Your tenancy

Catalyst Communities Housing Association

What is a tenancy agreement?

A tenancy agreement is a legal document. It explains what you need to do and what we need to do for you while you are living in your home. This leaflet tells you about your tenancy, and your rights and responsibilities. It’s important that you understand them.

Here we give general guidance only. For more detailed advice about your individual circumstances, you should contact your neighbourhood manager or refer to other information we provide.

Tenancy types

There are several types of tenancy.

Assured tenancy

Most Catalyst Communities tenants have an assured tenancy. Assured tenancies start on a particular day, are for one week to start with, and then continue week by week. You have the right to live in the property as long as you keep to the terms of the tenancy agreement. We can only end your tenancy by following processes set out in law, and you have strong rights. An assured tenancy is different from an assured shorthold tenancy, which is for a limited fixed period, normally six or 12 months.

Secure tenancy

Some of our tenants have secure tenancies – usually if they have been our tenants for a long time (since before 15 January 1989) or in a few cases if they took over a secure tenancy through a mutual exchange. Secure tenants have strong rights and can only be evicted with a court order. The courts will only grant an order in specific circumstances.

Assured shorthold tenancy

Assured shorthold tenancies are for a fixed period, usually six or 12 months. They are usually for temporary accommodation or for a property we have rented on the open market. Assured shorthold tenants don’t have as many rights as assured tenants. We can extend the length of the tenancy after the initial period. If we don’t extend the tenancy after the initial period, it will automatically become a periodic assured tenancy and we can end it on two months’ notice.

Probationary (starter) tenancy

As a new tenant you start with a probationary (or starter) tenancy. This is a type of assured shorthold tenancy that automatically becomes an assured tenancy after 12 months if we have not started possession proceedings against you. With a starter tenancy it is much easier for us to evict you from your home for breaking your agreement.

Demoted tenancies

If you are a secure or assured tenant but you break the terms of your tenancy or your visitors persistently behave in an anti-social way, we may apply to the court to demote your tenancy. You will then have a demoted tenancy. A demoted tenancy is less secure than other types of tenancy and usually lasts for one year. It gives you fewer rights and less protection from eviction.

For more information on your tenancy please download our leaflet below.

 Your tenancy (300 KB / 8 pages)