Help- council housing to housing association tenancy

tj26

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me. I will be asking the housing association on Tuesday when I can get hold of them but In case anyone on here knows.. 

I have been in a 1 bed council property for over 7 years now on a secure/assured tenancy (for life) and after requiring a 2 bed now I have been on the council bidding site and have received an offer for a 2 bed flat housing association but I have read online they can sometimes offer fixed term (about 5 year) tenancies which I really don’t want. So my question is, when you move from council assured/secure tenancy, can this carry/transfer over to the HA and stay on a secure/assured lifetime tenancy or not? As I won’t take the property if it’s a fixed term one as I need the security of a secure tenancy. Thanks in advance 

theartfullodger

When you looked at the housing association website where it describes what their tenancy terms are, what did they day on the matter, please??

Different housing associations, different terms.  Different countries (NI, Wales etc), different rules.

HampshireH

Only the HA can answer this. Have you checked their website for an FAQs or anything similar?

Note assured and secure are two different things, whilst they are both effectively for life (unless you misbehave or don't pay the rent). Unlikely you will retain a secure tenancy with a HA. They may offer you an assured but you may have to do a probationary period first 

Usually they are advertised as fixed term on the bidding system if that's the case

tj26

The introductory 12 months I know is standard and can’t be waived which I understand. This is their policy, I have mental health issues so I do find things confusing at times so forgive me if it’s obvious and I’m just being dumb but I have outlined the bit I believe I’m talking about, does this mean that yes my assured/secure tenancy will be granted after the 12 month period? I will be asking the HA of course but I can’t speak to anyone from there until Tuesday and it’s bugging me! Thanks in advance guys. 

HampshireH

tj26 said:

The introductory 12 months I know is standard and can’t be waived which I understand. This is their policy, I have mental health issues so I do find things confusing at times so forgive me if it’s obvious and I’m just being dumb but I have outlined the bit I believe I’m talking about, does this mean that yes my assured/secure tenancy will be granted after the 12 month period? I will be asking the HA of course but I can’t speak to anyone from there until Tuesday and it’s bugging me! Thanks in advance guys. 

Ok

So they will only grant you an Assured tenancy if it's a property advertised with a social rent and not an affordable rent.

That Info will be on the advert.

It does say that in the paragraph above that they clearly advertise the tenancy type at the point of advert so it should say.

Otherwise by the sounds of that it will be a 5 yeas fixed term

tj26

HampshireH said:

tj26 said:

The introductory 12 months I know is standard and can’t be waived which I understand. This is their policy, I have mental health issues so I do find things confusing at times so forgive me if it’s obvious and I’m just being dumb but I have outlined the bit I believe I’m talking about, does this mean that yes my assured/secure tenancy will be granted after the 12 month period? I will be asking the HA of course but I can’t speak to anyone from there until Tuesday and it’s bugging me! Thanks in advance guys. 

Ok

So they will only grant you an Assured tenancy if it's a property advertised with a social rent and not an affordable rent.

That Info will be on the advert.

It does say that in the paragraph above that they clearly advertise the tenancy type at the point of advert so it should say.

Otherwise by the sounds of that it will be a 5 yeas fixed term

See I didn’t find them on the bidding site, they rang me privately with the offer saying they had my details passed to them via the council. But there are others of their properties advertised on my bidding site and they are listed as ‘social housing’ but nothing regarding the tenancy type on any advert so I’m not sure and as I said, this particular offer I didn’t bid on, they didn’t list it on the bidding site they rang me with an offer. I’m so confused lol

tj26

So does the fact they advertise it as ‘social housing’ mean they would grant the assured tenancy over the fixed term of 5 years?

Norman_Castle

Only the HA will be able to tell you. You haven't said why you need a two bed. If your rent will be paid through benefits make sure you wont have to pay bedroom tax for the second bedroom.

tj26

Norman_Castle said:

Only the HA will be able to tell you. You haven't said why you need a two bed. If your rent will be paid through benefits make sure you wont have to pay bedroom tax for the second bedroom.

Ok. I will wait until Tuesday to ask them then. I require a second bedroom for an overnight carer due to medical needs. Won’t have to pay bedroom tax as far as I know but yes I will have to contact UC to see that they will be able to cover the full rent: when I spoke to them before they said they would pay for an extra room for my medical needs.