Newsletter 38 | February 2025

Welcome to the latest edition of the Private Rented Sector Landlord Newsletter

Transfer of Landlord Registration

Responsibility for the operation of the Landlord Registration Scheme will transfer from the Department for Communities to Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council on 1 March 2025. Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council will operate the Scheme on behalf of all councils in Northern Ireland.

As part of the transfer, a new website and registration portal has been developed. Your registration and details will transfer from the existing database to the new portal on 1 March 2025. This means that, in line with legislative requirements, you will remain registered until the date you are currently due to renew.

The new website for renewal of your registration will be landlordregistrationni.gov.uk, the site will go live on 3 March 2025. The new site also contains updated guidance for landlords.

You should receive a letter or email with further information including a new privacy notice.

What to do next?

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has offered this advice to landlords ahead of the transfer of the Landlord Registration Scheme (LRS).

Following the launch of the scheme’s new website, the landlord will receive a one-time passcode at 9am on 3 March 2025 to be used when landlords log into the new system for the first time as detailed below:

• Landlords will go to the LRS website and click ‘Log In’ to access your details

• You will be asked to provide the email address associated with your account – the email account that the passcode was sent to

• Next, you will enter the one-time passcode sent on 3 March 2025. (If you are logging in at a later date and cannot find your passcode, you will be able to hit the reset button as long as you use the associated email address)

• Once verified, you will be asked to update your password. After saving your new password, you are all set to continue using the new site

Landlords who are not due to renew their registration in March or April are being encouraged not to log in to your profile until closer to the time of your renewal date in a bid to limit increased traffic to the new system in its infancy.

Members of the new Landlord Registration Team are working hard to alleviate any potential teething problems with the new system. If you require any further information, or support, please contact the call centre using the following number 0300 200 7821 or access information on the website www.landlordregistrationni.gov.uk

Registrations Due to Expire

If your registration is due to expire prior to the launch of the new Landlord Registration website, we advise you to renew as soon as possible.

The current system will be unavailable from 27 February 2025, you will be unable to register, renew or update your details until the new website goes live on 3 March 2025. Your registration and details will transfer on 1 March 2025.

You can renew your registration up to three months before it is due to expire. More information on renewals is available on the nidirect website www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/landlord-registration-renewal.

Services for Registered Landlords

Housing Mediation

The free Housing Mediation Service, operated by Housing Rights, helps resolve disputes in private tenancies.

A trained mediator will help those involved in a dispute talk and listen to each other, and try to come to an agreement.

The service is for:

private landlords
private tenants
letting agents

Visit Housing Rights website to find out more or make a referral.

Find out how the housing mediation service has helped others.

Landlord Advice

Landlord Advice is a free service that helps registered landlords understand and navigate their legal responsibilities. It promotes good practice in the private rented sector.

The service is for:

private landlords
estate agents
anyone thinking of becoming a landlord and has questions about how to get started

It is a legal requirement to be registered as a landlord when you are renting to tenants. Please have your landlord registration number available when getting in touch.

Landlord Advice is available between 9.30am – 2.30pm Monday to Friday.

Call 028 90 245640 and pick option 1, or email advice@landlordadviceni.org