Landlord Register

The department for Social Development makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Article 65A(1) and (2) and Article 73(1) of the Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006(1)

1.       The regulations may be cited as the Landlord Regulations (Northern Ireland)                2012 and shall come into operation on 2014

2.        In the Regulations:-

     ·    “the register” means the register of landlords of dwelling-houses let under a                private tenancy;

     ·     “the registrar” means the person appointed by the Department to establish                  and maintain the register;

     ·     “authorised officer” means an officer of the district council, the Department of               Finance and Personnel or the Northern Ireland Housing Executive authorised             in writing

     ·    “landlord” includes a person acting on behalf of the landlord in relation to a                   tenancy.

3.       (1)  A landlord letting a dwelling-house must register with the registrar in                              accordance with paragraph (2)

          (2)      A Landlord must:-

     ·    Provide the information set out in Schedule 1; and

     ·    At the same time, pay the fee prescribed in Schedule (3)

4.       A landlord must register in accordance with Regulation 3 either immediately               prior to the letting of a new tenancy, within 12 months from the                                     commencement of these regulations.

5.       (1)  Registration under regulation 3 shall be for a period of 3 years.

          (2)  At the end of each 3 year period, a landlord shall:-

     ·    Supply to the registrar such information as may be necessary to ensure that               the information supplied for the purpose of regulation 3 is accurate at the date             of that supply; and

     ·    Pay the fee for continued registration specified in Schedule 3.

6.       The registrar must:-

(a)      Develop and maintain a landlord registration system capable of both electronic           and non-electronic operation which:-

      ·    Allows for the disclosure of information to the persons specified in regulation              and;

      ·    Enables a landlord to make amendments or adjustments to registered details              held;

(b)       Promote and publicise the requirement to a landlord register;

(c)       Provide guidance on how the registration system works and how to register;

(d)       Make available the information held on the register under Schedule 2;

(e)       On completion of the process of registration, issue a certificate of registration                    containing the:-

      ·    Landlord’s name and address;

      ·    Landlord’s registration number; and

      ·    Period of registration;

(f)        Ensure a landlord is notified:-

     ·     4 weeks in advance of the expiry date held on their current registration                        certificate, of the conditions to be satisfied for the continued registration; and

    ·      That where he fails to satisfy the conditions for the continued registration by                the expiry date on the current registration certificate, he is no longer a                          registered landlord.

7.       (1)  The fees payable for registration and continued registration are specified in                 Schedule 3.

(2)       A person who is the owner of a house in multiple occupation which is                          registered under a House in Multiple Occupation Registration Scheme as                    provided for under article 75B and C of the housing (Northern Ireland) Order              1992 is not liable to pay a fee under regulation 3.

8.       Where a landlord is registered in accordance with regulation 3, the landlord                 must include his registration number in correspondence in so far as the                       correspondence relates to the discharge of his functions as a landlord.

9.       Information held by the registrar and not included in the register shall, on                     request from an authorised officer be disclosed to:-

(a)      A district council for the purpose of enabling or assisting that council to                       exercise its functions under any provision of the Private Tenancies (northern               Ireland) Order 2006 and Article 54 of the Rent (Northern Ireland) Order 1978; 

         or

(b)      The Department of Finance and Personnel for the purpose of its function                   under the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 or the Rates (Capital Values,               etc) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006; or

(c)     The Northern Ireland Housing Executive for the purpose of:-

     ·   The administration of housing benefit; and/or

     ·   The regulation of Houses in Multiple Occupation.



        Sourced by:
        Jim Wilkinson
        Senior Officer of the Department for Social Development

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     For more details contact 
     Mid Antrim Properties 
     02825 651 092