Fermanagh - Northern Ireland Housing Executive

DSD introduced the Tenancy Deposit Scheme on 1 April 2013 in Northern Ireland.
The aim of the scheme is to prevent disputes over deposits between tenants and
landlords.
During 2012/13 in Fermanagh District:
• Two new build schemes for 15 social housing units were completed;
• Four schemes were on site at 31 st March 2013 to deliver 62 new dwellings;
• We completed 18 renovation grants, 68 repair grants and five home repair
assistance grants;
• Through the Warm Homes scheme, 437 homes received insulation measures, 10
received heating measures and 12 received both heating and insulation. In
addition, 77 properties of solid wall construction received internal dry lining
insulation;
• The HMO Strategy was developed to ensure compliance and provide advice to
tenants and prospective tenants of HMOs;
• There were 28 Article 80 notices (fit for number of occupants) and 11 Article 79
notices (management regulations) served on HMOs;
• We supplied DOE Planning with the 2012 housing need assessment;
• We provided an updated Housing Need Prospectus to DSD to help align future
delivery of the SHDP against the Housing Executive’s strategic guidelines;
• We continued to promote the House Sales Scheme, providing an opportunity for
tenants to buy their own home.
We provide grants to private sector landlords and owner occupiers to maintain the
condition of properties and prevent them falling into unfitness or serious disrepair.
Discretionary renovation, replacement and home repair assistance grants are
available in exceptional circumstances.
By inspecting properties and serving statutory notices the Housing Executive raises
and maintains standards in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). Currently there
are 21 registered HMOs in Fermanagh with an additional three properties identified
by the Housing Executive as potential HMOs. The identification process, and ensuring
compliance with the HMO Registration Scheme, continues to present significant
challenges, as does the enforcement activity associated with non-compliance.
DSD’s Fundamental Review of the Regulation of HMOs in Northern Ireland released
for consultation in 2012 aims to enhance HMOs by improving standards through a
revised system of regulation. This will aid the transfer of functions from the Housing
Executive to Councils under the Review of Public Administration.
Improving energy efficiency and helping to reduce fuel poverty remain key priorities
for the Housing Executive. Our work as Home Energy Conservation Authority (HECA)
for Northern Ireland has helped improve energy efficiency across the residential
sector by 22.5% from 1996 to 2011.
The Housing Executive’s current heating policy is to switch from inefficient solid fuels
and electricity to more energy efficient, less polluting and more controllable heating
like natural gas, oil and wood pellet boilers. We also promote increased levels of
insulation and installation of double glazing as part of our ongoing maintenance
schemes.
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