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When everyone has a home

Housing advice for Northern Ireland

Rights of Housing Executive tenants

The law gives Housing Executive certain rights.  These rights will usually be summarised in your tenancy agreement and your tenant's handbook. 

The law gives you certain rights if you rent from the Housing Executive. You have more rights if you are a secure tenant than you do if you are an introductory tenant. 

Secure Housing Executive tenants have a right to buy the home they live in, as long as they and the property are eligible for the scheme.

The right to buy for housing association tenants ended on 28 August 2022. 

Secure Housing Executive (NIHE) and housing association tenants can apply for a transfer to a different NIHE or housing association property. 

You can swap your tenancy with another secure social tenant. You need to get your landlord's permission to swap, but they can only refuse in certain cases.

Some tenants can pass their tenancy on, either while they are alive or after they have died. You need your landlord's permission for this.

You can add someone else to your tenancy. But, you need your landlord's permission to do this and your landlord can refuse in some circumstances. You don't have to add people who live with you to your tenancy.