housing benefit.

Peter Mawdsley, Head of Environmental Health states “Private rented housing plays an important role in providing accommodation for all sorts of different households, and within Moyle there are approximately 1350 privately rented dwellings. To help improve housing fitness and living conditions we would encourage responsible private renting and support good landlord practice”.

If you need any advice on fitness inspections or landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities or you would like a FREE landlord pack or tenant guidance leaflets please contact the environmental health department at Moyle District Council - telephone 028 2076 2225. Fitness application forms and further information is also available on the Council’s website www.moyle-council.org