Your Tenancy.

As a tenant of the Orwell Housing Association, you agreed to the terms of your tenancy by signing an agreement when you first moved in. The Agreement tells you your legal rights and responsibilities and those Orwell are liable for.

It is an important document so you should keep it in a safe place!

Orwell uses different types of tenancies in different circumstances. When agreements have been updated over the years, the detailed terms may change. Ensure you know what type of tenancy you have as this will affect your rights and responsibilities.

This section summarises the general rules that define each tenancy type. It explains what might change your type or terms of tenancy.

Secure tenancy

If you moved into an Orwell tenancy before January 1989, even if you have moved to another Orwell home, you will have a ‘Secure tenancy’. This also applies if you took over a tenancy that was granted before 1989 e.g. through succeeding on the death of the tenant or by assignment or mutual exchange.

Many of the rights of secure tenants are set down in law and cannot be changed by the landlord.

Full assured tenancy

If you first became an Orwell tenant after 15th January 1989 you will be an assured tenant, and in most cases it is likely to be a ‘full assured tenancy’. This includes tenancies in general and sheltered or very sheltered housing. Most of our full assured tenancies have very similar rights to a secure tenancy, although some of them are granted by Orwell through the agreement, rather than as set down in law.

After 1st October 2011 very sheltered housing tenancies include a support and well being service which is fundamental in this type of accommodation.

Fixed term tenancies

If you moved into an Orwell property for the first time between 2015 and 2021 you may have been granted a 6 year fixed term assured shorthold tenancy. We are in the process of contacting all tenants who currently have a fixed term tenancy to offer a full assured tenancy agreement, provided your tenancy has been conducted satisfactorily.

Orwell’s Housing Management team will be in contact with you if you have a fixed term tenancy to explain this change. It will take some time for us to work through all the fixed term agreements. Please do not be concerned if we have not been in touch and contact your Housing Officer if you have any questions.

Shorthold tenancy

If your home is in supported housing or in a property Orwell leases from another owner, and lets at ‘market rents’, you will have a shorthold tenancy that will not convert to full assured. These have fewer rights, for example regarding passing your tenancy to others, or sharing your home. The way it can be ended by the landlord is quite different. You have less ‘security of tenure’.

Other types of tenancy

Orwell does have other types of tenancy and occupancy agreements, for example contractual tenancies in temporary schemes for homeless persons, licences in certain shared accommodation and leases for shared owners or people who have exercised the Right to Acquire. These are not specifically covered in this section but more information is available from either your Housing Officer or Service Manager.

Under the Right to Shared Ownership scheme, you can buy a stake in your home between 10% and 75% of its full market value. To find out more, please visit the page below.

The Right to Shared Ownership: A guide for tenants – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

You may also buy your rented Orwell home at a discount through the Right to Acquire scheme. If you would like to find out more, please follow the link below.

Right to Acquire: buying your housing association home: Overview – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)