Moving in or out of Council Housing
Moving out
If you're wanting to end your tenancy with us, you’ll need to give us at least four weeks’ notice beforehand. We will then contact you to arrange a home visit and agree a move out date – at least seven days after this meeting.
If you are on Housing Benefit, it’s really important you give us four weeks’ notice, as Housing Benefit is only paid for the time you’re living at the home. If you move out without notice, you’ll still owe us rent for that period of time but won’t receive your benefits.
We will then work together to ensure your rent account is not in arrears, and that you’re comfortable with completing any actions on your moving out checklist.
Moving out checklist
Leave your home and garden in a clean and tidy condition, leaving internal decoration clean and intact.
If we have to remove any items from the home or garden once you have left, including furniture, appliances, carpets, cutting back of overgrown gardens or outbuildings erected by you, we will have to charge you.
You will need to repair any damage to walls, floors, ceilings, and repair or replace doors and other fixtures and fittings that may have been damaged or removed whilst you were living there. More information can be found on our tenant responsibilities page.
You will also need to remove any rubbish and furniture, including cookers, fridges and freezers, and any items in the garden, loft, bin store, store cupboards, garage or outbuildings.
Make sure you settle any charges in full. If you don’t this could stop you from being able to rent a home in the future from us or another registered housing provider.
Take your gas and electricity final meter readings and leave any meter keys in the meter before leaving. Advise your gas and electricity supplier that you are moving and please let us have the details of who that is.
Please leave any gas and electrical appliances that were supplied by us in a safe condition.
You will also need to turn off your water supply – the stop tap is usually found in your kitchen but let us know if you need a hand figuring out where it is.
Please let us know your new address, so that we have that on record.
You will need to inform Council Tax and Housing Benefit (if applicable) that you are leaving the home. You will also need to inform the Post Office in order to arrange a redirect on your mail.
It's important to also end/amend any other agreements you have associated with your address, e.g. telephone agreement.
Please ensure to leave window keys in the property.
If you have any furniture/white goods you no longer want/need, you can contact your Neighbourhood Officer to arrange collection of those. We work with local charities that recycle unwanted furniture and white goods.
Rent references
If your new landlord requires a rent reference, you can contact us to request this, your housing officer will complete this and forward to you as required.
