Information on tenancy types, property rights, and tenant responsibilities.
Introductory Tenancy
The majority of new tenants are on an introductory tenancy for a 12-month trial period. The tenancy agreement sets out when the introductory tenancy will end and whether you will become a flexible tenant or a secure tenant, subject to the satisfactory completion of the trial period.
We will contact and visit you during this period to check that you have settled into your home and to see if there is anything you need and to ensure that there are no breaches of tenancy. If there are any serious breaches of tenancy Runnymede may seek to increase your introductory tenancy period or may terminate your tenancy at the end of the introductory period.
An Introductory tenant has fewer rights than a Secure tenant.
During the first 12 months as an Introductory Tenant, you cannot:
- Buy your home
- Exchange your home
- Take in lodgers
- Make alterations to your home
Secure Tenancy
Secure tenancies are granted to:
- Any existing secure or assured tenant who has chosen to move to another social rented home
- Statutory successors to secure tenancies
- Leaseholders in renewal areas whose home is being demolished due to regeneration and it has been agreed that they can become a social housing tenant
Secure tenants can keep their tenancy for as long as they live in the property provided it is their only or principal home and keep to the conditions of their tenancy agreement.
Secure Tenancies can only be ended by a court order. The court will only grant the Council a court order if the Council can prove a legal right to repossess the home.
Secure Flexible Tenancy
Secure Flexible Tenancies are given to most tenants after the first 12 months. We have used Secure Flexible Tenancies since 1st April 2014
Your Secure Flexible Tenancy maybe for 5 or 10 years.
Towards the end of your flexible tenancy the Council will assess if you still qualify for social housing and if you should move to a smaller home.
New tenant visits
- During your first year as a tenant, we will visit your home twice. The first visit will be after six weeks and the second visit after nine months.
- We visit to find out how you're settling in, talk about any issues, and see if you need any help.
- The date of the visits will be booked on a day that suits you and you will need to let us into your home for these visits.
As a secure tenant, you have a number of rights:
Right to buy have the right to buy your home. To find out more visit Right to Buy web page.
What is the right to buy?
Right to buy enables council tenants to buy the property they live in.
Properties are valued at current market prices but are usually offered for sale at a discounted price because, as a tenant, you would normally qualify for a discount.
As of the 21 November 2024, the discount is set at a maximum of 70% of the value of your property or to the maximum discount of £38,000. To ensure you have the most up to information on right to buy discounts, you can refer to the governments Right to Buy web page for further information.
Am I eligible?
You will qualify for Right to Buy if you have been a secure tenant for at least three years. Previous tenancies and tenancies with other councils and housing associations also count.
How to apply
- Download and complete the application form and anti-money laundering declaration form.
- Return both forms by email or post to:
Email: Tenancy.management@runnymede.gov.uk
Post: Runnymede Borough Council, Civic Centre, Station Road, Addlestone, KT15 2AH
You may be offered help from a private company or be asked to pay for things that you can get for free.
Before accepting advice from others, you may find it useful to contact us. Our free services include:
- help filling in the application form
- support on understanding how the sales process works
- being available to answer your questions
- information on how to find a solicitor
- free mortgage advice from banks and building societies
Things to be aware of
There are companies and individuals who offer money to tenants to purchase a property. These deals usually end with the company owning the property. If you enter into this type of agreement you need to remember:
- if you sell the property on you will have to repay the discount
- the money you make is unlikely to be enough to buy another home
- the council will not rent you another property
- Please think very carefully before using one of these companies or individuals. They may be suggesting that you do something which benefits them, not you. Do not sign anything that you are not entirely clear about or happy with.
Some tenants have become homeless after agreeing to deals like this. It is very important that you get independent legal advice from your solicitor or the Citizens Advice Bureau, before entering into such an agreement.
Succession to a tenancy
Succession is a legal term used when a person takes over a tenancy when the tenant dies and relates to the statutory right of certain people to succeed to a tenancy following the death of a tenant. We call a person who inherits a tenancy the “successor”. There are different rules for succession depending on the type of tenancy agreement the tenant held. These rules are laid down in both law and in our tenancy policy.
Only one succession is permitted for each property meaning that it is not possible to succeed into a property where the deceased tenant had already succeeded into it. However, we may allow some additional family members to succeed to a tenancy in limited circumstances. This is called a discretionary succession.
Succession to a secure tenancy
The following legal conditions apply to a succession to a secure tenancy that was granted before 1 April 2012 and where no prior succession has taken place:
- a spouse or civil partner has priority and must have been living with the deceased at the time of death
- if there is no spouse or civil partner a qualifying family member can succeed if residing with the late tenant for 12 months prior to death
- the spouse or civil partner do not need to downsize if under occupying. Family members would need to downsize if under occupying (no downsizing incentive is paid)
If your tenancy was granted on or after 1 April 2012 and where no prior succession has taken place:
- Spouse of the tenant, civil partner of the tenant, partner living with the tenant as if married or civil partners (including same‑sex partners)
They must:
- Be able to demonstrate they have occupied the property as their only or principal home at the time of the tenant’s death
How to apply to succeed a tenancy
To make an application you must first contact us so that we can assess your eligibility and advise you on the documentation that you must provide to us in support of your application. We will then send you the application form which you would need to complete in full and return to us.
- Call: 01932 838383
- Email: Tenancy Management Team
Right of Assignment
You maybe able to give your tenancy if your circumstances change and one person wishes to be removed from the tenancy.
Family members taking over your tenancy
If a family member takes over your tenancy while you are still living in the property it is known as an assignment. You may be able to assign your tenancy to someone who would succeed if you died.
You will need written permission to assign your tenancy.
Any assignment would act as a succession of your tenancy and therefore would mean no further changes to the tenancy can be made upon death.
Right to take in lodgers and sub-let
- You have the right to take in lodgers as long as this does not cause overcrowding. You must ask the Council’s permission before moving lodgers in.
- You may be allowed to sublet part of your home, but you will need written permission from the Council.
- You are not allowed to sublet your whole home. Subletting your whole home could result in you losing your tenancy.
If you are considering this please contact:
- Call: 01932 838383
- Email: Tenancy Management
Right to exchange your home (mutual exchange)
- You have the right to exchange your home with another council or housing association tenant. There are certain conditions you must meet, and you must get the permission of both landlords before going ahead with any exchange.
To find out more on "Want to move" web page.
You can find options for exchange at HomeSwapper
- Independent Retirement Living tenants can also exchange homes, but only with tenants who qualify to live in Independent Retirement Living housing.
Right to consultation
- The Council will consult tenants on any important housing issues that will have a major effect on their homes.
- The Council has a number of residents’ groups and actively encourages tenants to get involved in the running of the housing service. More information can be found in the ‘Have Your Say’ section of this handbook
Right to information
- You have the right to see the information the Council holds about you and your household. To do this you must make a Subject Access Request (SAR).
- You may challenge the accuracy of any information held about you, and if the Council agrees the information is inaccurate, we will correct it. Submit a Subject access request online.
Right to make home improvements
- You are allowed to make improvements to your home, but before doing so you must get permission from the council.
- A list of works you may carry out are listed in the Repairs Handbook on the Council’s Website.
There are responsibilities you have as a tenant. These are listed in your tenant agreement.
The most important responsibility is to pay your rent and any service charges, but there are a list of other responsibilities.
Living in your home
- You must live in your property as your only or principal home.
- If you plan to go away for longer than four weeks, you must let the council know.
Insurance
We strongly advise you to get cover for your personal belongings against risks such as fire, flood and theft. Many people who do not have home contents insurance find it difficult to replace their belongings if they are lost or damaged.
Please note that you may not be able to claim on our insurance, as damage is not always caused by negligence.
Access
- You will need to allow us access to your home for things like works, services, inspections, repairs or improvements.
- In most cases you will be given notice of a visit. However, on some occasion, like in an emergency, such as a flood or suspected gas leak, we will need to access your property and may not be able to provide prior notice.
- In these cases we may have to get into your home when you are not available to provide access. If we have to do this, we will make sure that your home is secure when we leave. We will repair any damage caused by us forcing our way into your home, unless we had to force our way in as a result of your carelessness or neglect.
Repairs
- You are responsible for the internal decoration of your home, as well as a number of minor repairs which are listed in our repairs and maintenance handbook
Gardens
- If your property has its own garden, you are responsible for keeping it tidy and in a safe condition. If your garden is not kept safe and tidy the Council may carry out the necessary works and charge you for the cost of doing so.
- You can tend to your garden in your chosen manner, but before planting trees or hedges, you must ask the Council for permission (permission request link below). Anything you plant will be your responsibility to look after.
- You must ask the Council for permission before erecting any shed (permission request link below), greenhouse, aviary or similar structure in the garden and before digging a pond. Permission will be conditional on the structure being removed when your tenancy ends, including ponds being filled in.
- The Council will maintain communal gardens and may allow residents to maintain some borders themselves. You must ask permission before maintaining any borders.
Communal areas
- We are responsible for making sure that the internal common parts of buildings and external common areas of estates are kept clean and tidy to residents’ satisfaction and that cleaning is carried out in a safe and efficient manner.
- The service comprises:
- Regular cleaning of internal areas
- Regular cleaning of external areas to include litter picking of grassed and landscaped areas.
Rubbish disposal for environmental and health reasons, it is important to make sure you get rid of your rubbish in the right way.
Most households can now recycle around 50% of the waste they produce. There will be arrangements on your estate for this, or a recycling centre near you. To enquire about arrangements for your estate or block, please contact us.
It’s also important to dispose of your rubbish correctly for health and safety reasons. Please follow these simple steps to make sure your rubbish is disposed of safely:
Don’t: Put lighted cigarettes down the chute
- Leave rubbish by the bin, chute or on landings, walkways or other communal areas. This is a health and safety hazard, a potential fire risk and can encourage rats and other vermin.
- Try to force large items down the chute if you have one, as it may become blocked. If you have larger items that will not go down the chute, please contact us 01932 838383.
- Throw away unwanted furniture which is otherwise in good condition.
- Use the chute or bin for builder’s rubbish. Your rubbish is collected by our waste disposal contractor.
Overcrowding
- You must not allow your home to become overcrowded by allowing other people to live or stay with you.
- There is a permitted number of people who can live in a property based on the number of rooms, and this number of people must not be exceeded.
- If you overcrowd your property due to your own family expanding, or your children reach an age where you require a larger property you need to consider your housing options, which can include Mutual exchange or apply to transfer to a different property.
