Background
A housing association is a society, body of trustees or company:
- established for the purpose of providing, constructing, improving or managing, facilitating and encouraging the construction or improvement of housing accommodation
- it does not trade for profit and its constitution and rules prohibit the issue of capital with interest or dividend exceeding rates prescribed by the Department of Finance and Personnel, with or without differentiation between share and loan capital
Housing associations contact details
The Housing associations contact list is available on the nidirect site.
Housing associations complaints procedure
If you are unhappy about the way you have been treated by a registered housing association you may complain to the Northern Ireland Ombudsman.
Contact information
Northern Ireland Ombudsman33 Wellington Place
BELFAST
BT1 6HN
Telephone: 028 9023 3821
Fax: 028 9023 4912
Freepost
BELFAST
BT1 6BR
Freephone: 0800 3434 24
email: ombudsman@ni-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk
Performance indicators for registered housing associations in Northern Ireland
The Department collects information on social housing stock owned by registered housing associations. Data gathered is used to produce specific Performance Indicators.
- Performance Indicators: 2015 - 2016
- Performance Indicators: 2014 - 2015
- Performance Indicators: 2013 - 2014
- Performance Indicators: 2012 - 2013
If performance indicators from previous years are needed please email: hagovernance@communities-ni.gov.uk
EC procurement requirements
Housing associations are bodies governed by public law for the purposes of EC procurement; various EC public procurement directives exist.
EC procurement
Registered social landlords, which includes housing associations, are bodies governed by public law for the purposes of EC procurement. Therefore registered housing associations must comply with the requirements of the various EC public procurement directives. Housing associations, as a matter of urgency, should review their current and future procurement activities to ensure compliance with the supplies, services and works directives where applicable.
The brief guidance on EC procurement requirements for works and services included in the Housing Association Guide (Ref: 4.3.5 and Ref: 4.3.6) is no longer relevant and has been replaced by Annex C to Appendix 2 of Part 4 (Procurement).
This guidance is still in draft form and may be subject to alteration. The Department intends to discuss with NIFHA and associations the implications of this decision, and the level of guidance necessary for Associations to comply with the requirements. New guidance will be included as part of the revision of the guide.
Read more about Registered housing associations EC procurement
Governance and inspection
Governance and Inspection branch deal with the regulatory framework for registered housing associations in Northern Ireland along with the publication of the inspections performed within housing associations.
Regulatory framework (The Regulatory Framework 2006 has been superseded by the Regulatory Framework for Social Housing Providers 2017 and subsequent Advice Notes)
- Proposals for a new regulatory framework for social housing providers in Northern Ireland
- Housing Regulation Advice Notes
Inspection programme and reports
The Housing Association Inspection Programme
- Letter to Housing Associations and Timetable for Inspections
- Inspection Reports Round 2 - Normal Inspections
- Inspection Reports Round 2 - Follow Up Inspections
- Inspection Reports Round 3 - Normal Inspections
- Inspection Reports Round 3 - Follow Up Inspections
- Inspection Reports Round 4 – Normal Inspections
- Inspection Reports Round 4 – Targeted Inspections
- Inspection Team Summary Reports