Housing Executive seeks views on proposed changes to House Sales Scheme

The Housing Executive has launched a public consultation on proposed changes to its House Sales Scheme, with the public, tenants and stakeholders all invited to have their say. The consultation is now open and runs for 12 weeks, closing 17 July 2026.

The House Sales Scheme has been a longstanding feature of housing policy in Northern Ireland, having supported 122,916 households into home ownership over several decades, contributing to mixed and stable communities in the process.

However, the Housing Executive has said that the circumstances in which the scheme now operates have changed fundamentally. Demand for social housing continues to rise, the number of households in housing stress is increasing, and the availability of suitable homes remains under sustained pressure. The Housing Executive is working with government and the wider housing sector to increase supply, regenerate existing stock and ensure public investment delivers the greatest possible benefit for those in need.

The consultation seeks views on five proposed amendments to the current scheme, the design and duration of transitional arrangements for those amendments, and broader issues relating to the scheme's longer-term future, including eligibility criteria and features such as the level of discount available to buyers. Those wider issues would be subject to further consultation at a later stage.

The Housing Executive has said the intention is to protect social housing for future generations while also ensuring that tenants who wish to pursue home ownership can do so through what it describes as modern, affordable and sustainable routes.

Under the current version of the House Sales Scheme tenants are awarded discount based on the length of their secure tenancy(ies) with a qualifying landlord. Discount is awarded at a rate of 20% for the first 5 years with an additional 2% for every year thereafter up to a maximum of 60%.

The online consultation is open now and can be accessed through the Housing Executive website at nihe.gov.uk/consultations