Our priorities include workable penalties, guidance that puts reuse first, and incentives that help owners and agents maintain the built environment while supporting regeneration.
Members who have case studies of properties affected by dilapidation or vacant-building issues, and how enforcement or incentives could help, are encouraged to share them with our Policy and Campaigns team by emailing [email protected]. Practical insight from agents strengthens our voice at Stormont.
What the Bill would do
The legislation will bring existing powers together and update them so councils can address problems and, in the most serious cases, order demolition.
Graduated notices will be available for lower-level issues and dilapidation notices for more serious cases, with appeal routes for owners. But councils will be empowered to intervene quickly on dangerous structures and recover their costs afterwards.
Sums spent by councils can be secured as a charge on the land. A registered dilapidation notice would bind future purchasers, ensuring issues are resolved rather than passed on.
View documentation and progress for the Dilapidation Bill →
What this means for property agents
Managing agents are likely to see more maintenance and dilapidation notices, necessitating clear processes to instruct works, keep evidence, and manage appeal windows. If a notice is registered against a property, it can affect marketing, disclosures, negotiations and timelines because a buyer is obliged to comply after completion.
Where councils recover costs for works they have undertaken, agents who only collect rent for a landlord should not be pursued for those costs. However, councils may require timely ownership and interest information, which agents must supply. Good record-keeping and prompt responses will reduce the risk of incurring offences and fixed penalties for non-compliance.
Representing members
On behalf of members, we have submitted written feedback and will give evidence in person to the Bill Committee on 16 October 2025.
Higher and escalating fines, including daily penalties for ongoing breaches, should be included in the Bill. We also recommend uplifting the proposed fixed penalty, so it is not cheaper to ignore a notice than to carry out repairs.
To protect stock levels, support heritage and retain town-centre character, demolition should be a last resort. Guidance should require councils to prioritise restoration and reuse, documenting where this is not reasonably practicable due to condition, cost or viability.
Where owners cannot be identified or repeatedly fail to engage, councils should have clear power to proceed with remediation (or, if necessary, demolition) after a defined period to prevent prolonged blight.
Appeals should recognise cases where a purchaser or owner can show evidence of committed refurbishment plans, such as funds in place and contracts signed, but timings have slipped for reasonable reasons. This encourages improvement over disposal.
We have urged the Northern Ireland Government to support investment by reviewing reliefs for long-term vacant or listed buildings and considering improvement relief, such as a 12-month rates holiday after upgrades, to help owners bring properties back into productive use.
How members can prepare for the Bill
Identify properties with visible neglect, vacancy or access issues that could attract a notice and advise owners to plan for remediation work. Ensure ownership and contact details are accurate and accessible so statutory information requests can be answered quickly.
Agree on pre-approved contractor lists, set internal SLAs for responding to notices, and keep photographic and invoice evidence. Build checks for registered notices and charges into AML and disclosure packs and plan how to handle buyer queries and completion timing.
