Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

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

Private rent and tenancies

If you're a tenant in private rented accommodation, you and the landlord have certain rights and responsibilities. A landlord must give you written information to tell you the rent, length of tenancy, rates and what the deposit can be used for. You might get help to pay your rent.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Measures have been put in place to support social and private renters as well as those experiencing homelessness.

If you are facing eviction or are not safe where you live you can get help from the Housing Executive.

Guidance is also available to support tenants and landlords in the social housing rented sector.

Help with your rent

If you have a low income you may be eligible for Universal Credit or Housing Benefit to help pay your rent.  Your savings and income will be used to work out how much benefit you could get.

  • Universal Credit
  • Housing Benefit

Discretionary housing payments

If you’re entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit towards your housing costs but the amount doesn’t cover all your rent, you could get a Discretionary Housing Payment. 

  • Help with your housing costs

Tenant's rights

A tenant in private rented accommodation has certain rights in law. A tenant has the right to:

  • a Tenancy Information Notice - legally known as ‘Landlord's notice relating to the granting of a private tenancy'
  • receipts for payments made in cash
  • freedom from harassment and illegal eviction
  • required notice to quit 
  • due process of law
  • claim Housing Benefit or Universal Credit to help with rent
  • claim help with rates from the Rate Rebate Scheme

Tenancy began on 1 April 2007

If your tenancy began on or after 1 April 2007, your rights also include:

  • a default tenancy term of at least six months
  • information about landlord's basic repairing obligations

Tenancy Information Notice

Your landlord must provide you with a free Tenancy Information Notice within 28 days of the start of your tenancy. 

The Notice will provide important information about your tenancy including the amount of rent you must pay and your rights and responsibilities.

The Notice is designed to help avoid disputes between landlords and tenants.

Notice of Variation

If any of the information in your Tenancy Information Notice changes, then your landlord should provide you with a Notice of Variation , legally known as a ‘Landlord’s Notice Relating to the Variation of a Private Tenancy’, within 28 days of the change taking effect. This Notice should be free of charge.

The Notice of Variation and Tenancy Information Notice are available via the following link:

  • Information for landlord and tenants about the laws on private tenancy

Tenancy agreement

A tenancy agreement is a legally binding contract between you and the landlord during the tenancy. The landlord should give their tenant a written tenancy agreement at the start of a new tenancy.

Your basic rights as a tenant exist without a written agreement. 

Your tenancy agreement might give you more rights than a basic tenant's rights. A written agreement cannot reduce your basic rights as a tenant.

  • Sample tenancy agreement

Receipts

A landlord (or their agent) must provide a written receipt for any payment made in cash linked to your tenancy.

The receipt can be a paper or digital receipt, like an email.

The receipt should include:

  • the date of the payment
  • what the payment was for (like rent)
  • the amount paid
  • if any amount is still owed
  • if the payment was made in full

If one payment covers two or more amounts,  like rent and repairs, then the receipt should show how much was paid for each and if there is any or no money owed.

Paying a deposit to the landlord

Before you move into your home, you will most likely pay a deposit to the landlord or agent. The landlord or agent cannot ask for a deposit which is more than one month’s rent. They can use this for unpaid rent or damage to the property when you move out. Sometimes a landlord and tenant dispute the returnable amount. 

At the beginning of the tenancy, it is important to: 

  • check the details in your tenancy agreement to see what your deposit will cover and how it will be returned
  • ask for an inventory of the property’s contents when you move in
  • confirm you agree with the terms and conditions of the tenancy before you pay a deposit

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

A landlord must protect a tenant's deposit paid in a tenancy deposit scheme:

The landlord has 28 days to do this and has 35 days to give the tenant the details of the scheme in which the deposit is protected.

  • Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Notice to quit period

The tenancy agreement should include how long the tenancy will last. The tenancy period is six months if:

  • there is no tenancy agreement
  • the time is not agreed

A landlord must always provide the tenant with a written notice to quit, except in the case of a fixed term tenancy.

When a fixed term private tenancy comes to the end of the period of time agreed at the outset, the landlord can end the tenancy. There is no need for the landlord to issue a Notice to Quit in such cases, although it would be good practice for the landlord to give written notice of their intention not to renew the tenancy.

Depending on the length of the tenancy, the landlord must give their tenant a minimum notice to quit period. These notice periods are:  

Length of tenancy Notice to quit
Tenancy not been in existence for more than 12 months No less than 4 weeks' written notice
Tenancy has been in existence for more than 12 months but not more than 10 years No less than 8 weeks' written notice
Tenancy has been in existence for more than 10 years No less than 12 weeks' written notice

Depending on the length of the tenancy the tenant must give their landlord a minimum notice to quit period.  These notice periods are:

Length of tenancy

Notice to quit

Tenancy not been in existence for more than 10 years

No less than 4 weeks' written notice

Tenancy has been in existence for more than 10 years

No less than 12 weeks' written notice

Further information can be found at the Department for Communities website 

If you leave the tenancy early without the agreement of your landlord, even with giving the required notice, you could still be liable for the rent until the end of the tenancy agreement.

If you don't pay your rent, the landlord can withhold your deposit. The tenancy agreement will usually explain this. The landlord could pursue you in the Small Claims Court for the remaining rent.

You should get advice before giving your landlord written notice to quit.

Protected or statutory tenancy

If you moved into the property before 1 April 2007, you may have a protected or statutory tenancy.

This type of tenancy offers the most security against eviction and rent increases. The type of tenancy you have depends on when the tenancy started.

  • Guidance for landlords and tenants

For information about the Rent Officer and rent control, go to:

  • Rent control

Private landlords

Tenancies which began before 1 April 2007 don't have a written agreement unless the tenancy is for a fixed term of over one year and a day.

All private landlords must register before letting a new tenancy. To check if a landlord or property is registered, go to:

  • Search for a property
  • Search for a landlord

More useful links

  • Universal Credit
  • Landlords with tenants claiming Universal Credit
  • Help paying your rates
  • Your rights and responsibilities
  • Landlord Registration Scheme
  • Rate Rebate Scheme

More useful links

  • Student housing
  • Home and housing options
  • Safety at Home
  • Fire Prevention
  • Tax on property and rental income - HMRC website
  • Planning for buying a home - Money Advice Service website
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Private renting

  • Different types of rented accommodation
  • Getting help with problems in private rented housing
  • Health and safety in rented accommodation
  • Housing standards in rented accommodation
  • Landlord Registration Scheme
  • Landlords with tenants claiming Universal Credit
  • Living in shared accommodation
  • Private rent and tenancies
  • Problems with your landlord - how the council can help
  • Rent control
  • Renting a home privately
  • Repairing your home: private tenants
  • Set up direct payment for tenant's housing costs to landlords
  • Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS