Your tenancy information

We know that your circumstances can change from time to time and our team are here to help. Every situation is different so please contact us if you have any queries that you think could affect your tenancy or benefit entitlements.

TYPES OF TENANCY WE OFFER:

Starter Tenancy – if this is your first tenancy with us you will probably have a Starter Tenancy. During this time some of your rights as a tenant are reduced, for example you do not have the right to buy your home or to exchange properties. These rights are re-instated after the Starter tenancy period. .

Assured Tenancy -you will automatically have an Assured Tenancy after a 12 month probationary period if there have been no tenancy problems in your first year. As long as you abide by your tenancy conditions, the Society will not ask you to leave

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A TENANT:

We have put these into your tenancy agreement and we spoke to you about them before you moved in. Here is a reminder of some of the important points

Rent – You have agreed to pay your rent regularly. If for some reason you cannot pay your rent please come and speak to us as soon as possible. We understand that circumstances can change and we can help you to prevent a debt from building up. Remember that you are in danger of losing your home if you don’t pay your rent and we won’t be able to give you a good reference for another home.

Repairs – Let us know if something needs repairing and keep your property in the same condition as it was when you started your tenancy. You are responsible for decorating and for replacing minor household items and anything that you have accidentally damaged. We may need access from time to time to inspect fixtures and fittings, and carry out services or repairs and we will always attempt to make a suitable appointment with you.

Access to Your Home – You must give us access to your home to:

Inspect the condition of your home
Complete an annual gas or other necessary safety inspections, such as annual fire door inspection or 5 yearly electrical inspection
Complete a tenancy review
Carry out repairs and or improvements to Your Home or any adjoining homes
Carry out any of Stoke on Trent Housing Society’s obligations under your tenancy agreement or imposed by law

In most circumstances, unless an emergency, we will always give you a minimum of 48hours notice of our visit. Failure to provide access may result in costs incurred by the Society that you would be liable to pay

YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

We will make sure that everyone can enjoy peace and quiet in their own home. Please do not use your home in a way that causes a nuisance for your neighbours, for example loud music, an untidy garden or frequent noisy visitors. If you are being troubled by any these activities please telephone us on 01782 968566 or contact us. We will investigate all complaints where neighbours cannot resolve issues between themselves amicably. Sometimes we might even have to take legal action to stop the unwanted behaviour or apply for a Court Order to force the person to leave.

MAKING A CHANGE TO WHO IS LIVING WITH YOU

You must let us know if your circumstances change and someone comes to live with you. You might take in a lodger or decide to sublet part of your home. We won’t refuse permission unreasonably but you may find, for example that a benefit entitlement is affected. You must also have the spare space for a lodger and not overcrowd your home.

If you are subletting part of your home you must request our permission first. Write to us and let us know what you are planning.

PASSING YOUR TENANCY ON OR ADDING ANOTHER PERSON

You may have a joint tenancy and would like to transfer your half to your tenancy partner. Or you may be requesting a joint tenancy for the first time. All tenancy change requests need to be in writing.

You also have the right of succession. This means that a family member must have been living with you for at least 12 months in order to claim the right to succeed to your tenancy with the Society.

We will need to check out that the succession is lawful, based on the date your tenancy commenced, your relationship to the person and how long they have lived with you. You could also decide to assign you tenancy to this person, following the same rules.

ENDING YOUR TENANCY

Your tenancy doesn’t automatically end when you move out – here’s what you need to do.

Your tenancy is a legal agreement and can only be ended if you give us proper notice. If you are thinking of ending your tenancy contact us by email or telephone to discuss all your options, we may be able to help you to stay.

Giving notice

You’ll need to provide us with the 4 weeks notice in writing as specified in your tenancy agreement with the Society. Your notice period will commence from the Monday following the date that we receive your written notice, for example, if your notice is received by us on a Wednesday the 4 weeks will commence from the following Monday.
There is a standard TERMINATION FORM that you can download and complete or you can write a letter.
You may be able to extend your notice period, for example if you are buying a home and your move in date has been extended, just ask us.

Bereaved relatives

You should notify us about a tenant’s death as soon as possible. We will assist you in sorting things out and will ask you to sign a form to end the tenancy. We will need a copy of the death certificate, details of the next of kin/person dealing with the deceased tenant’s affairs and the date the keys will be handed in.
Housing benefits stop on the date of the tenant’s death, and the full rent will be due until we receive the keys and can end the tenancy.

Some people may have the legal right to take over a tenancy upon the death of a tenant. These people are:

anyone who has a joint tenancy with the deceased
the husband or wife of the deceased tenant
the partner or family member of the deceased (if they lived with the deceased for at least 12 months before they died).

Before you leave

We will arrange to visit before you leave so that we can give you advice on the condition to leave the dwelling in. This will avoid recharges if we have to replace or repair items.
You must clear your rent account before you move out. In exceptional cases where this is impossible, we will arrange for you to continue paying the debt after you have moved. If you move without making an arrangement or clearing the debt, we’ll take legal action to claim back the money you owe. If we are successful, this can affect your credit rating, ability to take out a loan or be housed in the future.

Handing in your keys

We need keys to be returned before 12 noon on the Monday that your tenancy ends or further charges may apply
If you can’t hand in the keys yourself, please ask someone else to do it for you. You must give them a signed letter saying that they have permission to hand in your keys and also complete a KEY RECEIPT AND DISPOSAL FORM
Return all keys to The Trevor Jones Office, Hammond House, Ridgway Rd, Hanley, ST1 3AX.

Leaving without notice

If you leave without notice, we may decide you have abandoned the property and take legal steps to repossess it. Until the court grants us possession, you will be responsible for the rent and any other charges.
If you intend to go away for a long time please contact us to let us know.