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Council Tenancies - Rights and Responsibilities

Please use the links below to jump to the sections you wish to view, or scroll down this page to view the sections in order.

Tenant participation compact
Your rights
Your responsibilities
Ending your tenancy
Moving out
Returning keys
Abandoned Properties
Housing benefit
Anti Social Behaviour Advice Sheet
Contact Details
Documents

Tenant Participation Compact

As part of the Government's agenda to improve services for local people, all Councils with a housing stock are required to produce a Tenant Participation Compact.

A Compact is essentially an agreement about the working relationship between tenants, councillors and housing staff at a local authority. By ensuring that tenants are partners to the agreement, the Government intends that tenants should have the opportunity to have a proper say in how their homes are managed and to then have a real choice in the extent and nature of their involvement.

If you want to find out more about the arrangements in the Tenant Participation Compact or have any comments or queries, please use the contact details at the bottom of this page.

Your Rights

Your rights and responsibilities are explained in your:

• Tenancy Agreement
• Rent Card

The council cannot end your tenancy without a County Court Order. There has to be good reason to do this, such as:

• If you don't pay your rent
• If you don't keep to your Tenancy Agreement

You can have a lodger but you must ask the Council for permission first

If you die, your partner or a close relative may be able to keep the tenancy

You can not give your tenacy to anybody else

Your Responsibilities

• You must write to the council and ask if you want to:
• Alter your home
• Put up a satellite dish (please view our guidance page)
• Put up a shed or fence
• You should get household insurance policy to cover the contents of your home
• You must keep your garden tidy

We will work with the police to stop illegal drug dealing in our properties - you can be evicted for this

Ending your tenancy

• Please inform the council if you are leaving and where you are going
• Tell the council 4 weeks before the end of your tenancy
• Leave your home clean, tidy and in good repair
• You must take all your belongings with you. We will charge you if you have disposed of them
• You must pay all your rent, read your meter and tell the gas, electricity and water companies that you are moving
• Return the keys back to the council quickly, if we have to change the locks, you will be charged for the cost of this

Moving Out

Shortly before you move out, your Area Housing Officer will inspect your home to make sure that it is in a reasonable condition and there is no damage to it.

When you move out, please make sure that: -

• Your rent is paid up to date
• The property is clean and tidy and none of your possessions are left behind.
• The garden is tidy and the grass is cut.

Remember, if there is any damage to your home, you will be charged by the council to put things right. If any possessions are left behind we will dispose of them and charge you for this. You will also be charged if we have to clear any rubbish from your property or garden.

Returning Keys

Your keys should be handed to your Area Housing Officer or the reception at Housing Services. The keys should be handed in no later that 12 noon on the day that your notice runs out. If your keys are late then you will be charged a further weeks rent until the Monday after your keys are returned.

Remember:

• Have your meters read
• Have the telephone disconnected
• Re-direct your mail
• Give as your forwarding address
• Please leave the orange and blue refuse boxes at the property

Abandoned Properties

If we suspect that you have left your home without telling us, we will check with other departments and neighbours to find out if the information is correct. If we cannot find you, we will put notice on your door for 7 days. If we still cannot you, we will ask the county Court to end your tenancy. You will still have to pay any rent you owe. You will have to pay for the locks to be changed

Housing Benefit

Please be aware that housing benefit will end Monday after you leave the property even if your tenancy has not ended. In this situation full rent will be payable.

Contact Details

Oswestry Borough Council
Housing Services
Alexandra Road
Oswestry
Shropshire
SY11 1LU

Tel: 01691 677242 / 01691 677292 (Housing enquiries)
Tel: 01691 677290 (Housing Repairs)
Fax: 01691 653685