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Making changes to your tenancy agreement

Creating a joint tenancy

A joint tenancy is where more than one person has their name on the tenancy agreement. Each person has full legal rights and responsibilities as a council tenant, including equal responsibility to pay the rent and not cause anti social behaviour.

Before you decide to make a request to add someone to your tenancy agreement, make sure you consider the following facts:

  • You will both be responsible for the rent and any rent arrears. Rent arrears can be collected from any individual joint tenant. Even if the second person gets into debt and leaves the home owing money, the first person can still be held responsible for the full debt.
  • Either joint tenant can end the tenancy by giving us four week’s written notice. The joint tenant does not automatically stay in the home. The decision will very much depend on your circumstances and whether the property would be more suitable for another type of household such as a family. You would never be asked  to move out without good reason.

There are times when a request will be refused. This may be because the person you want to become a joint tenant has had difficulties with a tenancy in the past and has been evicted for rent arrears or caused problems for their neighbours.

The existing tenant will need to complete the below form to request a new joint tenant can be added to their tenancy agreement and to agree to the joint tenancy.

Request for Joint Tenancy

The proposed new joint tenant will need to complete the application form below to request a joint tenancy. You application details will be shared with the existing tenant and added to their tenancy details.

Request for Joint Tenancy application form

We will need both the above forms completing before the application can be processed. We will respond to your request within 20 working days.

Taking over a tenancy

You can apply to take over someone else’s tenancy if they are moving out of their home or they no longer want to be the tenant.

You can apply to take over the tenancy if:

  • The current tenant has officially told us in writing that they want to give up the tenancy - called 'giving notice';
  • You were living at the same address as the tenant when they 'gave notice'; or
    You still live at that address now.

We do not legally have to agree to your request. Our decision will depend on your circumstances and whether the property could be more suitable for another type of household, such as a family. We will not turn down your request without a good reason.

To make a request to change your tenancy to a joint tenancy the application form is in the button at the foot of the page.

Please see the page on death of a tenant, for more information if the tenant has died.