Transfers and exchanges
Transfer policy
Tenants who ask us to move them into one of our other properties
(a transfer) should apply in the same way as other applicants for
our housing (see Renting). In areas where there are 'choice-based
lettings' in operation, we can help you with your application and
you will be able to apply for our properties (or those of other
landlords) along with other applicants, when they are
advertised.
Where homes are let in other ways we can either advise you how
to register on the local council’s housing list and/or on our own
lists. Again, your application will be considered in the same way
as other applicants needing housing.
We will give extra priority for one of our own properties to our
existing tenants in certain circumstances:
- Where tenants are overcrowded and want to stay in the
neighbourhood.
- Where tenants need to move to ground-floor flats in the same
block.
- Where tenants want to move from popular to less popular
homes.
- Where tenants are the victim of harassment or domestic
violence.
- Where a tenant's home has special facilities which the tenant
no longer needs.
If you transfer to another one of our properties, you will not
normally have to give the usual four weeks' notice to end your
current tenancy. However, we will expect you to start your new
tenancy within two weeks and to give us back the keys to the old
property a few days later.
Exchanges
If you exchange a property, you take over another person's
tenancy. This means that if the person you swap with is a secure
tenant, you will become a secure tenant. If the person you swap
with is an assured tenant, you will become an assured tenant.
If you are a secure tenant, you have a legal right to exchange
your home, but you must ask for our persmission first. We can
refuse to give our permission in these circumstances:
- You have a possession order or a suspended possession order
against you or possession proceedings have started.
- Your accomodation is too big or too small for the reasonable
needs of the person you want to exchange with.
- Your accommodation has been designed or adapted to make it
suitable for a person with disabilities and the proposed exchange
is not with someone with a disability.
- Your accomodation is part of a development which is
specifically designed or located for people with special needs,
such as the elderly, and the proposed exchange is not with a person
who has those special needs.
If you are an assured tenant, your tenancy agreement gives you
the same rights as secure tenants and we will only refuse an
application to exchange for these reasons.
Other landlords have other reasons for refusing exchanges which
may also prevent an exchange.
If you want an exchange and you are behind with your rent or you
have not kept to your tenancy agreement, it does not make any
difference whether you are a secure or an assured tenant. We will
only allow you to exchange if you pay the unpaid rent or keep to
the relevant conditions of the agreement.
If you agree to an exchange, it means that you are agreeing to
take over the other person's tenancy and that you are agreeing to
accept the property in the state it is decorated in. You are also
agreeing to be responsible for any repairs that the tenant is
responsible for. Please make sure that you fully understand what
you are taking on.
Before you move, you must write to us to get our written
approval for the exchange to take place. Please do not make any
arrangements to move until you have our approval.