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When everyone has a home

Housing advice for Northern Ireland

Before you sign a tenancy agreement

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Lots of people are struggling to manage with housing issues because of the coronavirus crisis. Check out our Coronavirus section for information and advice on common problems, including help to pay your rent and mortgage, eviction and repairs.

Once you sign a tenancy agreement, you will usually be expected to abide by the terms of the agreement until it expires. It's important that you check a few things out before you sign and don't let yourself be rushed into anything.

There are a few things you should bear in mind before deciding to take on a new tenancy.

Is your landlord registered?

All landlords in Northern Ireland must be registered. When you view a property ask for the landlord's registration number or check the online register to make sure that there is a registered landlord for this property.

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Is the property suitable?

It's easy to be won over by a nicely decorated property, but you need to be sensible when deciding where to live. Consider your household's needs carefully and assess whether the location, size and style of the property suit these. You should also check the property thoroughly for signs of disrepair which may cause issues once you're living in the property.

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Will you be a tenant or a licensee?

You need to know whether you are going to be a tenant who will be protected in law or a licensee who has very few rights in law. It's important that you understand your legal status in your new home.

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Can you afford it?

Be sure that you can afford your monthly rent, rates and any other associated costs. If you will be applying for housing benefit or Universal Credit to help you meet the costs of your rent, make sure that you find out how much help you are likely to be entitled to under the Local Housing Allowance rules. Benefit assistance with housing costs will not usually cover your full monthly rent.

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Guarantors

Landlords are entitled to ask tenants to provide a guarantor.  If you are asked to be someone's guarantor, it's really important that you fully understand what this means and what you are responsible for. 

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How long is the tenancy?

Most tenancy agreements specify a term of 12 months. However, if no specific term is mentioned, a default term of 6 months will apply. If you've applied for social housing and are waiting for an offer from the Housing Executive you should try to negotiate a term of 6 months or less, if possible, as you could still be held liable for rent in your privately rented property once you move into a social tenancy.

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Who manages the tenancy?

Find out as early as possible who will be responsible for managing the property. You will usually be expected to report repairs and problems to the property manager, who can be the landlord or an appointed agent. Even though the property has been marketed by an agent, the landlord may not have contracted the agent to manage the property.

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Your tenancy agreement

There are a few important pieces of paperwork that you'll need to keep safe once you become a tenant. You will usually be asked to sign a tenancy agreement, but this is not always the case. If you do sign a tenancy agreement, make sure you get a signed copy.

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Letting fees

You may be asked to pay fees before you can take on a tenancy. These fees could be illegal if they are charged by a letting agent and cover services that benefit the landlord. If you decide to pay these fees, make sure you get a receipt. You may be able to claim the money back. 

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