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Private rented sector and rents

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Research on the Private Rented Sector and Rents

Our 2006 House Condition Survey showed that the private rented sector had grown by two-thirds over the previous five-year period.  By 2016, there were around 136,000 occupied privately rented properties in Northern Ireland – a greater number of homes than were owned by the Housing Executive and housing associations. 

In light of the importance of private renting as a housing tenure in Northern Ireland, the Housing Executive carries out research to track trends in the private rented sector and gain insights into the experiences and views of both private tenants and landlords. 

Regulation of letting agents and letting agent fees in Northern Ireland

This report analyses letting agent regulations and practices throughout the UK and Ireland, with a specific focus on developing a new regulatory framework for letting agents operating in Northern Ireland's private rented sector. 

Compared with other parts of the UK and Ireland, Northern Ireland operates with a ‘lighter touch’ approach, relying mainly on general consumer protection measures.  

The project was commissioned on behalf of the Department for Communities as part of evidence gathering for Phase 2 of Private Rented Sector (PRS) reform.  

The research included an online survey of private tenants to record experiences of being charged letting agent fees, and a mystery shopper exercise was also completed to establish prevalence of letting agent fees and the types of fees being charged. 

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH  NI) was commissioned to review existing legislation/practice in other jurisdictions, stakeholder perspectives on any letting agent regulation and provide a full report incorporating relevant data analysis from the survey and mystery shopper exercises. 

The final report sets out key findings of each stage of the research and provides options for legislative change in Northern Ireland which the DfC will use to guide the development of primary legislation on letting agent regulation in Northern Ireland.

Download the report (PDF 1.1 MB)

Performance of the Private Rental Market in Northern Ireland

Our half-yearly reports, produced in partnership with PropertyNews.com and Ulster University, provide the most detailed insight available into the dynamics of the private rental market in Northern Ireland, including tracking rents by property type and size and at district council level. All the published reports can be downloaded below.

The latest report is:

Performance of the Private Rental Market in Northern Ireland July – December 2024.


Download the report (PDF 2.9 MB)

A one-page infographic summary of this report has also been produced:


Download summary (PDF 239 kB)

A short summary report is also available:


Download the annual summary report (PDF 1.7 MB)

Download the:

Rental Affordability report

In addition to the two rental index reports for 2018, Ulster University produced a short overview of rental affordability in 2018.


Download report (PDF 303 KB)

Survey of Private Landlords 2019 (Published October 2020)

As part of its role as the strategic housing authority for Northern Ireland, and following feedback from a range of stakeholders, the Housing Executive commissioned Cognisense Ltd  to carry out an online survey of private landlords with rental properties in Northern Ireland. Fieldwork took place between September 2019 and December 2019 and the findings are based on 1,719 completed surveys. The report on this survey, which was produced by the Housing Executive’s Research Unit, provides a valuable insight into the views and experiences of private landlords in Northern Ireland and helps enable further understanding of this important sector of the housing market.

Download the Survey of Private Landlords Key Findings Report and Appendix Tables

Private Tenants Survey 2016 (Published 2018)

This Survey was carried out by the Housing Executive’s Research Unit, as a follow up to the 2016 House Condition Survey.  It provides a valuable insight into the views and experiences of private tenants, covering issues including affordability, the landlord-tenant relationship, security of tenure and regulation within the sector.  These findings enable further understanding of this important sector of the housing market.

Download private tenants survey results

Tenants’ views of tenancy deposit protection in Northern Ireland (September 2015)

This project was carried out by TDS Northern Ireland in partnership with Ulster University and was designed to ascertain the views of tenants on the new tenancy deposit protection scheme introduced in Northern Ireland in April 2013.  The project aimed to establish a baseline against which the success of the tenancy deposit regulations can be judged in future years.

Download document (PDF 1.44 MB)

Private Rented Sector Stock Profile, Physical Condition & Key Government Indicators Report (2014)

This report provides an analysis of the private rented sector in Northern Ireland using data from the 2006 and 2011 House Condition Surveys. Information from the House Condition Survey was analysed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics and condition of the private rented stock.

View report (PDF 729 KB)

Living in the Private Rented Sector: The experiences of tenants (2014)

This survey, which was commissioned by the Housing Executive's Research Unit and undertaken by the University of Ulster, was carried out as a follow-up to the 2011 House Condition Survey. It examined issues such as affordability, landlord-tenant relationships, management standards, inter-tenure flow, and the future intentions of tenants living in the private rented sector.

Download the report (PDF 707 kB)
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