FAQs

You will usually be able to apply for housing if you are over 18 and have local connection to Northern Ireland. Habinteg allocates all its permanent housing from the Common Selection Scheme, devised by the Department for Communities (DfC). For detailed information regarding this process, you should download the booklet - Housing Selection Scheme.

To register on the waiting list for housing, you can call the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) on 03448 920 900 and complete an application over the telephone. You can also download an application form - HERE - complete and return to your local NIHE Office (find your nearest office -HERE). You will be contacted to complete an assessment.

The single application form means that your application will be considered by all social landlords in your preferred areas of choice.  It will also allow you to apply for sheltered housing and specialised accommodation.

If you think you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless you should contact the NIHE as soon as possible on the number given above.  Homelessness is dealt with through the NIHE Area Offices or, in the case of Belfast, through the NIHE dedicated Homelessness Services Unit. 

Your eligibility for housing in Northern Ireland and your housing needs will be assessed in the same way as any other applicant.  However as the Housing Executive cannot carry out a visit, you will need to complete the Housing Transfer application and Self Assessment form.

Please view our How to Apply for Housing page.

Yes. As a tenant of a housing association you can swap home with another tenant either of the same association, another housing association, or  NIHE, a  local authority or council.

Your Housing Officer will consider the request and carry out an inspection of your tenancy before liaising with the other landlord to consider the request.  Requests would normally be approved unless your Housing Officer has good reason not to do so.  For example, a request that would lead to a home being overcrowded would not be approved.

You can also advertise online at www.homeswapper.co.uk
 

Rent is charged on a weekly basis. You can pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly. All monthly payments must be made in advance,( multiply your weekly rent by 4.35 to get the correct monthly rent ).

There are a range of ways to pay your rent - see Ways to Pay your Rent for more information.

There are several ways of paying rent:

For full details see Ways to Pay Your Rent 

We send rent statements to all tenants every six months, you can also request a statement at any time by contacting your Housing Officer. Telephone our offices on 028 9042 7211 (Holywood office) or 028 7136 0015 (North West office). You can also click on the 'Get in touch' button below and request a statement to be sent to you.

As a tenant of a registered Housing Association, you may be entitled to Housing Benefit and may make an application to your local NIHE Private Housing Benefit District Office. Contact NIHE on 03448920900 or access information online HERE.

The Housing Executive have a Housing Benefit Calculator which will help you to determine if you are entitled to help - HERE

We can also give help with your application - please click on the 'get in touch' button below and ask to speak with one of our Housing Officers.

If you are experiencing difficulties paying your rent you should contact your Housing Officer straight away.  Your Housing Officer can advise you on how to manage your debt by explaining how you can:

• make an affordable weekly agreement to clear the rent arrears;
• change your payment method e.g. set up a direct debit;
• apply for Housing Benefit or Rate Relief;
• be referred to the  Housing Rights Service, Tenant Debt Advice Service for specialist help.

Under no circumstances should you ignore any rent arrears letters as this could ultimately lead to legal action.

Habinteg has a dedicated team of Housing Officers and if the Officer for your area is not available any of the remaining Housing Officers can provide you with advice and assistance.
 

Habinteg Housing offers tenants wishing to purchase their home the option to purchase the property outright or in part via equity sharing, under the rules of the Statutory House Sales Scheme. 

In order to be entitled to apply to purchase your home, you or a joint purchaser must meet a range of qualifying criteria before the application will be accepted:

You should write to our head office in the first instance advising that you wish to make an application to purchase.

Please view our House Sales page for further information
 

Contact Habinteg Housing by telephone or in writing, e-mail the office, or call to your Community Assistant. Give details of the nature of the repair and when access will be available for the repair to be undertaken.  After hours or at holiday times please call:  Freephone Telecare 0800 7313081.

The simplest way is to complete a Report a Repair form HERE

Depending on the nature of the repair an inspection may be required before the repair is undertaken.

Please ensure that you check the Repair Liabiilty section of our site - HERE. If a repair is carried out and it is found to be your own responsibility, you may be charged for cost of the work.

All tenants who wish to keep a pet should request written permission from their housing officer

If Habinteg receives a complaint about your pet you may be in breach of your tenancy agreement.
 

We aim to deal with complaints as quickly and efficiently as possible. All complaints are investigated and we try to resolve the matter immediately. If you have a complaint about the service that Habinteg provides, or its treatment of you either as a tenant or an applicant, we would ask you to contact the office either verbally or in writing. Written complaints, where possible, will be replied to within five working days. Our complaints procedure, policy and complaints form is downloadable here.

Alternatively, you can submit your complaint using the Online Enquiry form.