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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Property and housing
    3. Buying, selling and renting a home
    4. Private renting
    5. Rent control

    How rent control is worked out

    The Rent Officer works out the maximum rent that a landlord can charge for a rent-controlled tenancy.

    Maximum rent a landlord can charge

    If your tenancy is rent-controlled, the Rent Officer works out the maximum rent your landlord can charge. The maximum rent is on the rent register.

    This amount doesn't include rates.

    • Rent Officer for Northern Ireland
    • Information on rent controlled tenancies

    Information needed to work out maximum rent

    The following factors must be taken into account when making a rent determination:

    • the terms of your tenancy
    • the state of repair, especially if your property is either fit or unfit
    • an equal Housing Executive rent for a similar property
    • the Local Reference Rent used by the Housing Executive for housing benefit purposes
    • furnishings provided
    • the extent of any tenant neglect
    • the extent of any tenant improvements, for example providing heating

    Protected and Statutory Tenancies

    For information on protected and statutory tenancies –

    • Guide on protected and statutory tenancies

    Applying for rent control

    If you're the landlord or tenant of a protected tenancy and haven't applied for a fitness certificate, you can ask the Rent Officer to work out a rent. You need to fill in an application form for rent registration.

    • Form for the registration of a rent

    When the Rent Officer sets a rent

    Once the Rent Officer has determined a rent, they must tell the landlord and tenant. The landlord and tenant have 14 days to appeal this decision to the Rent Assessment Committee.

    If no appeal request is received, the Rent Officer’s decision takes effect.

    What the Rent Assessment Committee does

    If a Rent Assessment Committee changes the Rent Officer’s decision, the new rent will take effect when the committee’s decision is notified to the Rent Officer and this rent is registered.

    Only protected or statutory tenancies can request a further review of the registered rent where there has been a change of circumstances in the tenancy.

    Appealing the rent determined by the Rent Officer

    If you are unhappy with the rent set by the Rent Officer, you have 14 days to appeal to a Rent Assessment Committee.  

    The Committee will review the Rent Officer's decision. They will inspect the property and  can confirm or vary the amount of rent which will be registered.  

    The Rent Officer will send you information about applying to a Rent Assessment Committee and details of any change in the amount of rent which has been registered.

    Changes to your rent

    If you get Housing Benefit to pay your rent, you should tell the Housing Executive your rent is changing.

    • Northern Ireland Housing Executive

    If you get Universal Credit towards your housing costs, you need to sign in to your Universal Credit online account to report any changes. You can report a change in circumstances by going to your Universal Credit home page.

    • Sign in to your Universal Credit account

    More useful links

    • Rent control
    • Land & Property Services
    • Housing Rights 
    • Advice NI
    • Local councils in Northern Ireland
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    Rent control

    • How rent control is worked out
    • Rent control
    • Rent Register

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