Most secure tenants have the right to buy their home. If you have been a tenant for two years or more, you will receive a discount, depending on the type of property and the length of time you have lived there. For more information, please contact your local housing office or Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO).
If a tenant dies
When a tenant dies, the tenancy can be passed on to the husband or wife or partner, or any other family member who has been living with you for the last 12 months. A tenancy can only be passed on once, so if you became the tenant of your home after the death of a family member, you cannot pass it on again.
Mutual exchanges
A mutual exchange is when you swap homes with another tenant of the council, another local authority or housing association. Our offices display details of tenants who are looking to swap. You will need written permission from your ALMO before you can go ahead with an exchange.
They will only say no if there is a good reason - for example, if you or the other person have serious rent arrears or you would be moving into a house too small for your family. If you exchange without telling us, you may lose your home.
Ending your tenancy
If you want to leave your home for any reason, you must tell your housing office in writing at least 28 days before you intend to leave. If you leave without giving them this notice, you will be charged rent for those 28 days.
If you are a joint tenant and one of you gives notice this ends the tenancy for both of you. Please speak to your local housing office before you give notice if just one person wants to leave.
Anti-social behaviour
We want you to enjoy their home and neighbourhood in peace. That means we will not tolerate anti-social behaviour (ASB).
Examples of ASB are loud music, drug or alcohol abuse, dumping rubbish, foul language or criminal activity. Racial harassment and racial abuse are also ASB, and we will not tolerate them. If you behave in a way that causes a nuisance to other people, you can be evicted.
Please see our section about on anti-social behaviour for more information on what to do if you are suffering from ASB or what will happen if you act in an anti-social way.
You may need permission from your ALMO to
- sub-let part of your property (you won't get permission if you're an introductory tenant)
- carry out home improvements
- put up a shed, garage or other outbuilding
- keep pets
- paint or alter the outside appearance of your home
- build a driveway or hardstanding
Communal heating charges
A small number of tenants have communal heating charges where they share the cost of heating in their block. If your tenancy has communal heating charges, these charges will be included in your rent.
Buying your home
Most secure tenants have the right to buy their home. If you have been a tenant with a council or a housing association you can apply and you will receive a discount. The amount of the discount will depend on the type of property and the length of time you have lived there. If your tenancy started after 18 January 2005 then you can only apply after you have been a tenant for more than five years. For more information, please contact your local housing office or Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO).