Ending your tenancy or moving house (section 11)

This page provides information about the different ways to end your tenancy and what you need to do if you are moving house.

On this page:

How you can end your tenancy

11.1 If you want to end your tenancy, you must give us 4 weeks’ notice in writing. The notice must be signed and dated. Please contact us and we will give you a notice form to fill in. 

11.2 The 4 weeks’ notice must end on a Monday and you must return your keys to the Housing office on or before the date the notice period ends. If you do not, we will change the locks and charge you for this plus a late key return charge.

11.3 If you leave your home before the end of the 4-week period, you will still be responsible for paying rent until the end of the notice period, but you may not be eligible for housing benefit.

11.4 Once you have given your notice of termination you cannot withdraw it. 

11.5 If you are joint tenants, any one of you can end the tenancy by giving written notice; it will be binding on both or all of you.

11.6 You must allow the council access to inspect the property before you leave.

11.7 When your tenancy has ended you will remain responsible for, and must pay immediately, any unpaid rent and any other payments due under your agreement. If you fail to do so we will undertake legal action to recover any outstanding monies.

11.8 At the end of your tenancy you must:

  • leave your home so we can take possession of it 
  • leave your home and garden clean and tidy 
  • remove all your belongings and furniture 
  • remove all rubbish and
  • remove your pets

11.9 You must leave your home in the same condition it was in at the start of the tenancy, allowing for fair wear and tear.

11.10 You must leave fixtures and fittings in the same condition they were in at the start of the tenancy or the date they were installed, allowing for fair wear and tear. By fixtures and fittings we mean all appliances in your home that we own, including installations for supplying heating and hot water, storage cupboards, pipes and cables from meters (but not the meter itself) and pipes or cables to the meter.

11.11 You must make good any damage to your home before you move. If you do not do so, then we will charge you for replacing or repairing missing or damaged items. 

11.12 You agree that we may get rid of any furniture and belongings you have left in the property on the date your tenancy ends in such manner as we see fit. You also agree that we can retain any money we get from selling such items. We will charge you the cost of removing the items and doing any cleaning that is needed. 

11.13 We will also charge you for removing or making good any alterations you carried out at your home without first getting our written permission.

11.14 You must not allow any person to remain living in your home when your tenancy ends. If you do, we will take court action to gain possession and you may be charged for rent and our court costs.

11.15 If, as a result of a breach by you of your obligations in this section of your agreement, we are unable to re-let your home immediately to another tenant, you must pay to us the equivalent of the rent we lose by not being able to do so until your home is ready to be re-let.

See our ‘Ending or updating your tenancy’ page for more information.

Moving home

11.16 You have the right to apply to move to another council or housing association home. You will have to register for social housing and, if you qualify, will have to bid on properties under the council’s Choice Based Lettings Scheme. Your priority will depend on the urgency of your housing need, how long you have been waiting and what accommodation is available.

11.17 Unless there are exceptional circumstances, you will not be allowed to transfer to another property if: 

  • you owe any rent 
  • your property and garden are in poor condition
  • you have made alterations or improvements without our written agreement
  • we are in the process of taking possession

This is not a full list.

11.18 You have the right to swap the tenancy of your home (called a “mutual exchange“) with the tenancy of another tenant of the council, a housing association or of another local council, but you must get the council’s agreement in writing first. We cannot refuse permission unless it is for a reason set out in Schedule 3 to the Housing Act 1985 or in schedule 14 to the Localism Act 2011 (such as rent arrears or either of the homes would be overcrowded following the swap). 

11.19 If you exchange without getting our written permission, we will take legal action to evict you and you will not be able to return to your original home.

Introductory tenants do not have this right to transfer or to swap or exchange their home or the tenancy of it.

Last updated on 29/05/2024