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The Assembly’s Committee for Communities yesterday welcomed a new Regulation that will protect tenants living in private rental accommodation from eviction during the present emergency period caused by COVID-19.

Speaking about the Regulation, Chairperson of the Committee, Paula Bradley MLA yesterday said:

“As a Committee, we have obviously been concerned with the fears faced by many private tenants about the possibility of becoming homeless during this pandemic. We are therefore pleased that the Department for Communities is introducing this new Regulation to extend the protection from eviction, which will provide some relief to the most vulnerable of tenants.”

Ms Bradley continued:

“A large number of those in private rental accommodation have been adversely affected by COVID-19, either by being placed on furlough or by losing their jobs altogether. We are also aware that many of these tenants are young and employed in the hospitality sector, which has been hardest hit by the lockdown.

Paula Bradley concluded,

“We understand that, should the economic situation improve before 30 September 2021, there is a provision to review and amend the Regulation accordingly.   We believe that the Regulation and how it will be administered is a prudent and appropriate way to help those who, through no fault of their own, find themselves without sufficient income.”

Notes to Editors:

• Statutory Rules (SRs): More information on Statutory Rules 
• Information on The Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021
• The Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Regulation 2021 extends the protection to private tenants mandated in the Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Act (Northern Ireland) 2020, and the subsequent Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Regulation 2020 to 30 September 2021.
• The new Regulation increases the protection given to tenants in the Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Act (NI) 2020 until 30 September 2021, with a possibility of review and consultation in the summer of 2021, ahead of the end of the extension.

The Committee for Communities membership is:

Paula Bradley MLA (Chairperson)

Kellie Armstrong MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Andy Allen MLA

Mark H Durkan MLA

Alex Easton MLA

Sinéad Ennis MLA

Fra McCann MLA

Karen Mullan MLA

Robin Newton MLA

Media enquiries to:

Sinead Murphy

Deputy Communications Officer

Northern Ireland Assembly

Phone: 028 9052 5938

Mobile: 078 998 64368

Email: sinead.murphy@niassembly.gov.uk