Tenancy types and information about tenancies (council housing)

Terms of your tenancy

When you begin your tenancy with us we give you a copy of your tenancy agreement. This is a legal contract between you and us  Your tenancy agreement sets out your rights, your duties and our duties to you.

During your tenancy sign up meeting we will explain what your tenancy agreement means and answer any questions you have about it. If we decide to change the tenancy agreement at any point during your tenancy, we will consult you about the change that may affect you.

If you require a copy of your tenancy agreement, please contact us and we can arrange for a copy to be sent to you.

What to do if someone from your household passes away

We appreciate that this can be an extremely difficult time and will work with you in a supportive and sensitive way. It is important that you contact us to inform us of the situation so that we can talk through your housing options. We may be able to help you find more suitable accommodation if this is necessary.

Ending a tenancy after a bereavement

When a family member or a close friend passes away, dealing with their affairs can be difficult. The first thing you will need to do is to provide us with 28 days written notice that the tenancy has to be ended. Tenancy Termination forms are available from our neighbourhood housing offices. You will need to advise us when (after the 28 days) you would like the tenancy to end. Tenancies must end on a Sunday and rent is payable until the end date of the tenancy.

We politely ask that property is cleared and handed back empty, this includes all removal of all furniture, carpets and rubbish. If there are any items left in the property we will need to charge for their disposal.

Running a business from your home

If you wish to run a business from your home, you will need our written agreement.

We usually agree to these requests if the business causes no disruption to your neighbours. We reserve the right to withdraw our agreement if your business does disturb your neighbours.

Sub-let (rent) your home to someone else

In some cases we will allow you to sub-let your home for up to six months. You must ask for our permission to do this, but please be aware that you no longer have a secure tenancy if permission is granted. We will consider all cases and will explain our decision to you.

If you sub-let your home without permission, or in a way which breaks the terms of your tenancy agreement, we will take action against you. This could result in you losing your home.

Breach of tenancy (break the rules of your tenancy agreement)

When you break the rules of your tenancy agreement, this is called a breach of tenancy. If you breach your tenancy we will contact you to explain how you are breaking the terms of your tenancy and will give you the chance to put this right. If you need any support to resolve the problem, we may be able to offer this to you or make a referral to an organisation that can help.

If you do not put things right, we will take action against you, for example by seeking an injunction or a Possession Order, which may result in you losing your home.