The Housing Association (HA) Guide is one of the key management tools employed by the Department for Social Development (DSD) to deliver its regulatory responsibilities for Housing Associations. It sets out the Department’s guidelines for Registered Housing Associations requiring robust policy and procedural standards across all Associations and equitable quality service provision for social housing tenants. It also contains the rules and procedures that Associations must comply with in order to meet the conditions for receipt of capital grant from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (Development Programme Group) [NIHE(DPG)], provided by DSD.
The Guide covers aspects around Development, Finance, Procurement, Governance, and Housing Management functions. It is essential that appropriate Housing Association officers are well informed of DSD’s requirements impacting on their particular function. The Guide has undergone a fundamental review and has been split into the five distinct functional areas.
Development Guide – these revised requirements took effect from Monday 2 November 2009
Finance Guide – these revised requirements took effect from Thursday 1 April 2010
Governance Guide - these revised requirements took effect from Thursday 1 April 2010
Housing Management Guide - these requirements have been introduced on a staggered basis from Friday 21 May 2010
Procurement Guide - these revised requirements took effect from Thursday 23 December 2010
Archived Copies of HA Guide
Requests for archived copies of relevant parts of the HA Guide must be made through the Guide Enquiries email address: HAGuideGeneralEnquiries@dsdni.gov.uk
However, such requests should only be made when details of specific guidance, in place at a particular time, in relation to Inspection or Audit queries is required.
The former Housing Association Guide contains guidance on Supported Housing. This remaining guidance will be available on a temporary basis until all reviews are complete. To access this information click on the icon for the Housing Association Guide.
