Your Tenancy
When you become a tenant of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council you will be granted one of two types of tenancy. The type of tenancy you get will depend on the type of tenancy you held before becoming a Local Authority tenant. If you are a first time Local Authority tenant you will be grated an
Introductory Tenancy, which runs initially for one year. If you are already a Local Authority tenant or are coming from a Housing Association you will usually be granted a
Secure Tenancy.
Introductory Tenancies
Introductory Tenancies will last for a year and if during that period you have paid your rent and water charges, have not caused any nuisance / annoyance to your neighbours or acted in an anti-social way sufficient for the council to have served a Notice on you, you will be granted a secure tenancy.
Introductory tenants have restricted rights such as:
- Not being allowed to exchange properties,
- Not having a right to buy, although the year will count as residency and will therefore add to the discount under Right to Buy when you are eligible,
- You will not be allowed to sublet part of your home,
- The Council will be able to bring your tenancy to a close more easily.
Normally when the Housing Service serves a Notice on a tenant and goes to Court to seek possession of the property through eviction, the Housing Service must prove that it is reasonable to do so. With introductory tenancies the Housing Service only has to prove that the Notice was delivered correctly and the courts must grant an eviction, the Court has discretion.
Secure Tenancies
If you become a Local Authority tenant having previously been a Housing Association tenant, a tenant of Neath Port Talbot CBC or a tenant of another Local authority, you will normally be granted a secure tenancy from the start of your tenancy. All Introductory tenants who have not been served with a Notice for breaches of tenancy conditions will also become Secure Tenants after one year.
You are entitled to additional rights on becoming a Secure tenant such as:
- The Right to Buy your own home, provided you do not live in specialist accommodation
- You will not be evicted unless the Council can prove to the court that it is reasonable to do so.
- You can exchange your property as often as you like provided you meet the mutual exchange criteria
- Other members of your family can succeed to your tenancy or you can assign your tenancy to another member of your family
- You can sub-let part of your property with the Council's permission.
- The terms of your tenancy agreement cannot be changed without you first being consulted.
If you have any further queries about the differences between the two types of tenancy or any other queries about becoming a tenant please ring, (01639) 763333 and ask for the Housing Services department or visit your local area Housing Office at:
Port Talbot Area Housing Office,
Civic Centre,
Port Talbot,
SA13 1PJ
Telephone: (01639) 763235
Neath Area Housing Office,
Neath Civic Centre,
Water Street,
Neath,
SA11 3QZ
Telephone: (01639) 764646
Pontardawe Area Housing Office,
One Stop Shop,
Holly Street,
Pontardawe,
SA8 4ET
Telephone: (01792) 860789