Glossary: meaning of words

The tenant, and in the case of joint tenants, any one or all of the joint tenants.

Reading Borough Council and everyone working on behalf of the council including employees and contractors.

Other than in special circumstances set out in Section 1.4 of the agreement, you have the right to live peacefully at your property for as long as you want, provided you do not breach the terms of the Tenancy Agreement. If you are living in your property, the council cannot evict you from the property without first notifying you in writing and obtaining an Order from the court to evict you.

A one year trial Council tenancy. It gives you most of the same rights as a secure council tenancy but you can be evicted more easily. However, as long as you don’t breach your tenancy agreement while you are an Introductory tenant, you cannot be evicted (other than in the circumstances set out in Section 1.4 of the agreement) and you will automatically become a secure tenant.

You are a sole tenant if only one person is named on the tenancy agreement. If two people are named on the tenancy agreement you have a joint tenancy.

Joint tenants each have all the rights and responsibilities set out in the tenancy agreement. A joint tenancy means that two people are responsible for making sure the tenancy conditions are met and have equal rights to stay in the tenancy until it is ended.

Everyone living in the area, including other tenants, people who own their own homes and local businesses.

For the purposes of the agreement, neighbourhood is defined as any area located within the Reading Borough Council boundary or adjoining boundaries where RBC stock is located.

Payment due from you to us for occupation of the property.

The property let to you under the agreement, including any garden, yard, balcony, driveway, outbuildings, sheds, also including any garage within your property but not including any shared areas.

The parts of the building that all tenants can use, for example, halls, stairways, entrances, landings, shared gardens, lawns and landscaped areas, bin areas.

Lawns, hedges, flowerbeds, trees, shrubs, outside walls, fences, paths and yards.

Doing something or failing to do something that causes or is likely to cause nuisance, annoyance, harassment, alarm or distress to anyone.

A crime committed against someone because of their gender, identity, disability, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation.

Anything used for transporting a person or people, for example, a car, motorbike, bike, moped, boat, caravan, van, mini bike, mini moto, quad bikes, trailer, scooter and battery powered mobility scooters.

A letter from us giving you permission to do something.

A leaflet providing further information or advice about your rights, responsibilities, rules or services available from us.

Any bird, fish, insect, mammal, reptile or spider.

To rent out part or all of the property you are living in to someone else.

Someone who rents a room in your property and shares at least part of the rest of the property with you.