Affordable Rent
The Department for Communities has produced a new housing policy providing a new affordable housing option. The Policy, called ‘Intermediate Rent’ aims to create an additional supply of affordable rent homes. Funding has been awarded to Maple and May, who will be the first landlord to offer affordable homes for rent.
What is Affordable Rent?
Affordable Rent is a new type of private rented housing for the local housing market. It intends to provide an additional rental choice for lower to moderate income households, providing longer-term, higher quality, well-managed homes at below market rents. Affordable Rent can provide a solution for households struggling to meet open market rental costs, and those wishing to enter low cost home ownership in the future.
The Affordable Rent Key Facts document provides a high-level summary of the main features of the Affordable Rent model.
Affordable Rent homes are delivered in line with the Department’s Intermediate Rent Policy which intends to:
- create a new supply of homes
- provide much needed high-quality housing at below market rents for those on lower to moderate incomes
- offer homes for rent with at least a 20% discount on prevailing private market rents for a similar property type and size within a locality
- provide homes of a size and type suitable for the number of occupants, in locations where people wish to live
- alleviate some of the up-front barriers to accessing a rented home and be targeted towards eligible lower to moderate income households
- offer enhanced security of tenure by making available tenancies of up to five years at a time and the option to renew subject to the agreement of the landlord and tenant, and
- offer tenants access to effective and prompt property management and tenancy support services
Affordable Rent tenancies are a form of private rented tenancy, therefore all of the rights and obligations in place in respect of any private tenancy apply to Intermediate Rent tenancies.
Affordable Rent homes can make a positive difference for tenants when it comes to rental affordability and can reduce or remove some of the barriers which some people can face in finding and sustaining a tenancy in a home that meets their needs.
The Intermediate Rent policy, which was co-designed with the housing sector, sets out the framework for Affordable Rent and aligns with the definition of Affordable Housing. It allows for the future development of a new supply of high quality, long-term, affordable rented housing with support services. All background papers including the consultation papers, equality screening, Consultation Outcome Report and summary document can be accessed on the Departmental website.
Homes can be developed with or without government financial support, and all providers should refer to and follow the content of the policy and the associated design standards for more details.
Is Affordable Rent the right choice for me?
More information on how to apply for an Affordable Rent home, eligibility rules, and details on how to apply can be found on nidirect.
Affordable Rent ‘Homes for Intermediate Rent Design Standards’
The Intermediate Rent policy document, which has been developed following extensive stakeholder engagement, outlines the key principles of the Affordable Rent housing product and sets the framework for a home to be offered as “Intermediate Housing for Rent.”
To complement the policy a bespoke “Homes for Intermediate Rent Design Standards” document has been produced to provide information on the standards expected for Affordable Rent homes. It sets outs the essential and desirable construction, layout and facilities criteria which the homes should meet, both internally and externally.
Tenancy support services
Affordable Rent landlords must provide support services to their tenants as detailed in the Intermediate Rent Policy. To assist providers, a Support Services document which details their obligations and provides links to organisations which can offer this support to tenants has been developed.
Affordable Rent homes
Maple and May have been awarded funding to develop new Affordable Rent homes. Once built the properties will be advertised as Maple and May Affordable Rent with tenancies made available to eligible households, in line with DfC’s policy.
It is expected the first Affordable Rent homes will be available for rent from Summer 2026 and over time will be available in a number of locations across Northern Ireland.
Maple and May have provided a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding their Maple and May Affordable Rent programme which is available on their website.
DfC funding for Affordable Rent homes
The Department for Communities has provided Financial Transactions Capital Loan funding to help stimulate the delivery of the first Affordable Rent homes in Northern Ireland. An open competition for funding identified Maple and May as the recipient of this funding and as the first Affordable Rent provider in Northern Ireland.
Information on the funding competition can be found below.
Market rent data
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive now regularly publishes a report detailing a summary of average weekly private sector market rents figures to assist with the setting of rents for Affordable Rent properties.
This data is intended to act as a guide and Affordable Rent landlords should seek confirmation, at the time of letting, of local average market rents for similar type / size of units from a suitably qualified professional (e.g. a RICS certified surveyor).
The Average Weekly Market Rent data is calculated based on the number of bedrooms in a property and in which of eight Broad Rental Market Areas (BRMAs) it is located. Affordable Rent should be set with at least a 20% discount on average local market rents for a similar property type and size within an area.
Contact
If you require clarification regarding the policy intentions, please email the Department for Communities Affordable Rent project team.
If you wish to enquire about renting a Maple and May Affordable Rent home, please visit the Maple and May website.