SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan
At present, the majority of private tenancies here are ‘non-protected’ meaning landlords can terminate a tenancy without citing any fault or wrongdoing on the part of the tenant, resulting in increased levels of housing insecurity and homelessness.
In response to an Assembly Question from Mr Durkan, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, ruled out the possibility of a ban for Northern Ireland.
The MLA for Foyle said: “A ban on no-fault evictions is a doable and relatively simple policy to implement.
“While other regions have acted to address this issue, the North continues to lag behind in providing the same level of protection.
“Promises made by DfC during the last mandate appear to have evaporated under Minister Lyons’ premiership and I’m disappointed that he has ruled out plans to implement this crucial policy.
“In 2022-23, 2,892 households were made homeless due to the loss of private rented accommodation, the highest number in 15 years.
“It’s clear a ban on no fault evictions is critical to reduce the escalating rates of homelessness and take the pressure off a system buckling at the knees to meet demand.
“I see the true cost of ‘no-fault evictions’ every week in my constituency office.
“In one case, a working, single parent family were allocated a hotel far outside their locality.
“For weeks they paid for taxis to and from school; forced to order takeaways due to an absence of cooking facilities.
“These hidden costs of homelessness are rarely considered.
“This family, already struggling to make ends meet, fell further into debt and that’s even before we consider the emotional distress, sleepless nights and detrimental impact on these children’s school life.”
He added: “This isn’t about vilifying landlords but about striking a fair balance between the rights of tenants and the responsibilities of landlords.
“Reasonable grounds for eviction, such as rent arrears or anti-social behaviour, will still be upheld under legislative change.
“A ban will create higher standards, longer tenancies and empower tenants and their families to put down roots which will in turn create more bonded, safer communities.
“Promises must be upheld and safeguards afforded by a ban, must be extended to private renters in the North.”
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