Housing legislation timeline
Bernard J. Durkan asked whether promised residential tenancies and housing regulation Bills would come before the House before the end of the session. The Housing Minister said the tenancy Bill was priority legislation and he hoped it could pass before recess, while a second Bill was also being planned.
The residential tenancies (amendment) Bill and the housing (regulation of approved housing bodies) Bill are both promised. They will affect the regulation of the rental sector. Is it envisaged that either or both of those Bills will come before the House before the end of this session?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for the question. The residential tenancies (amendment) Bill is priority legislation. It is being drafted at the moment, and dates have been agreed with the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government for pre-legislative scrutiny. It is my ambition, if we can get that Bill published shortly, to have it passed as quickly as possible and before the recess. That will depend on the co-operation of the committee in bringing forward those measures. As for other measures that we want to introduce to protect tenants in the market, a second Bill is proposed. I hope see that published before the end of this term but to be enacted in the autumn.