creating communities to be proud of
the new tenancy agreement
What are the main changes to the tenancy agreement?
These are the major changes to the tenancy agreement, which are intended to make sure that the tenancy agreement is fair to all tenants. However, we advise you to read the draft revised tenancy agreement in full so that you are clear about what it says and what this means.
Revised tenancy agreement (268 kb)
The agreement is an Adobe Acrobat pdf file and will open in a new window.
You will need Adobe Reader software to view it. If you do not have the software installed on your computer, you can download it for free by clicking on the icon below.
The main changes:
Making changes to your rent
We have amended the tenancy agreement to allow for a rent reduction to be applied. We set our rents in line with Government rules which are linked to the annual inflation figure. As this was a negative amount in 2009 of -1.4%, from April 2010 a rent reduction may apply for some tenants. In the next week or so, we will let you know what your new rent amount is for April 2010 onwards (whether this is an increase or a decrease).
Service charges
We intend to introduce variable service charges for tenants, in response to a call from our regulator, the Tenant Services Authority. They expect us to give you clear and simple information about the cost of the services you receive and for us to apply clear and transparent charges for these services.
Service charges are amounts payable by an occupier for communal shared services and the repair and maintenance of common areas. The charges will vary year by year depending on the amount actually spent. At the moment the cost of services are “pooled” so we are unable to break them down fairly according to the services received by individual tenants. Introducing these charges will enable us to respond to issues that you frequently raise and provide you with the opportunity to influence the levels and cost of services that are provided.
The new tenancy agreement sets out all of the services that could potentially be charged for. You will only pay for the services that you receive. We will consult with you if we intend to introduce new services, remove a service or change a service that you are currently receiving.
The end of your tenancy - property condition, access and keys
You must leave your property in good condition when you leave. We have included a section to explain that if you do not, you will be recharged the reasonable cost of any work we have to carry out.
You must return to us all keys and access fobs that you have been provided with (including window and shed keys).
Once you have handed in your notice you will need to allow us access to the property to check its condition and to let prospective future tenants view the property. If you leave any items in the property we will remove and dispose of them once we have given you one months' notice.
Laminate and wooden flooring
Many people prefer laminate or wooden floors to carpeting, but this is not always appropriate in some of our properties, due to potential noise nuisance and issues around repairs. We have therefore inserted a clause requiring you to request permission from us before you install this type of flooring.
Pets
We know that some of you will want to keep pets but we have added in some clauses to make sure that this is kept to a reasonable level and does not cause a nuisance.
Gardens
It is already part of your obligations under the current tenancy agreement to maintain your garden, however, we have tried to be more specific about the level of maintenance we require from you to make it easier for you to comply.
Rechargeable repairs
We operate a free responsive repairs service for repairs to your home that are our responsibility as your landlord and that are required due to fair wear and tear. If repairs are found to be the result of misuse, damage or neglect we will recharge you the reasonable cost of the repair.
Access in emergencies
We have inserted a new clause that allows us to gain access to your home without consent or a court order in instances of extreme health and safety or emergency. This would always be a last resort.
Future changes
We will only make further changes to the tenancy agreement with your agreement.
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Registered Charity Number 1107876. |
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