Tenancy Standard
This standard sets out how we must fairly allocate and let homes and how we manage and end tenancies.
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Allocations and lettings
Registered providers must allocate and let their homes in a fair and transparent way that takes the needs of tenants and prospective tenants into account.
We are required to co-operate with the local authority’s strategic housing functions and support it to fulfil its duties to meet identified local housing need. This includes homelessness duties and meeting obligations in nominations agreements.
We must seek to allocate homes that are designated, designed or adapted to meet specific needs in a way that is compatible with the purpose of the housing.
The Regulator of Social Housing says we must develop and deliver customer-focused services that address under-occupation and overcrowding in our homes.
We must take action to prevent and tackle tenancy fraud.
We must have a fair, reasonable, simple and accessible appeals process for allocation decisions.
All lettings and sales must be registered by the Continuous Recording of Lettings (CORE) system.
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Tenancy sustainment and evictions
We must support our customers to they can maintain their tenancy or licence, and to prevent unnecessary evictions.
Where we end a tenancy or licence, we are obliged to offer affected tenants advice and assistance about housing options in a timely manner.
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Tenure
Our tenancies or terms of occupation should be compatible with the purpose of the accommodation, the needs of individual households, the sustainability of the community, and the efficient use of their housing stock.
We are required to meet all applicable statutory and legal requirements in relation to the form and use of tenancy agreements or terms of occupation.
We will publish clear and accessible policies that outline our approach to tenancy management, including interventions to sustain tenancies and prevent unnecessary evictions, and tackling tenancy fraud.
We will set out:
- the type of tenancies
- if we grant tenancies for a fixed term, the length of those terms
- the circumstances in which we grant tenancies of a particular type
- any exceptional circumstances in which we will grant fixed-term tenancies for less than five years in general needs housing following any probationary period
- the circumstances in which we may or may not grant another tenancy on the expiry of the fixed term, in the same property or in a different property
- the way in which a tenant or prospective tenant may appeal against or complain about the length of fixed term tenancy offered and the type of tenancy offered, and against a decision not to grant another tenancy on the expiry of the fixed term
- our policy on considering the needs of vulnerable households, including through the provision of tenancies that provide a reasonable degree of stability
- the advice and assistance we will give to tenants on finding alternative accommodation if we decide not to grant another tenancy
- our policy on granting discretionary succession rights, taking account of the needs of vulnerable household members
We must grant general needs tenants a periodic secure or assured (excluding periodic assured shorthold) tenancy, or a tenancy for a minimum fixed term of five years. In exceptional circumstances, we can offer a tenancy for a minimum fixed term of no less than two years, in addition to any probationary tenancy period.Before a fixed term tenancy ends, we must provide notice in writing to the tenant, which states if we propose to grant another tenancy when the fixed term ends or if we propose to end the tenancy.
Probationary tenancies are for a maximum of 12 months, or a maximum of 18 months where reasons for extending the probationary period have been given and where the tenant can request a review.