There are rules about when your home is unfit for human habitation or in substantial disrepair. You can get help from your local council if your home is unfit for human habitation or in substantial disrepair.

• I think the property I rent is unfit
• When can I ask the local council for help?
• How do I get the local council to help?
• What will the local council do if it finds the property is unfit for human habitation?
• Can my landlord complain?
• What if the landlord doesn't carry out the repairs?

I think the property I rent is unfit

If you are in a private tenancy that does not have a Certificate of Fitness you may be able to request a fitness inspection to be carried out on the property by your local council if you feel it is unfit. However, the majority of properties in Northern Ireland do not need to have a Certificate of Fitness. This applies to certain private tenancies which began on or after 1 April  2007.

If a notice of unfitness or disrepair is given on the property your landlord is required to bring the property up to standard.

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When can I ask the local council for help?

You can ask the local council for help if your property falls into one of the following categories:

• the property is unstable
• there is serious disrepair. For example, the roof is damaged
• there is serious damp (condensation usually won't count)
• there is inadequate heat and light in the property
• you have no running drinking water
• you can't prepare or cook food in your home
• there is no hot or cold water in the kitchen
• you don't have a suitably located toilet
• you don't have a bath or shower with hot and cold water
• your drains don't work

Contact a local advice agency if you feel your home is unsafe but it doesn't fall into one of these categories.

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How do I get the local council to help?

Contact the Environmental Health Department of your local council. Tell the Environmental Health officer that you don't think that your home meets the fitness standards.

The local council can carry out a fitness inspection on the property to determine if it is unfit or in disrepair.

You can complain if the Environmental Health Department doesn't investigate your complaint properly.

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What will the local council do if it finds the property is unfit for human habitation?

The local council has a wide range of options available if it decides that the property is unfit for human habitation. The council can tell your landlord:

• to repair the property
• that the property can no longer be lived in
• that the property must be demolished
• that the area is going to be redeveloped

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Can my landlord complain?

Your landlord can complain to the county court within 21 days if s/he is unhappy with the local council's decision. The court can:

• confirm the decision
• quash the decision
• vary the terms of the decision

If the complaint fails, your landlord must carry out the repairs within the time limit.

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What if the landlord doesn't carry out the repairs?

The local council can carry out the repairs if your landlord doesn't. The council can recover the cost of the repairs from your landlord. Your landlord could also be fined if s/he fails to carry out the repairs in time.