Managing your tenancy

Landlord registration

All private landlords must register with the Landlord Registration Scheme. Registration lasts for three years. Landlords must re-register after each three-year period.

Registration costs £80, but if you register online you'll get a £10 discount.

If you are a tenant, you can check if your landlord is registered. If your landlord is unregistered, you can report them to us to investigate. You can also check if your landlord's property is registered.

Search for landlord or property registration information

To check if your landlord or their property is registered, go to Searching for landlord registration information (link opens in new window).

We enforce the Landlord Registration scheme. If a landlord fails to register or provides false information in their registration, we can issue them with a fixed penalty of up to £500, or prosecute them in court where they could be fined up to £2,500.

Housing and tenancy advice for landlords

If you need more advice, visit www.housingadviceni.org (link opens in new window) or contact Housing Rights. They have a landlord helpline, call 028 9024 5640.

How to register as a landlord

• To register online, go to Registering as a landlord (link opens in new window)
• Call 0300 200 7821 to request a form.

Rent books

If you let a privately rented house, you must provide your tenants with a rent book. 

Tenancy Information Notice

For any tenancy beginning on or after 1 April 2023, a landlord must provide a free tenancy information notice to the tenant within 28 days of granting the tenancy. The format of the tenancy information notice is available online (link opens in new window).

Landlords must provide the same notice to tenants whose tenancies were granted between 30 June 2011 and 30 March 2023, unless they have already been provided with the same information.

If a tenancy term is varied (regardless of start date of tenancy) the landlord must within 28 days of date of tenancy being varied, give to the tenant a notice containing information relating to variation. It must be free and the format of the notice is set in law also.

For more information on private tenancies, go to Private rent and tenancies (link opens in new window). 

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

If you pay a deposit for a private tenancy to a landlord, they must protect your deposit in an approved tenancy deposit scheme. For more information on deposits, go to Tenancy Deposit Scheme. 

For more information about your rights as a private tenant, go to Housing Rights (link opens in new window).

Mediation service

A mediation service is available to those currently living or providing accommodation in a private rental. The service is funded by Department for Communities and is operated by Housing Rights. The Housing Mediation Service is free and is open to:

• tenants
• registered landlords
• letting agents
• housing associations

The service can help with disputes including:

• property standards
• repairs
• entry rights
• rent or rates arrears
• unprotected tenancy deposits
• threatened evictions
• breach of tenancy terms
• noise or anti-social behaviour

When both parties in the dispute have agreed to take part in mediation, an independent mediator with specialist housing knowledge helps the parties talk about their dispute and come to a solution that works for everyone.

For more information on the service, go to Housing Mediation Service (link opens in new window)