Starter tenancy - from April 2008, starter tenancies will be given to all new tenants. They last for a period of 12 months. During this time, we will help you to understand and keep to the conditions of your tenancy agreement. At the end of the 12 months, providing we have not taken steps to end your tenancy, it will automatically become a permanent, assured tenancy. In some cases, we may decide to extend the initial 12 month trial period, in which case your tenancy will remain a starter tenancy for a specified period.
Assured shorthold tenancy - these are short-term tenancies, giving security for an initial period of six months. We can end this tenancy providing that the required notice has been served on you. Assured shorthold tenancies are usually given to tenants in temporary accommodation, to tenants in private rented accommodation or to key workers who may be in accommodation that is linked to their job.
Licences - these are given to residents who are living in shared accommodation, who do not have exclusive use of their own room, for example if we enter their room to carry out cleaning on a regular basis. We use licences in schemes such as temporary homeless accommodation. Licences are not secure. We are only required to give you one month's notice of termination.
Secure tenancy - all council and housing association tenancies granted before 15 January 1989 are regulated by the Rents Act 1977 and are subject to the fair rent system, administered by a government body known as 'The Rent Service'.
In determining the rent the following are taken into account: property age, character, location and state of repair. Rents can be re-registered every two years to keep them up to date, or earlier if a significant change takes place. A joint application by both landlord and tenant can be made at any time.
Assured tenancy (housing association and private tenancies granted after 15 January 1989) - an assured tenancy gives you the right to live in your home for as long as you require it and as long as you keep to the terms of your agreement. With an assured tenancy you don't have the right to buy.
