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Your Tenancy
Your tenancy is a legal document which details what you can expect from us and what responsibilities you have. The agreement is designed to protect and preserve the quiet enjoyment of all residents. If you do not keep to the terms of the agreement, you will be in breach of your tenancy and could lose your home.
Please read your tenancy agreement carefully. We have tried to avoid jargon but like all legal documents it can be a little confusing. If you have any questions then please contact ourselves on 0115 9051550.
Assured Tenancy
If your tenancy agreement states you are an assured tenant this means we cannot evict you unless we apply to a court to do so. You have a legal right to remain in your property as long as you keep to the terms of your tenancy agreement.
The majority of our tenants will have an assured tenancy. Those tenants whose homes were previously with the Council but transferred before November 3rd 2008 will have a slightly different agreement – but again we cannot evict you without the agreement of a Court.
Assured Shorthold Tenancy
An Assured Shorthold tenancy gives you a legal right to live in your accommodation for a period of time. It is similar to an Assured tenancy, but you can be evicted more easily.
Your rights are similar to an Assured tenant but you do not have the right to exchange your home, to take in a lodger or to buy the property.
Joint Tenancy
Joint tenancies are created when two or more adults apply for housing together. Each joint tenant is jointly and individually responsible for keeping to the conditions of the tenancy agreement. This means that if one tenant breaks a tenancy condition the other can also be held responsible. While your name is on the tenancy agreement you are responsible for all the tenancy conditions even if you no longer live at the address.
If the tenancy is in your name only you can ask for another person to become a joint tenant although if you are not married you will have to show that you have been living together for at least 12 months.
YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS A TENANT
The following are some of the more important rights and responsibilities you have as a tenant.
The Property
Your Tenancy Agreement will tell you how many people are allowed to live in your home and whether you are allowed to keep a pet. It will also tell you when you must pay your rent and other charges
You must:
- Live in the property as your only or principal home
- Not use the property to run a business
- Look after the property, any gardens or common parts and not allow damage to be caused
- Report repairs and damage to us
- Not do anything to the property without our consent. You do have the right to carry out improvements to your home, but you must get our written permission first which will not be refused without good reason
- Not use or allow the property to be used for illegal or immoral purposes
- Abide by the conditions regarding keeping pets
Community Responsibilities and Anti Social Behaviour
Gedling Homes believes in developing and maintaining communities. We ask that you should always show consideration to your neighbours. In your Tenancy Agreement there is a section headed “Community Responsibilities”.
It tells you what your responsibilities are in respect of harassment, nuisance and anti-social behaviour. Some of the most important points are:
- You are responsible for the behaviour of people who live with you and/or visit you. This responsibility covers behaviour in your home, and also in the locality
- You or they must not engage in conduct which causes to others, nuisance, annoyance, harassment, alarm or distress
- You or they must not cause a nuisance by noise, for example, from electrical equipment or motor vehicles
- You or they must not cause damage to the home or in the locality
- You or they must not threaten or use violence against another person
- You or they must not commit an arrestable offence in the property or locality
Any breaches of these conditions are taken very seriously and may result in legal sanctions against you, including the loss of your home.
Gardens
All tenants with private gardens are responsible for their upkeep. Our staff carry out estate inspections from time to time and will take action against a tenant if a garden is neglected
You must not remove any hedges or fences without our written permission, and you must ask for our permission if you want to construct a driveway or hardstanding, or any structure such as a larger shed or garage.
If you are disabled or infirm, and have no one to help you look after your garden we may be able to help – please contact your Housing Officer for further advice on 0115 9051550.
Living in Flats
If you live in a flat or maisonette, you have further responsibilities especially to other neighbours within the surrounding locality for example;
- You are jointly responsible for keeping communal areas clean, tidy, free from obstruction and dangerous substances.
- You must keep pets under control and not allow them to foul communal areas.
- You must report any faults or repairs to communal areas, for example doors, lights and entry door systems.
- You and all visitors to your property must not cause a noise nuisance or be anti social in your flat or communal areas. Remember such activities can be magnified when living in this environment.
Succession
If you die, it is possible, under certain circumstances, for a member of your family to take over the tenancy and become the new tenant, with all the rights and obligations you had as a tenant. If the person left in the property does not have automatic right to take over the tenancy, we will consider the person’s circumstances and may offer them a tenancy in another home more suited to their needs. If you want more information on this matter, please contact a Housing Officer on 0115 9051550.
Assignment (not Assured Shorthold Tenancy)
You may assign your tenancy to somebody else in certain circumstances, eg, if you find another tenant to swap with or if a Court Order is made for you to do so. You must not assign your tenancy without first getting our permission. If you have any queries regarding this then please contact a Housing Officer on 0115 9051550.
Illegal occupation or squatters
If you are aware that someone other than the legal tenant is living in one of our properties and the tenant is no longer there, then please let us know.
Similarly if you know of someone getting into an empty home and living there without permission, again please let us know.
Improvements you want to do to your home
Assured tenants (but not Assured shorthold tenants) have the right to carry out alterations or improvements to their home, such as putting in a shower or their own kitchen or central heating system for example.
However you must get our agreement in writing first. We will not refuse permission unless there is a good reason, and where permission is given we will set certain conditions that you must keep to. These will include using a competent contractor, and following any technical requirements that we set. You must check and obtain where necessary any building regulations or planning approvals needed.
If we refuse permission for any alterations or improvements and work has already started, you will have to stop the work immediately and put the property back to its original condition.
Pets
You can keep domestic pets (dogs, cats, small birds etc) but you should not keep nondomestic animals. Remember you must write to us if you want to keep more than one dog or cat. This also applies to keeping any rabbits, poultry, pigeons, livestock or reptiles. If in doubt ask your Housing Officer first. You must not keep any pets in a flat or maisonette situated in any block of more than two levels or in a purpose built sheltered scheme.
Obviously you must consider your neighbours when you keep a pet at your home as we do receive many complaints about nuisance caused by pets.
Dogs
Please be considerate towards your neighbours and the general public if you own a dog. Barking may cause annoyance to your neighbours and can in some circumstances become a public nuisance leading to legal action under Local Authority powers which can result in heavy fines.
Some general guidelines that we would recommend you follow are;
- Do not allow your dog to roam at will. Not only is there considerable danger to others, but you may be legally liable for any damage caused
- Make proper arrangements for the care of your pet if you are going away for long periods, such as a holiday
- Keep dogs on a lead anywhere near roads, or where there are farm animals
- If you do not want your pet to have a litter, seek advice from a vet in good time
If you do allow your dog to create a nuisance or annoyance you are in breach of your tenancy conditions which may put your tenancy at risk.
Ending Your Tenancy
If you decide you want to leave your property, the main points to note are:
- Give us at least 28 days notice in writing. We
will send you a termination of tenancy form and the 28 days notice will
start from the Monday after we receive it. Please
click here to download the form.
- If you are seeking to end the tenancy of a
friend or relative who has passed away please
click here to download the form.
- Please fully compete the relevant termination form(s) and exit survey
and return to:
Relets Team
Gedling Homes,
Gedling House
Wood Lane, Gedling
Nottingham
NG4 4AD
- Please take the time to complete the exit survey as this information
will be used to develop our service.
- If you have any queries please contact us on 01159051515
- Return all the keys and leave the property in good condition, removing all belongings and ensuring everyone moves with you. Re charges will be sought for any damage caused to the property
- Remove all belongings. If you do not we will store then for a period before disposing of them. You will be charged for both storage and disposal costs
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