Your tenancy

If you are offered a home we will arrange a time for you to sign a tenancy agreement and move in. When you sign up you will:

• sign a tenancy agreement

• set up a direct debit or tell us how you’re going to pay your rent

• make payment for your first week's rent

• get the keys to your home

When you sign up we will:

• explain your rights and responsibilities

• show you how to log in to your online account

• show you how to make a payment, book a repair and check your account balance

• make an appointment for your Housing Manager to visit you in 6 weeks and 8 months time.

Tenancy agreement

When you move in you will sign either an:

• introductory tenancy

• secure tenancy

• licence agreement

Each tenancy has different terms and conditions and rights and responsibilities. If you want to discuss these or how they differ from one another please contact us.

If you have an introductory tenancy it will convert to a secure tenancy after 12 months. This may not happen if you have not kept to the terms and conditions of your tenancy. 

For more information see our tenancy conditions, tenancy handbook, letting standards and void standards below.

 Tenancy conditions.pdf [pdf] 390KB

Tenants Handbook (PDF, 1MB)

Letting Standard (PDF, 147KB)

Void Standard [PDF, 162KB)

Useful links

Things to consider before you move in:

• apply for contents insurance

• understand fire safety and asbestos in the home

• you may qualify for a discount on your water and waste bills through the WaterSure Plus (opens in new window) scheme

Our policies 

As an SHP tenant, you agree to:

• Abide by the Good Neighbour Agreement (PDF, 156KB) and the Tenancy Management and Housing Options Policy [pdf] 125KB .

• Read and agree to the Privacy Notice set out on SHP's website, and understand how your personal data may be used and shared once you are a tenant. 

• Consent to SHP making a referral on my behalf to the Inspire drug and alcohol service if we become aware of any issues of this kind during the tenancy.  

Sutton Housing Partnership will undertake checks against Credit Reference Agency data, or other third parties, to help verify applicant details to improve the efficiency of ongoing administration and to check for instances of fraud. 

 

Every five or six years, there is a 53-week rent year, rather than a 52-week rent year.  There will be 53 Mondays in the 2024/25 financial year (1 April 2024 until 31 March 2025), with the last Monday on 31 March 2025.

If you are in receipt of Universal Credit

• The Department for Works and Pension (DWP) that manages Universal Credit does not recognise a 53-week rent year. It will calculate your rent monthly based on a 52-week year.

• In a 53 week financial year this means there will be one week of rent that will not be covered by Universal Credit.

For example:

Your weekly rent is £150.00 per week and Universal Credit pays you as the claimant or pays the rent monthly direct.

In a 52 week rent year they will pay as follows:

• £150.00 x 52, divided by 12 months = £650.00 per month

During a 53 week year, DWP will calculate as follows:

• £150.00 x 52, divided by 12 months/ 12 = £650.00 per month 

However, the rent that is due from you as the tenant will be: 

• £150.00 x 53, divided by 12 months = £662.50 per month

There will be a shortfall of £12.50 per month from Universal Credit, which you are liable to pay.  

You will need to use the same calculation if you have to make up any shortfall in your UC claim or you have an agreement. Whereby they are paying an arrears arrangement direct on your behalf (APA).

If you are in receipt of Housing Benefit 

If your rent is paid by Housing Benefit  then you will not be impacted by this as the charge will be covered as this benefit is paid weekly.

If you pay your rent every four weeks. You will need to multiply your weekly rent by 53 then divide it over 12 payments to ensure you are paying the correct amount.

If you are concerned about making payments, or have any concerns relating to your rent account, please contact your Housing Manager via 0208 915 2000.

 

It is important that we have correct and accurate information on you and your household at all times. If you or your household circumstances change please log on to Your Account and update your details.

 

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is behaviour which causes harassment, alarm or distress to one or more people. Examples of ASB include:

• noise nuisance

• verbal abuse, intimidation, harassment

• violence, domestic violence and threats of violence

• illegal activities e.g. drug dealing

• hate speech or behaviour against a person’s disability, ethnicity, religious beliefs or sexual orientation

We take ASB seriously and are committed to dealing with it quickly, fully and effectively.

If you carry out ASB we will investigate and may take action against you. This could include taking back your home and evicting you.

Find out how to report anti-social behaviour and how to report a safeguarding issue.

 

Tenants who have a secure tenancy have the right to pass their tenancy on to a family member when they pass away. Contact us for more information or read our Tenancy Succession Leaflet (PDF, 2MB).

 

Tenants who have a secure tenancy have the right to assign their tenancy to another person in certain circumstances. Contact us for more information.

 

Tenants have the right to assign a tenancy to another tenant, commonly known as your ‘Right to Exchange’ or a ‘Mutual Exchange’.

Find out more about Move Home (Mutual Exchange).

 

Changes to the Right to Buy Discount

Following the recent budget announced on 30th October the maximum RTB discount will be reduced from £136,400 to £16,000 on the 21st November. This means that you will need to have your application submitted by the 20th November to ensure you are still eligible for the larger discount.

You will need to submit your application into our reception by 5pm or send it to us via email to homeownership@suttonhousingpartnership.org.uk  by 11.59 on the 20th November. Any applications received after this will receive the new reduced discount.

Right to Buy allows most council tenants to buy their council home at a discount. 

You can apply to buy your council home if:

• it is your only or main home

• it is self-contained

• you are a secure tenant

• you have had a public sector landlord (eg a council, housing association or NHS trust) for three years (it doesn’t have to be three years in a row).

Find out if you are eligible for Right to Buy and apply online (opens in new window).

 

If you intend to end your tenancy and leave your home, you need to tell us before you do so.

If a tenant dies, we will need to know so that we can end their tenancy. 

Find out how to end a tenancy and/or report the death of a tenant.

 

Changes to the Right to Buy Discount

Following the recent budget announced on 30th October the maximum RTB discount will be reduced from £136,400 to £16,000 on the 21st November. This means that you will need to have your application submitted by the 20th November to ensure you are still eligible for the larger discount.

You will need to submit your application into our reception by 5pm or send it to us via email to homeownership@suttonhousingpartnership.org.uk  by 11.59 on the 20th November. Any applications received after this will receive the new reduced discount.

Right to Buy allows most council tenants to buy their council home at a discount. 

You can apply to buy your council home if:

• it is your only or main home

• it is self-contained

• you are a secure tenant

• you have had a public sector landlord (eg a council, housing association or NHS trust) for three years (it doesn’t have to be three years in a row).

Find out if you are eligible for Right to Buy and apply online (opens in new window).

 

We provide tenancy sustainment services to residents who need support in managing their tenancy. This may take the form of short-term or long-term support but the aim is to help them overcome issue which may be stopping them managing their tenancy. 

Support is provided by dedicated officers who work closely with residents and other organisations. The types of issues that we will support residents to overcome include:

• hoarding

• drug or alcohol dependency

• debt issues.
   

 

We provide a financial inclusion service to residents who require specific targeted support, advice and guidance to deal with money and debt issues. We will work with residents to identify barriers to financial inclusion. Advice, guidance and action includes:

• analysing income and expenditure

• issuing food vouchers

• identifying savings from a residents outgoings.

Our page on managing your money also provides customers with help and advice on financial inclusion as well as signposting other organisations which provide help. 

The tenancy sustainment and financial inclusion services are both based on referrals made by SHP staff, Sutton Council and other partner organisations.

For more information on how SHP manage rental and service charge income from tenants, please read our Rent Collection Policy 2021.pdf [pdf] 110KB