If you have never been a council or housing association tenant before or you have had a break in your former council or housing association tenancy, you may be offered an introductory tenancy.

These run for 12 months unless you have ended the tenancy or we have served you notice for breaches in your tenancy. In some circumstances, we may suggest an extension to your introductory period where there has been a breach and we are working with you to resolve any issues.

Provided you have been a good tenant after 12 months, your tenancy will automatically become secure.

During your introductory period, you cannot apply for a mutual exchange or assignment, sublet part of your property or carry out any alterations to the property. If you have any queries, please contact your council for more specific advice.

Most council tenants will have a secure tenancy. As a secure tenant, you can normally live in the property for the rest of your life as long as you don’t break the conditions of the tenancy. You can also make some changes to your tenancy if required.

A demoted tenancy is a one-year probationary council tenancy. We use demoted tenancies to take action against secure tenants who have been involved in anti-social behaviour.

You probably have a demoted tenancy if the court made an order to demote your secure tenancy and less than a year has passed since then. If this is the case, we will have sent you information about your rights and letters from the court should confirm how long your tenancy has been demoted for.

Non-secure tenancies are issued to tenants who have been placed into temporary accommodation owned by the council. Once permanent housing is found, an introductory tenancy will be given.

Non-secure tenancies do not have all the rights that secure tenants have, including no right to buy, right to exchange, right to succession or right to take in lodgers or sublet. If the council wishes to end a tenancy, it can serve a notice to quit, bringing it to an end.