Your Tenancy

If you are not an existing secure or assured tenant (assured tenancies are the housing association equivalent of our secure tenancies) we will give you an introductory tenancy. It could also be called a “probationary” tenancy. Introductory tenancies normally last for one year. If you have kept to all your responsibilities as a tenant during that year (for example, if you have paid your rent on time and have not committed any anti-social behaviour) your introductory tenancy will automatically become a full secure tenancy when that year is up. We can also extend your introductory tenancy by a maximum of six months if you have broken some terms of your tenancy but are working with us to rectify the breach.

As an introductory tenant, you have the same responsibilities as secure tenants (see below under “Secure tenancy”.

An introductory tenancy also gives you many of the same rights as a secure tenant; however we can evict you much more easily if you break the terms of your tenancy agreement. In addition, as an introductory tenant you cannot:

• Exchange your tenancy with any other tenant
• Transfer your tenancy, unless you are ordered to by a court or in other very rare circumstances
• Exercise your right to buy (however, the period of introductory tenancy may count towards the right to buy)
• Take in lodgers or sublet all or part of the property
• Make improvements to the property without our permission