Tenancy types, your rights, mutual exchange, right to buy, our responsibilities to you.
As a council tenant, you will have one of two types of tenancy:
Typically a 12-month trial period, though in certain circumstances this trial period can be extended by a further 6 months to 18 months. This is called an extended introductory tenancy.
Typically granted to new council tenants who have successfully completed their introductory tenancy with either a council or housing association.
Find out more about tenancy types on the gov.uk website.
As a council tenant you have a variety of rights which are set out in your tenancy agreement.
Below is a brief summary of the rights and responsibilities of tenants. You can also download the full agreement as a PDF – we will have already sent you a paper copy.
Newark and Sherwood District Council Tenancy Agreement (PDF, 512kb)
You can live in your home without interference from us for the length of your tenancy as long as you (and your friends, relatives and any other person living in or visiting your home) follow the conditions of your tenancy agreement
An exception to the above is if our employees, contractors, or subcontractors need to come into your home as a condition of your tenancy agreement, to ensure you are complying with the terms of this agreement, or to adhere to our health and safety regulations as your landlord.
You have a right to information from us about your tenancy and about our repairing obligations, our policies and procedures on tenant consultation, housing allocation, rehousing, mutual exchanges, tenancy transfers and our performance as a landlord.
If you pass away while you are a secure tenant, your tenancy can pass to your spouse or civil partner, as long as they occupy the property as their only or principal home at the time of your death.
If you are a secure tenant you have the right to take in a lodger as long as the property does not become overcrowded and you must notify all the relevant authorities including the council that administer any benefits you are claiming.
You cannot be evicted without obtaining a court order – which can be obtained for legal reasons such as rent arrears or antisocial behaviour. You will be given notice in writing explaining why.
If there is a disagreement about the conditions of your tenancy which we cannot sort out with you, the court has the power to make the final decision.
You have the legal right to have certain types of repairs, known as qualifying repairs, carried out in specific timescales.
You have the right to mutually exchange your property with another tenant of Newark and Sherwood District Council, any other council tenant, or a tenant of a housing association.
A mutual exchange is a legal right, detailed in the Housing Act 1985, and is when two or more tenants swap properties with each other and in doing so, pass on any legal interest in the tenancy.
When a mutual exchange takes place, each tenant takes on the original terms of the tenancy agreement of the person they have swapped with.
You can find more information on our home exchange page.
In certain circumstances you have the right to buy your home. Contact us using the details at the bottom of the page for more details.
We will keep the structure and exterior of your home in repair and keep essential installations for the supply of water, gas, electricity, sanitation and heating in repair and proper order.
We will comply with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation when dealing with personal data and protect any information we hold about you from accidental or unlawful disclosure.
We must notify you of any changes to your Tenancy Agreement, ask for your comments and give you at least four weeks’ notice under sections 102 and 103 of the Housing Act 1985.
We have the right, upon giving you 24 hours’ written notice, to come into your home at all reasonable times to inspect it or to carry out work in your home or an attached property.
We will have properly served on you, any notice relating to your tenancy if we:
Information on how to leave us feedback or make a complaint is available on our housing complaints page.