Renewals

Renewing Your Housing Application

You must renew your housing application every year if you want to stay on the Waiting List for social housing in Northern Ireland.

Renewing tells us that you still want social housing and helps us check that your contact details, like your phone number and email address, are up to date. This means we can reach you if a suitable home becomes available.

Please note that the Housing Executive will soon move to a new Housing Management System.

If your details are not correct, you might miss out on offers or receive the wrong number of points on your application.

How can I renew my application?

Each year, on the anniversary of your application, the Housing Executive will write to you to ask if you still wish to stay on the Waiting List.

You will have 4 weeks to renew your application.

If you do not renew within this time, your application may be cancelled.

A cancelled application means you will be removed from the Waiting List and will not receive any offers of accommodation.

You can renew your application in any of the following ways:

Who needs to renew their application?

Everyone who has applied for housing must renew their application each year to stay on the Waiting List.

This includes applicants with homeless points, known as Full Duty Applicants (FDAs).

If you are an FDA and you no longer wish to stay on the Waiting List, or if you have already found suitable housing, you must contact your housing advisor. 

They will discuss your homelessness status with you.

If you are not an FDA and do not respond to your renewal notice, your application will be cancelled.

This means your name will be removed from the Waiting List, and you will no longer be considered for offers of social housing.

I no longer wish to stay on the Waiting List. How can I cancel my application?

If you are an FDA applicant and want to cancel your application, please speak to your housing advisor first. 

They can talk with you about your situation before any changes are made.

If you are not an FDA applicant, you can cancel your application at any time by:

• phoning your housing advisor, or
• completing the renewal form and choosing “I do not wish to renew my application".

I have had a change in circumstances or contact details. How can I update these?

If your situation changes, please let us know right away.

Examples of a change in circumstances include:

• someone moving in or out of your household
• a change of address
• a change in your health that makes your home unsuitable

You can update your details by contacting your housing advisor by phone, email, or in person.

If you want to review your areas of choice, please contact your housing advisor. 

They can help you look at your housing options in those areas.