Help please before I contact my HA.

Candy53

Hi,

We are tenants with an HA. We moved in, in November 2010.

Our tenants agreement was for 'assured tenants'. We were told that this meant we could live in our house for life, as long as no arrears with rent, etc. It also states this in the handbook, and on our tenancy contract that we signed, it also stated our tenancy as assured.

But, we received our yearly letter, informing us of changes to the rent, and I noticed that the wording about our tenancy had changed. It now says ' assured periodic tenancy'. I haven't a clue what this means, or why they have changed the wording.

If this means they have actually changed the status of our tenancy, they have never informed us, and I thought this would be illegal? Our housing manager at the time we moved in never used the word periodic, and told us the tenancy was for life.

Should we be concerned about this?


Thanks,
Candy.

HouseBuyer77

They certainly can't just change the tenancy type. So if you were on an assured tenancy you still are.

So this may just be a mistake in the paperwork, perhaps new tenants are all on ASTs?

They could be trying to pull a fast one and make you sign a new AST giving up your AT disguising it as a rent increase but it sounds like this letter is just informing you of the increase and there's nothing to sign?

Contact the HA to clarify. If anything needs signed avoiding doing so just yet (just in case they are trying something dodgy, though that seems unlikely).

Candy53

Thanks alot. Sounds as though I should be contacting them then. This letter was just for the rent change, no signing of anything.

Candy.

pmlindyloo

You need to check your original tenancy agreement. There may have been a fixed term period mentioned in it.

After this fixed term ended then it would have continued to be a periodic assured tenancy.

If the tenancy is an assured one the fact that it has changed on to a periodic assured tenancy does not change the fact that is an assured tenancy, just recognises the fact that the original fixed term has ended and it is now periodic.

The ability to end an assured tenancy does not change and can only be done through issuing a Section 8 (which includes rent arrears, anti social behaviour - that kind of thing) A Section 21 - the landlord wants the property back and has to give no reason) cannot be issued to an assured tenant, periodic or not.

So, look at the original agreement. If no mention of a fixed term then give them a ring.

HouseBuyer77

After this fixed term ended then it would have continued to be a periodic assured tenancy.

Ah I misread OP's first post, thought it said assured shorthold tenancy, not assured periodic tenancy.

In which case almost certainly nothing to worry about

Candy53

Ah, right, thanks for that. I will check for this fixed term thing, but I'm relieved that they can't get us out for no reason.

Candy.