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Renting a home privately

The private rented sector offers an alternative to home ownership and rented social housing in Northern Ireland. Find out about the benefits of renting privately and how to find a suitable property in this page.

Why should you rent privately?

The private rented sector is already able to meet many housing needs in Northern Ireland. It provides many benefits including:

  • open access
  • responsiveness, especially in meeting demand from new and emerging markets
  • flexibility
  • diversity and choice in terms of property type and location
  • freedom from responsibility from repairs and maintenance
  • enabling people to house share more easily
  • creating more shared communities

Finding a property to rent privately

Before you start looking for accommodation you should have an idea of the kind of accommodation you need - the size, type and location.

You should consider the location with regard to where you work, bus and train travel, schools and shops in the area, how close you will be to friends, family, medical care, availability of secure parking and social life. You also need to decide what size of property you require for your needs and what you can afford.

The most common places to find private rented accommodation include:

  • accommodation to let columns in local newspapers
  • property websites
  • classified ad websites
  • advertisements in shop windows or notice boards
  • estate agents
  • 'to let’ boards outside properties
  • students should check with their university and on the ·Student Pad website
  • Online student accommodation service - studentpad website

It is often the case that rented property is not advertised so ask around and tell friends or work colleagues that you are looking for accommodation.

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