Tenancy agreements for council homes
A council home tenancy agreement is a legal contract between a council tenant and Swindon Borough Council. It sets out the terms and conditions for the tenancy.
There are two types:
- One-year introductory tenancies - for all new council tenants
- Secure tenancies - for new council and sheltered housing tenants following a one-year introductory tenancy, and for secure and assured tenants who are transferring or going through a mutual exchange
Secure tenancies
We offer secure tenancies to all new council and sheltered housing tenants. This will follow a one-year introductory tenancy. Secure tenancies are also offered to current secure and assured tenants who are undertaking a transfer or mutual exchange.
Terms and conditions
Potential, new and current council tenants should read and understand the terms and conditions in a tenancy agreement. You can download a sample secure tenancy agreement. You should read this in conjunction with the Tenants' Handbook, which includes additional information.
The table below shows a list of tenant's rights, and whether or not they are upheld by the different types of tenancy we offer.
| Right | One-year introductory tenancy | Secure tenancy |
|---|---|---|
| Right to buy | No | Yes |
| Right to transfer or exchange (moving) | No | Yes |
| Right to repair | Yes | Yes |
| Right to take in lodgers | No | Yes |
| Right to sublet part of property | No | Yes |
| Right to be consulted | Yes | Yes |
| Right to statutory succession | No | Yes |
| Right to make improvements | No | Yes |
| Right to assign the tenancy | No | Yes |
Information for tenants on compensation
We aim to provide good quality homes that are well maintained and meet the needs of our tenants. Services are sometimes susceptible to random failure and from time to time things go wrong. Our housing tenancy compensation guide (PDF) provides information on what circumstances could warrant a compensation claim.