Consultation
4.On 7 December 2009 the Department published a consultation document on proposals for new housing legislation. The Department’s officials subsequently discussed the proposals with relevant stakeholders at a series of events organised by the Department and the voluntary sector. There were around forty responses to the consultation, many of them very detailed, from a wide range of bodies including the Housing Executive, housing associations, district councils and the community and voluntary sectors.
5.The consultation document highlighted the fact that a number of proposals for new legislation had been set out in “Building Sound Foundations”, the Department’s strategy for the private rented sector which was published on 15 May 2009. Around forty responses were received to that consultation.
6.On 1 March 2010 the Department published proposals for a Housing and Regeneration Bill which included provision for district councils to promote energy efficiency within their own areas. That provision has been incorporated in the Housing (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.