Western Group Environmental Health Service - Derry City Council

A New Housing Regulator for Northern IrelandEarly in 2011, Price Waterhouse Cooper was commissioned to produce a report on the future structure of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. Thiswas commissioned by the Department for Social Development and a summary of the report was published on the department’s website.Proposals to separate the Housing Executive's strategic role from its function as a social landlord had been in discussion for some time. The publicationof the summary indicated that a Housing Regulator would be established as an Executive Agency within DSD.The Housing Regulator will impact on local government and the Environmental Health Service as it is envisaged that environmental health staff mayprovide the future regulatory role for housing fitness standards in the private rented sector.Rating of Empty HomesIn October 2011 the Department of Finance levied domestic rates on empty homes. One of the objectives of this measurewas to encourage the return of empty homes into use and thus relieve the pressure on social housing.Concern was expressed by groups that represented the interests of the elderly and those in nursing and residential careand in recognition of this concern, a list of exemptions including exclusions for those in hospital, residential and nursingcare was developed.Another exemption, that of ‘occupation legally prohibited’ has resulted in a number of enquiries being misdirected toenvironmental health departments. Whilst the councils have powers under the Private Tenancies Order to inspect andserve Notices of Unfitness on dwellings in a poor states of repair, those notices do not prohibit occupation but seek a rangeof remedial works to render the dwelling fit for occupation. The NIHE is the only body which can place a dwelling into a category of ‘occupation legallyprohibited’ under the Housing Orders and is therefore the only organisation that can provide home owners with the necessary exemption fromdomestic rates on an unoccupied property. Lack of clarity regarding respective roles and responsibilities has resulted in requests being received bydistrict councils which require redirection.30