The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland has launched a short survey to gather views from letting agents and landlords on the Landlord Registration Scheme.

The survey asks about the current service, online registration process and available guidance.

Letting agents and landlords are encouraged to response before the deadline tomorrow: https://statics.teams.cdn.office.net/evergreen-assets/safelinks/1/atp-safelinks.html.

Propertymark is a member of the Landlord Registration Scheme Transfer Programme Stakeholder Reference Panel and has attended meetings with the Department for Communities and key stakeholders on future plans to transfer control of the Landlord Registration Scheme from the Department to local authorities.

Alongside the introduction of the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 it is likely that the scheme will be utilised differently, and the associated fee used to drive up standards across the private rented sector.

The Landlord Registration Scheme collects and maintains accurate information on landlords and their properties. By law, all private landlords in Northern Ireland must register with the Landlord Registration Scheme.

Henry Griffith, policy and campaigns officer at Propertymark, said: “We know that there are plans to transfer the Landlord Registration function from the Department for Communities to local authorities. Therefore, this is an important opportunity for agents and their landlords to input into the changes and shape the future of the Scheme. Should the requirements of the Scheme be extended they must be proportionate and ensure that councils have the capacity to enforce them.”