New notice to quite regulations seek to improve conditions for private sector tenants
The Northern Irish government has launched a public consultation as it prepares to extend eviction notice periods in the private rented sector.
The introduction of the Private Tenancies (Notice to Quit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 will require landlords to give tenants significantly more time to vacate a rental property after being served a notice to quit.
Communities minister Gordon Lyons said the consultation is part of a wider programme of housing reform to improve standards and conditions for private renters.
He added: “This is the next phase of the implementation of the Private Tenancies Act (NI) 2022 and the consultation builds on previous work to improve health and safety standards in private rented properties. The longer notice periods will greatly increase the security of tenure for individuals and families living in the private rented sector.”
Before the longer notice periods become law, the department of communities is seeking feedback on how to set out regulations for circumstances in which shorter notice to quit periods are appropriate. This includes considering the human rights of landlords relating to property and family life.
It is also looking for suggestions for potential mitigating measures to help ensure that shorter notice to quit periods do not adversely impact vulnerable groups.
Currently, the standard notice to quit period for tenancies of 12 months or less is a minimum of four weeks, while this is eight weeks for tenancies between one and 10 years and 12 weeks for those longer than 10 years.
The proposed changes could see these times extended to eight weeks for tenancies of 12 months or less, four months for tenancies between one and three years, six months for those between three and eight years and seven months for rental period longer than eight years.
The consultation will run for 12 weeks from 5 January until 29 March 2026.
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