The Private Tenancies Act (NI) 2022 has introduced more new obligations for NI landlords in three years than the previous two decades combined. If you are self-managing and not certain you are fully compliant, this page is for you.
Since April 2023, Northern Ireland landlords have faced a rolling programme of new legal obligations under the Private Tenancies Act (NI) 2022. Tenancy Information Notices. Deposit caps and continuous protection duties. Smoke, heat and CO alarm standards. Mandatory EICR inspections. And with the Notice to Quit consultation now running until March 2026, more change is coming.
Every one of these obligations carries a penalty for non-compliance. Some are criminal offences prosecutable in court. Others are civil enforcement matters handled by district councils with powers to issue remedial notices and fixed penalty notices. The legislation does not distinguish between a landlord who chose to ignore the rules and one who simply did not know about them.
Belvoir NI’s compliance support service exists for one reason: to make sure that is never your problem.
The PTA 2022 has been implemented in phases, with each stage bringing new requirements and new deadlines. Many self-managing landlords who were fully compliant in 2022 are not aware of obligations that came into force in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The EICR deadline of 1 December 2025 has already passed. If you have not had a compliance review in the last 12 months, there is a reasonable chance something has been missed. Belvoir NI offers a free initial compliance audit — no obligation, no judgment.
Our compliance audit is a structured review of your tenancy and property against every current obligation under the Private Tenancies Act (NI) 2022 and associated regulations. It is not a tick-box exercise. It is a document-by-document, obligation-by-obligation assessment of where you stand — and a clear report on what, if anything, needs to be addressed.
| # | Area Checked | What We Look For |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tenancy Information Notice | Has a compliant TIN been issued to the tenant? Does it contain all required information? If the tenancy predates April 2023, was a retrospective notice issued within the required period? |
| 2 | Deposit protection | Is the deposit protected in an approved NI scheme? Has protection been maintained continuously, not just at the start of the tenancy? Is the prescribed information held on file? |
| 3 | Deposit amount | Does the deposit exceed one month’s rent? The PTA 2022 capped deposits at one month. Deposits taken before the cap came into force were grandfathered, but new deposits must comply. |
| 4 | Smoke, heat and CO alarms | Are the correct number and type of alarms installed to the BS 5839-6 and BS EN 50292 standards? Are smoke and heat alarms interlinked? Is there a heat alarm in every kitchen? Is there a CO alarm in every room with a fixed combustion appliance or flue? |
| 5 | EICR | Is there a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report in place? Was it carried out by a NICEIC or NAPIT-registered electrician? Has it been provided to the tenant within 28 days? If the report identified C1 or C2 findings, has remedial work been completed and documented? |
| 6 | Notice of Variation | If any material term of the tenancy has changed since it began, rent amount, occupants, term, has a compliant Notice of Variation been issued to the tenant? |
| 7 | Cash receipts | If the tenant pays rent in cash, is a written receipt being issued for every payment? This is a specific obligation under PTA 2022 that is easily overlooked by self-managing landlords. |
| 8 | Tenancy documentation completeness | Is a copy of the signed tenancy agreement held on file? Is the gas safety certificate current? Are EPC and other required documents present and up to date? |
We produce a written compliance report identifying any gaps, with a clear priority rating for each item: immediate action required, action recommended, or no action needed. Where remediation is needed — whether arranging an EICR, issuing a Tenancy Information Notice, or correcting a deposit protection issue — we explain exactly what is required and can manage the remediation process on your behalf. There is no pressure to proceed to full management; many landlords address the gaps identified and continue self-managing with greater confidence.
Based on our experience working with NI landlords switching to Belvoir management or requesting compliance reviews, these are the obligations most frequently not met — not through negligence, but because they were either new, poorly publicised, or easy to misunderstand.
The most recent major deadline. Every private tenancy in NI required a valid EICR by 1 December 2025. Many self-managing landlords are unaware the deadline has already passed and they are currently in breach.
Before PTA 2022, a landlord who protected a deposit late could not be prosecuted after six months. That limitation has been removed. Protection must be maintained continuously throughout the tenancy — not just at the start.
Required for all new tenancies from April 2023, and retrospectively for all existing tenancies within 28 days of that date. The TIN must contain specific prescribed information. A generic letter or a copy of the tenancy agreement does not satisfy the requirement.
The December 2024 alarm regulations require all smoke and heat alarms to be interlinked — meaning when one activates, all activate. Battery-operated standalone alarms do not satisfy this requirement unless they use wireless interlink technology. Many landlords have installed the right number of alarms in the wrong configuration.
Every obligation, every deadline, every offence — with the legislation references and a 12-point compliance checklist. belvoir.co.uk/northern-ireland/pta-2022-compliance
The December 2025 deadline, what a valid EICR requires, finding codes, documentation duties and enforcement. belvoir.co.uk/northern-ireland/eicr-guide
A compliance audit is a point-in-time snapshot. The real risk for self-managing landlords is not just the gaps that exist today — it is keeping up with legislation that continues to evolve. The Notice to Quit consultation currently running will introduce further changes later in 2026. Energy efficiency requirements are under consultation. More is coming.
Under Belvoir NI Full Management, compliance is not an annual audit — it is a continuous service.
We arrange EICR inspections with NICEIC-registered electricians, manage the five-yearly cycle, provide copies to tenants within the required 28-day window, and retain documentation on file. If remedial work is identified, we coordinate it and provide the required written confirmation.
We verify alarm installation at the start of management, check configuration against the BS 5839-6 and BS EN 50292 standards, and record compliance. We advise on any remediation required and check alarm status at routine inspections.
Every new tenancy is set up with a compliant TIN issued before or at the point of occupation. We hold the signed acknowledgement on file. Notices of Variation are issued correctly whenever material terms change.
Deposits are protected in an approved NI scheme from day one and maintained continuously throughout the tenancy. Protection records are held on file and available to the council within the required seven days if requested.
When new obligations come into force — as they have repeatedly since 2023 — we implement them across our managed portfolio. You do not need to track what is changing; we do it for you and brief you on anything that requires your decision.
A free, no-obligation compliance review of your NI rental property against every current PTA 2022 obligation. We will tell you exactly where you stand, what needs to change, and how we can help. No judgment. No sales pressure. Just clarity.
