Proposed legislation to address defective premises in Northern Ireland

The introduction of urgent legislation to address the disparity of legal protection to citizens affected by defective premises in Northern Ireland has been passed by the Executive.

Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons proposed the introduction of a Defective Premises Bill, which would extend the limitation period for actions taken in relation to defective or damaged buildings from six years to 15 years prospectively, and from six years to 30 years retrospectively. This would achieve parity with the legislative position in England and Wales.

Executive approval to introduce the Bill to the Assembly using the Accelerated Passage procedure was given last month. In a statement to industry, Lyons said it will be brought before the Assembly at the earliest opportunity, at which time he will seek agreement to take the Bill through the Assembly under the accelerated procedure.

"When I raised this matter in the Assembly chamber, I said I recognised the importance of this legislation and its potential to impact many people right across Northern Ireland," he said. "I am confident that we can make the desired progress on this issue, but getting it done quickly is dependent on the continued support and consent of the Assembly and the Executive."

Building Engineer will provide updates as they become available.