What is a fixed term tenancy?

The Council supports Social Housing Providers in giving fixed term tenancies in certain
circumstances and expects:

  • that fixed term tenancies for general needs housing stock for all household types would
    be no less than 5 years (or a 2 year fixed term tenancy in those limited circumstances
    where this is more appropriate)
  • lifetime tenancies to be used for tenants of sheltered housing or Housing with Care
    unless a shorter tenancy is required where the long term demand for a scheme is low.

Where Fixed Term Tenancies are used, they will be reviewed 6 months prior to the expiry of
the term. At review, the Council expects that fixed term tenancies will be renewed unless the
circumstances of the social tenant have:

  • improved allowing them to be able to purchase an appropriate property on the open
    market or afford to rent an appropriate property in the private rented sector
  • changed and they no longer require the property size or type that they occupy.

The Council believes that such an approach will make the most effective use of the social
housing stock and provides flexibility to move social tenants who no longer require the size
and type of property they occupy. This flexibility must however, be balanced against the
needs of applicants on the housing register to ensure a tenant is not moved from a lower
demand property to a higher demand property required by an applicant with more housing
need. In using these flexibilities it is especially important to the Council that they are used:

  • to ensure that larger properties (with 4 or more bedrooms) and specialist properties in
    particular wheelchair accessible properties are made available for re-letting when they
    are no longer required by the tenant.

To support social housing providers undertaking fixed term tenancy reviews the Council will
provide:

  • guidance on levels of demand for different sizes and types of social housing.
  • advice on whether a tenant has the means to purchase a property on the open market
    or rent an appropriate private rented property.