Coronavirus Northern Ireland: Housing Executive rent increase put on hold | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

Coronavirus Northern Ireland: Housing Executive rent increase put on hold

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey MLA has taken urgent steps to put the Housing Executive rent increase on hold.

The Housing Executive’s rent increase of 2.7% that was due to come into effect today, 6 April, will now not come into effect until 1 October 2020.

 

 

Speaking to Newry Times, Minister Deirdre Hargey said, “I am well aware that the Housing Executive needs a long-term revitalisation programme in order to deliver much-needed investment in its homes and neighbourhoods.

“One of my earliest decisions as Minister was to approve the first Housing Executive rent increase in five years, in recognition of this.

“But we are now in a very different landscape.

“People are worried about their jobs, their income and whether they can pay their rent.

“The last thing they need is to face a rent increase this week.

 

 

“I want to assure the Housing Executive’s tenants that the rent increase will not take effect until the beginning of October 2020,” she added.

Minister Hargey announced last week that the Housing Executive and Housing Associations had agreed that, where their tenants are facing difficulties paying rent during Covid-19, they will not be evicted.

The Minister added, “I will continue to do everything I can to alleviate the impact of Covid-19 on tenants.

“I am assured that the NIHE is taking a sympathetic and proactive approach to any tenant who has been impacted by the current emergency.

“I want to extend my sincere thanks to the Housing Executive for everything it is doing to support its tenants, and for urgently taking steps to postpone the rent increase at very short notice.”

 

 

The postponement of the rent increase applies only to Housing Executive tenants.

Housing Executive tenants who are in receipt of Universal Credit are asked to look out for contact from the Housing Executive in the coming days, to help them ensure their payments are accurate.

 

Keep up to date with all the latest Northern Ireland Coronavirus / Covid-19 news HERE

 

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Posted by on Apr 6 2020. Filed under Coronavirus. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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