The Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 2003

New ground of domestic violence

23.  After Ground 2 in Schedule 3 to the Order of 1983 (as substituted by Article 22) there shall be inserted—

“Ground 2A

• The dwelling-house was occupied (whether alone or with others) by a married couple or a couple living together as husband and wife and—

  (a)

  one or both of the partners is a tenant of the dwelling-house,

  (b)

  one partner has left because of violence or threats of violence by the other towards—

  (i)

  that partner, or

  (ii)

  a member of the family of that partner who was residing with that partner immediately before the partner left, and

  (c)

  the court is satisfied that the partner who has left is unlikely to return while the other continues to occupy the dwelling-house.”.