1. home and garden

Your tenancy
How to end
your tenancy
NCHLFT37
How to end your tenancy
Before ending your tenancy there are things that you need to check
have been done.
This leaflet advises you about:
• How to end your tenancy
• How to end the tenancy for someone who has died
• How to end the tenancy for someone who has moved into a nursing
home or other residential care
• How to leave the property in the right condition
• How to let people know when and where you are moving
• How to contact your area housing office
• To-do checklist.
How to end your tenancy
Four weeks notice is required when leaving your property. When you give
us notice we will tell you exactly when your tenancy will end and when you
have to hand the keys in.
You will need to arrange a suitable time for a pre-tenancy termination
visit to be carried out by one of our voids patch managers. This is to
ensure the property has been kept in a decent state and to answer any
questions you may have.
When you hand in your notice to quit and your keys, you will be given a
receipt which you must keep for future reference.
If you give us less than four weeks notice we have the right to charge rent
up until the end of the four week notice period.
Before leaving the property you will need to be up to date with your rent.
Please note that there is an extra week’s rent charged after the tenancy
end date. This is due to no rent being charged for the first week the
tenancy started, but it must be repaid once the tenancy has ended.
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How to end your tenancy
How to end the tenancy for someone who
has died
Following the death of a family member who had a tenancy with us, you
will need to contact the area housing office with the following details:
• Name and address of the person who has died
• Date of death
• Contact name, address and telephone number for next of kin
• Death certificate (we will take a copy of this)
• Estimated date for return of keys.
If you or anyone else wishes to continue living in the property after the
tenant has passed away, you/they may be able to. Please contact your
area housing office for further information.
You may also need to contact the Housing Benefit Department on
0115 915 4944. Read our ‘What to do when a tenant dies’ leaflet to
find out more.
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How to end the tenancy for someone who
has moved into a nursing home or other
residential care
You will need to make sure we have details that you are the next of kin,
or that you are authorised to act on behalf of the tenant.
When you receive your written notice you will get a letter that gives you
the date on which the tenancy will end. As the tenant’s representative you
are responsible for clearing the property of all possessions and tidying the
house, garden and any sheds and outhouses.
Assignment
Assignment means the right of the tenant to ‘give away’ the tenancy to
someone else or to swap the tenancy with another tenant.
The Housing Act 1985 allows for three types of assignment:
1. Giving away the tenancy to someone else who would succeed to the
property on the death of the tenant.
2. Swapping the tenancy with another council or housing association
tenant. This is called a mutual exchange (introductory tenants do
not have this right).
3. An assignment ordered by the court under family and child law
such as under divorce proceedings.
There are criteria which must be met in order to assign a tenancy. For
further information on assignment please contact your area housing office.
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How to end your tenancy
Leaving the property in the right condition
Before leaving the property you must make sure it is clean and tidy.
Remove all belongings from your home, garden, outbuildings, sheds
and loft areas.
Arrange for your removals and arrange for any unwanted items to be
taken away.
Fixtures and fittings must be in satisfactory condition, allowing for
reasonable wear and tear. If you have carried out certain improvements
during your tenancy, you may be eligible for compensation. (Ask us for
a copy of our Right to compensation for improvements leaflet to find
out more).
Complete any repairs you are responsible for and report any alterations
to your area housing office.
Unless you have made an agreement with us before you leave, we may
charge you for disposing of any items you leave behind.
Useful contacts:
Rents Department
0115 915 4920
Housing Benefit Department
0115 915 4944
Council Tax Department
0115 915 4944
Department for Work and Pensions / Job Centre Plus
0845 608 8528
Nottingham City Council Switchboard
0115 915 5555
Pension Service
0845 606 0265
Nottingham City Council Waste Management
0115 915 2000
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Let people know when and where you
are moving
You will need to notify a number of people of the date you are
moving and of your new address:
• Nottingham City Homes
• Council Tax office
• Gas and electricity companies
• Water company
• Doctor, dentist, optician and
hospital
• Household insurance company
• Child’s school
• Other companies such as the
TV Licensing Authority and the
phone company
• Employer and tax office
• Housing Benefits and Department
for Work and Pensions (DWP) or
Jobcentre Plus, if you are
receiving benefits
• Social services (if you are in
contact with them)
• Bank, building society and
credit-card companies
• If you receive a private pension,
let them know.
• DVLA
• Post Office to redirect your mail
Forwarding Details
When you leave
the property, we
will need your
forwarding details
for our records.
Please fill in the
slip on page 11
and hand it in with
your keys at your
area housing
office.
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How to end your tenancy
Checklist
1. Pay your rent account up to date
2. Tell us when you are planning on moving out. In most cases we require
4 weeks notice
3. If you are in receipt of Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance,
then you must contact the DWP/Jobcentre Plus to advise them you
are moving
4. Arrange meter readings for your utilities (gas, electricity, water) and
subsequent disconnection
5. Advise your home contents insurance provider of your new address
6. Redirect post and cancel your milk and newspapers
7. Arrange to have your belongings removed
8. Clean the property and remove all rubbish
9. Return the keys to your area housing office by 9am on the Monday the
tenancy finishes – or the Wednesday following a Bank Holiday Monday
10. Payment meters should be left debt free including non usage of
emergency credit.
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Area housing
offices
Aspley Housing Office
14 Strelley Road
Strelley
Nottingham
NG8 3AP
Tel:
0115 915 3121
Fax:
0115 915 3111
Minicom: 0115 915 3126
E-mail:
aspleyoffice@
nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
Bestwood Housing Office
Elmbridge
Bestwood Park
Nottingham
NG5 5PF
Tel:
0115 915 3301
Fax:
0115 915 3333
Minicom: 0115 915 3407
E-mail:
bestwoodoffice@
nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
Bilborough Housing Office
Bulwell Housing Office
1 Gilead Street
Bulwell
Nottingham
NG6 8NA
Tel:
0115 915 3212
Fax:
0115 915 3222
Minicom: 0115 915 3212
E-mail:
bulwelloffice@
nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
Clifton Housing Office
Clifton Cornerstone
Southchurch Drive
Clifton
Nottingham
NG11 8EW
Tel:
0115 878 6287
Fax:
0115 878 6375
Minicom: 0115 878 6101
E-mail:
cliftonoffice@
nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
Radford and Hyson Green
Housing Office
95 Bracebridge Drive
Bilborough
Nottingham
NG8 5PL
The Mary Potter Centre
Gregory Boulevard
Hyson Green
Nottingham
NG7 5HY
Tel:
0115 915 0491
Fax:
0115 915 0470
Minicom: 0115 915 0485
Tel:
0115 883 8220
Fax:
0115 915 0160
Minicom: 0115 883 8225
E-mail:
bilboroughoffice@
nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
E-mail:
radfordoffice@
nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
8
How to end your tenancy
Lenton Housing Office
St Ann’s Housing Office
5-6 Church Square
Lenton
Nottingham
NG7 1SL
2 Robin Hood Chase
St Ann’s
Nottingham
NG3 4EZ
Tel:
0115 915 3740
Fax:
0115 915 3748
Minicom: 0115 915 3740
Tel:
0115 915 6905
Fax:
0115 915 6902
Minicom: 0115 915 6911
E-mail:
lentonoffice@
nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
E-mail:
stannsoffice@
nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
Southglade Housing Office
Victoria Centre
Housing Office
Southglade Road
Bestwood
NG5 5GU
Tel:
0115 915 9701
Fax:
0115 915 9719
Minicom: 0115 915 9716
E-mail:
southgladeoffice@
nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
4-21 Victoria Centre Flats
Nottingham
NG1 3PA
Tel:
0115 915 3730
Fax:
0115 915 3733
Minicom: 0115 915 3730
E-mail:
victoriacentreoffice@
nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
All housing offices are open:
8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday
(10.30am to 4.30pm on Wednesdays)
Except:
Victoria Centre Housing Office
9.30am to 12.30pm and 1.45pm to 4.30pm Monday to Friday
(10.45am to 12.30pm and 1.45pm to 4.30pm on Wednesdays)
Southglade Housing Office
2pm to 4.30pm Monday to Friday
9
Notes
10
How to end your tenancy
Forwarding details
When you leave the property, we will need your forwarding details for
our records. Please fill in this slip and hand it in with your keys at your
area housing office.
Name: ...………………………………………………….................................
Current address: ......…………………………...............................…….….
…………………………………………………………………………...............
..............………………………………………………………………………….
Current rent ref: ….................................................................................
New address: .………………………………………………………………....
…………………………………………………………………………...............
..............………………………………………………………………………….
Telephone: ....…………………………........................................................
Anything else you need to tell us? ........................................................
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11
If you are unable to read this publication about How to end
your tenancy please contact your area housing office, or call
us on Tel: 0845 330 3131. We can arrange for an interpreter
to explain it to you, or send you a spoken word version on
tape or CD. If neither of these are suitable, we can translate
this publication into your chosen language. We can also
provide it in large print.
Nottingham City Homes
14 Hounds Gate
Nottingham
NG1 7BA
Phone: 0845 330 3131
Minicom: 0115 915 7447
www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
Registered in England and Wales number 5292636 September 2008