Secure housing association tenancies

Most people who rent from a housing association have assured tenancies.

You might have a secure tenancy if it started before 15 January 1989.

Tenancies transferred to a housing association

If your secure council tenancy transferred to a housing association on or after 15 January 1989, it will have become an assured tenancy.

This happens even if you did not vote for or agree with the transfer of housing.

You could have some extra rights in your assured tenancy agreement. These are sometimes called 'preserved rights' and might be almost the same as you had in your original tenancy.

Secure tenancies are lifetime tenancies

You can normally stay in your home as long as you:

• pay your rent

• do not break your tenancy agreement

The housing association must go to court if they want to evict you.

They must have a legal reason for asking you to leave. For example, rent arrears.

Passing on your tenancy if you die

Joint tenancies always pass to the other joint tenant. They must live there as their main home. If they've moved out, they would need to move back in to keep the tenancy.

If the tenancy is just in your name, it can pass to:

• your married or civil partner

• an unmarried partner or close family member who lives with you for at least 1 year

These people have 'succession rights'. Only 1 person can inherit the tenancy in this way.

If you live with a married or civil partner, their rights come first before other family members.

You can also assign your tenancy to someone before your death.

Tenancy agreement

You should have a written tenancy agreement. Ask for a copy if you do not have one.

Your agreement sets out your rights and responsibilities.

The housing association can only change the terms in your tenancy if either:

• you agree

• they give you a notice of variation and offer you a chance to respond

Your other rights

You have the right to:

• get repairs done

• rent out a spare room to a lodger

• swap homes with another council or housing association tenant

• complain about poor service or unfair treatment from your landlord