Tenancy changes, succession and ending the tenancy

Please note that it is your responsibility to notify us of any changes to your tenancy as soon as possible. On this page you will find more information about that.

Making tenancy changes

  • Please complete the Tenancy Change form if you need to make a change to your tenancy.

Some of the changes you request are:

  • Add a person to my household
  • Remove a person from my household
  • Change name/s on the tenancy
  • Change contact details
  • Other – with free type section

Please note, some changes to your tenancy are simple and can be actioned immediately, whilst others need to be reviewed by your Neighbourhood Officer to ensure you are adhering to your tenancy agreement and relevant Housing legislation. 

Once you complete the form we will contact you if there is anything to discuss, but please complete all sections to advise us what change you want to make and why. Please attach all relevant documents as requested and we will contact you if further information / investigation is required. 

Applying for tenancy succession

The right for a tenancy to be passed on when a tenant dies is known as succession. Succession allows secure tenants to pass on their tenancy to their husband, wife, civil partner or a family member, in the event of their death..

A partner or adult who is permanently living in the property can ask to take over the tenancy by completing the Tenancy Succession Form

Please note:

  1. If you have a joint tenancy and one of you dies, the tenancy will pass to the other tenant. There will be no further right of succession.

     
  2. If your tenancy was granted before 1st April 2012, your tenancy will pass to your husband, wife or civil partner, provided your spouse or civil partner are occupying the premises as their only or principal home at the time of the tenant’s death. If you do not have a husband, wife or civil partner, another member of your family can succeed to your tenancy, having resided with you throughout the period of twelve months ending with your death. Family members include a partner, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece. It does not include foster children.

     
  3. If your tenancy was granted on or after 1st April 2012, your husband, wife, civil partner or a person who lives with you as if they were a husband, wife or civil partner can succeed to your tenancy, provided that they occupy the premises as their only or principal home at the time of the tenant’s death.

     
  4. Once a succession has taken place, there is no further right of succession.

Ending your MKC tenancy

Use the Notice to End Tenancy to advise you want to end your tenancy.

Notice period

You must give us four full weeks’ notice that you want to end your council tenancy, to expire on a Monday. We may agree to a shorter period if you are:

  • transferring to another council property
  • moving to a housing association (registered social landlord) property after nomination by the council.
  • moving into residential care

If the tenant has died you should still complete the online form. We will make all necessary arrangements with the executor or representative managing the affairs of the deceased. We will need a copy of the death certificate and an estimate of the time required to clear the property.

  • A partner or adult who is permanently living in the property can ask to take over the tenancy by completing a Tenancy Succession Form described in more detail in the previous section.

You can request to withdraw your notice before the tenancy end date, but the council may refuse this.

Pre-termination visits

After you have given us notice we will contact you to confirm your tenancy end date and make an appointment to visit and inspect the property and confirm what you need to do prior to your tenancy ending.

Emptying the property

Your home, garden or garage and outside of the property should be left empty, clean and in good repair.

  • You can get rid of household rubbish and bulky items at one of our public waste disposal sites (tips), or Book a bulky item collection online.
  • If you live in a multi-storey block, your caretaker will explain how to get rid of rubbish and bulky items properly. If any items are left, you will be charged for their removal.
  • If you have improved your home such as fitting a shower or replacing light switches you can take these with you but you must replace the original items and repair any damage caused by their removal.

We may agree that you can leave some of the improvements you have made but if you leave these items without permission. We will charge you for anything which we have to remove or replace, for any damage you cause to your home and repairs that we need to make.

Utilities - gas, electricity and water

You will need to tell your gas, electricity and water electrical supplier that you are moving and make a note of your last meter reading(s).

  • Gas and electrical supply should be turned off at the meter
  • Water should be turned off at the stop tap

Clearing your rent account

You must pay all rent and charges up to the end of your tenancy (including arrears from any previous tenancy).

  • If you move to another property during the notice period, you may not be entitled to Housing Benefit for both properties and you will be responsible for paying the rent on your old home.
  • If you don’t pay the debts you owe, we will go to court to recover the debts. The cost of going to court will be added to the amount you owe. 

Returning your keys

When you leave the property you must make sure that doors are locked and all keys are returned to us, this includes:

  • Front-door and Back-door keys
  • Window-lock keys
  • Garage Store/shed keys (let as part of the tenancy)
  • Chute-room keys, key fobs, main entrance keys for a multi-storey block
  • Keys to shared gates and barriers.

On your tenancy end date, please post your keys through your Letterbox before 12PM and let your Housing Officer know. All keys should be labelled with the property address and any garage keys should be labelled separately.

We will not give you a receipt if you hand your keys to other council staff or if you send your keys through the post or drop them in the letterbox at Civic. If you do not hand your keys in on time you will be:

  • Charged a further days rent – this will not be covered by Housing Benefit
  • Held responsible for any damage to the property until you have handed in the keys
  • Charged the cost of changing any locks or replacing keys, including the cost of replacing the lock.
Neighbourhood Services

Neighbourhood Services contact information