Your council tenancy

If a council tenant dies, their tenancy may be passed on to someone else living in the home. This is called succession.

To notify us, put any changes to your household in writing and send this to your Housing Management Officer or the Property and Housing Service.

Telling other departments (like Council Tax or Housing Benefits) does not count as official notice.

Apply to succeed to a tenancy

Priority levels for who can take over a tenancy

There are three levels of priority for who may succeed the tenancy:

First priority

This includes:

• spouses or civil partners
• joint tenants
• cohabiting partners (of any gender)

To qualify the home must have been their only or main home at the time of the tenant’s death. For cohabiting partners: they must have lived in the home for at least 12 months before the tenant died. The tenant (or joint tenant) must have notified us in writing that the person was living there.

Second priority

Family members aged 16 or over qualify, so long as:

• they have lived in the home as their only or main home for at least 12 months before the tenant died
• the tenant (or joint tenant) must have notified the council in writing that the person was living there

Third priority

Carers aged 16 or over qualify, so long as:

• they lived in the home as their only or main home for at least 12 months
• they have given up their own home to provide care
• the tenant (or joint tenant) must have notified the council in writing that the carer was living there