Ending Housing Association Tenancy

Pont

I've given my HA 4 weeks notice of my intention to end my tenancy. In the mail today I received a bumper sized pack with a list of things I have to do or else they 'have the right to charge' if the property is not 'acceptable' to them!

This includes:-
Removal of all floor coverings - when I moved into this house some 10 years ago there were carpets etc on all floors
Removal of garden shed - again when I moved in there were 3 garden sheds (I removed 2 of them)
Loft must be completely emptied - all that is in my loft is carpet pieces that were there when I moved in (I know I should have cleared it out 10 years ago but never got around to it)

There is a big long list but I'm thinking, hold on a mo, this didn't apply when I took the tenancy over!

Also, am I legally obliged to supply them with my forwarding address (all rent/CT etc is fully up to date)? I just feel that I want nothing to do with this hateful organisation ever again!

Finally, a previous tenant of the same house that I'm currently living in told me he had received a payment for 'moving out to buy thus freeing up the HA for others to rent'. Has anybody heard of this? The HA have told me that they don't, and never have' operated such a scheme.

Jowo_2

Speak to Shelter about whether you are obliged to make these changes and how you can deal with this. Was an inventory/schedule of condition undertaken at the outset (not sure how this applies to social housing rather than the private sector, though).

Also not aware of any legal obligation to provide a forwarding address and would assume its a courtesy. Again, Shelter can advise.

I've never heard of cash incentives to encourage social housing tenants to give up their tenancy - this sounds hateful to try and persuade vulnerable tenants to give up their secure and cheap housing for a bunch of fivers. I've heard of cash incentives for those downsizing to smaller properties but not for giving up an entire tenancy to move to the private sector.

lynzpower

Finally, a previous tenant of the same house that I'm currently living in told me he had received a payment for 'moving out to buy thus freeing up the HA for others to rent'. Has anybody heard of this? The HA have told me that they don't, and never have' operated such a scheme.

this is usually local authorities that pay this.

carefullycautious

Our local authority ran a scheme whereby they would pay a given amount for tenents to vacate properties (3 bed houses) However, at the time there was a great deal of interest but when people realised how much they would have to pay towards their mortgages and also to maintain their house they backed out. I think over 300 applied and only 3 people actually took up the offer so it was scrapped. Most of the people preferred to carry on renting with a secure tenancy + not have to pay maintainace.

It may be worth asking incase they do still do this

Pont

carefullycautious wrote: »

Our local authority ran a scheme whereby they would pay a given amount for tenents to vacate properties (3 bed houses) However, at the time there was a great deal of interest but when people realised how much they would have to pay towards their mortgages and also to maintain their house they backed out. I think over 300 applied and only 3 people actually took up the offer so it was scrapped. Most of the people preferred to carry on renting with a secure tenancy + not have to pay maintainace.

It may be worth asking incase they do still do this

This is exactly what the previous tenant of my house said he received a payment for (3 bedroomed house that was/is in short supply). He added that it was to do with him being a HA tenant and so couldn't buy his house as with the LA. Therefore the HA paid him a sum of money instead of the discount he would have received. He said it only applied if you moved out to buy, not to rent elsewhere.

I suppose he could have been telling me a long tale but it just seems strange that he had so many details which sounded kind of plausible. As I said before, the HA are saying no such scheme has ever existed but I don't entirely trust what they say (many underhand attempts to impose charges which were not my responsibility).

BitterAndTwisted

The forwarding address is so that you can't skip off and leave utility bills unpaid. Also so they can send you the bill for clearing out the floor-coverings or whatever else you have to remove

Pont

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

The forwarding address is so that you can't skip off and leave utility bills unpaid. Also so they can send you the bill for clearing out the floor-coverings or whatever else you have to remove

Yep - that's what I guessed! However, my utility companies will have my forwarding address as I'm remaining with them so that's not a problem. My biggest bug bear is that when I moved in there were grotty(ish) cheap brown carpet everywhere that I had to remove. I'm leaving totally pristine cream carpets and hardwood flooring in kitchen/diner. Truely if the house I'm buying had the same flooring as I've got at present I would be very happy. Ultimately I don't like the fact that different rules are being applied to me than were applied to previous tenants.

I find the whole concept of leaving the house to their 'standards' problemaic. One thing for sure is that this house will be left in a far better state than what it was when I moved in!

I'll be seeing my solicitor this week so may just pose the question to him. I can't see anything in my tenancy agreement stating that I must legally give the HA my forwarding address, nor can I find out the answer on the web. If anybody out there knows for sure I'd be very grateful.

usernameisvalid

We were "paid" to move out of our HA flat.

You cant buy HA property so the HA we were under paid our legal fees and a years rent on a shared ownership - helped up get on property ladder and we were glad to take it

As for the list of things - ring your Housing officer. We had the same old list and tbh they were grateful for the carpets etc being left. In fact the flat we moved out of had benefitted from carpets and curtains throughout and a new kitchen. They just dont want the new tenant to be walking in and telling the HA the flat needs clearing - at the HA cost

Pont

usernameisvalid wrote: »

We were "paid" to move out of our HA flat.

You cant buy HA property so the HA we were under paid our legal fees and a years rent on a shared ownership - helped up get on property ladder and we were glad to take it

As for the list of things - ring your Housing officer. We had the same old list and tbh they were grateful for the carpets etc being left. In fact the flat we moved out of had benefitted from carpets and curtains throughout and a new kitchen. They just dont want the new tenant to be walking in and telling the HA the flat needs clearing - at the HA cost

Big thanks - this is the kind of info I thought was out there. It was my understanding that all HA's throughout the country abide by similar rulings re: payments if you move out to buy. I understand the payment isn't massive but it all helps! Maybe the guy who lived here before me was being upfront and the HA hasn't been entirely forthcoming (I can live in hope!).

I think you're right about phoning the housing officer. I can fully understand if they don't want a load of rubbish left, but my house is nice (even though I say it myself!). I just think if I remove 'non HA items' such as really good carpets, fitted shower, a tidy garden shed etc., couldn't the next tenants have a say if they wanted them removed or not? I know that when I moved in I would have been so happy to find these items already in the house, it would have saved me several hundred pounds, if not more, in expenses.

Username - could I ask you the dates that you moved into, and left your HA property?

squinty

Look at this a different way.

The HA is asking you to leave the property that is in a good condition where they will have little or no work to carry out before letting this to the next tenant. This will include removing carpets, cleaning the loft etc. If you do not move these yourself they will need to do this. I think it’s entirely reasonable to give you the option – either you move it, or they will charge you.

Secondly, you mention things like a shower and wooden flooring. It would have been a condition of tenancy that you needed permission before making these alterations. If you have gained permission this should have made it clear what happened at the end of the tenancy (either leave it or remove).
However, you do not mention any permission. If this has not been granted you have three choices.

1. Remove this and make good
2. Leave them in the property but you will be charged for their removal
3. Ask the HA for retrospective permission and see if they will accept ongoing maintenance of these items

Some HA’s and Councils do make payments as an incentive for people to move into smaller accommodation or to move into the private sector, especially when this frees up family housing. Its often cheaper to do this rather than paying for another family to be in B&B. Such schemes are referred to as Cash Incentive Schemes.

Many HA’s and Councils also make payments to tenants who leave their properties in a good condition where this is ready to let. There is no national scheme for this and payments can vary between a token amount to a couple of hundred quid.

Finally I doubt if there is a legal obligation to provide a forwarding address. But I’m not sure why you think this is a problem – it would allow the HA to contact you. If you chose not to provide this, and there is a debt when you leave a property they will be able to find you trough a debt tracing agency, and may well charge you for the trace.

carefullycautious

Dont presume that everyone working at your HA knows about incentive schemes. When I asked about incentive payment for leaving the girl I spoke to had no idea what I was talking about even though they had advertised this in the local paper. This was some years ago

Speaking to the LA recently about other matters I managed to speak to the guy who managed this scheme on behalf of the government. He was the one who told me that they had had to scrap the incentive scheme due to the poor take up. However, he acknowledged that due to the 'boom' in house prices nobody could afford to buy at the time especially in relation to the low cost rent and maintained property they afforded with a secure tenancy.

However, i believe some authorities may still run these incentive schemes so again do ask