Homelessness
There are laws to help you, if your landlord is unfairly evicting you or you aren't safe where you live. You can get advice and help if you are homeless or at risk of losing your home.
If you are facing eviction during the Covid-19 crisis or are not safe where you live you can get help from the Housing Executive
Help from the Housing Executive
If you are homeless or likely to become homeless, the Housing Executive might need to offer you somewhere to stay or live. But this will depend on your circumstances.
Get help and advice
Acting quickly is important if you are homeless or facing homelessness. The sooner you get help, the more likely you will be able to sort out your debts, find somewhere suitable to live, or prevent a landlord evicting you.
The Housing Executive must make sure that advice about homelessness is available free to everyone. When you present as a homeless, the Housing Executive will interview you and discuss your housing options with you.
Reasons for being homeless
Being homeless doesn't just mean living on the streets. You are also legally considered homeless and are entitled to get help to find somewhere to live or to stay in your home for different reasons including:
- you have somewhere to live, but you can't stay there because you are worried about your personal safety because of the threat of violence, abuse or harassment (the threat doesn't have to be from someone living at your home, it can include a neighbour or ex-partner)
- you have somewhere to live, but you can't stay because your home is in very poor condition and a threat to health
- you have nowhere that you can live together with your family
- you have been locked out of your home and you are not allowed back
Being evicted by your landlord
If you are facing homelessness because your landlord wants you to leave your home but you don't want to leave, your landlord must get a possession order from a court.
The law protects you against harassment and illegal eviction.
Tied accommodation
If your home is provided as part of your job, this is known as tied accommodation. If you could become homeless because your employment is about to end, you can get advice from housing advice organisations.
You could also contact the Housing Executive, as there may be things you need to do to show that you will be homeless, such as providing proof of this from your employer.