House Sales Scheme Northern Ireland

Status and consultation

House Sales Scheme concerns buying all or part of the Housing Executive home you occupy. Eligibility depends on your tenancy and property; it is not a scheme for buying any home on the open market.

The consultation closed on 17 July 2026. Check the latest scheme rules with NIHE before applying.

Who may qualify

You normally need at least five years of tenancy with the Housing Executive or another qualifying landlord. Earlier qualifying tenancy may count, but evidence is required. Exceptions may apply when a tenancy was inherited or assigned by a spouse or parent. Ask NIHE to confirm your tenancy status and whether your property can be purchased.

Property exclusions include sheltered or group housing and single-storey or ground-floor properties, excluding flats, with no more than two bedrooms.

Arrears owed to NIHE do not necessarily prevent an application, but must be cleared before completion.

The Department for Communities confirmed that the House Sales Scheme for registered housing association tenants ended on 28 August 2022. Housing Executive tenant routes must therefore be distinguished from housing association tenant history.

Discount, mortgage and costs

nidirect states that the discount starts at 20% after five years, increases by 2% for each additional year and is capped at 60% or £24,000, whichever is lower. Confirm the discount that applies to your purchase with NIHE.

If you need a mortgage, the lender still checks affordability, income, credit history, property suitability and deposit source. Flats or maisonettes can involve leasehold responsibilities and service charges.

Before committing, ask for a breakdown of legal fees, survey and valuation costs, any mortgage fees and any tax payable. Confirm with the lender how the purchase discount affects its deposit requirements and how much cash you need. Compare these expenses with your ongoing ownership budget.

Equity Sharing option

If full purchase is not affordable, Equity Sharing may allow an eligible tenant to buy a minimum 25% share and pay reduced rent on the rest, with further shares usually bought in 5% steps.

With Equity Sharing, you become a leaseholder. Buying a share makes you responsible for maintenance and repairs regardless of the share you own. You also pay domestic rates and, for flats or maisonettes, service charges. Budget for these alongside mortgage repayments and rent.

How to apply

1. Check NIHE or landlord guidance for current House Sales Scheme status and consultation outcome.
2. Confirm qualifying tenancy, property eligibility, arrears and exclusions.
3. Request the official application route from NIHE or the relevant landlord/provider.
4. Check mortgage affordability and lender choice if borrowing is needed.
5. Use a solicitor to review legal documents, lease/service charge terms and repayment or buy-back obligations.
6. Proceed to mortgage application and completion only when scheme eligibility and legal position are clear.

What to watch out for

• check the current scheme rules with NIHE before applying;
• not every tenant or property will qualify;
• housing association tenant rights changed in 2022;
• selling within five years requires repayment of the full discount; selling within ten years requires offering NIHE the opportunity to buy the property back. You must wait for NIHE to decline before selling to another buyer. Ask your solicitor to confirm the conditions applying to your purchase;
• a mortgage adviser cannot decide legal eligibility or approve the scheme.

How House Sales differs from other NI schemes

• Co-Ownership: shared ownership in Northern Ireland, usually with a 50–90% buyer share. Current property limits are £215,000 for existing homes and £230,000 for new builds; affordability determines your individual limit.
• FairShare: shared ownership for approved new-build properties through participating housing associations, with rent on the unsold share.
• Equity Sharing: tenant-only part-buy route within the House Sales Scheme, not an open-market buyer scheme.
• House Sales Scheme: for eligible Northern Ireland Housing Executive tenants. The statutory route for registered housing-association tenants closed to new applications on 28 August 2022.
• Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee: this historic scheme is closed to new loans. Current low-deposit mortgage options must be checked separately with lenders.

How a mortgage adviser can help

Extend Finance can help with the mortgage side: affordability, lender choice, documents and understanding how the scheme affects the application. We do not decide scheme eligibility, allocate properties or approve the scheme application.

An adviser can review the mortgage side, compare lenders, package income and documents, and help compare full purchase with Equity Sharing or Co-Ownership. Legal eligibility and discount rules stay with NIHE, the landlord/provider and your solicitor.

Alternatives to compare

If you qualify for House Sales Scheme but cannot afford full purchase, consider Equity Sharing. If you do not qualify for tenant purchase, compare the separate Co-Ownership and FairShare schemes or buying another property with a standard mortgage. Each option has its own criteria.

Official sources

Check the latest official sources: nidirect House Sales Scheme, NIHE buying your home overview, NIHE eligibility, NIHE Equity Sharing, NIHE consultations and Department for Communities 2022 update.