Moving on

Exchanging your property with someone else

For many tenants, the quickest way to move home is to arrange a home swap, or mutual exchange, with another tenant.

Tenants can choose between getting a bigger home, a smaller home, moving a mile or 100 miles away.

You can swap home with another tenant from Rotherham Borough Council or with tenants of other councils or housing associations.

Property exchanges are overseen by Key Choices. To find out more about this service, visit the Key Choices Property Shop or see the Mutual housing exchange page.

Moving out of the area

If you need to move out of the area, we are part of a scheme called HOMES (Housing Organisations Mobility and Exchange Services). HOMES helps to find a new home in the area of the country you want to move to. It also runs a national home swap scheme that can help you find someone to exchange homes with.

You can find out how to apply for either scheme by contacting your local Neighbourhood Office or Customer Service Centre.

Ending your tenancy

Please let us know four weeks before you want to end your tenancy.

You can complete a termination form at your local Neighbourhood Office or Customer Service Centre or write to us. The notice period must start on a Monday and end on a Sunday.

Please note that you are required to pay your rent until the end of your tenancy. However, you can move out before then if you want.

During your notice period we will make an appointment with you to visit your home to inspect the property.

Before you move out, please make sure you have paid your rent up to date. You also need to make sure that the property is clean and you have repaired any damage you are responsible for.

When you move out, please take all your belongings with you. If we have to clear the property or do repairs that you should have done we can charge you for this.

Pre-Termination of tenancy inspection

When you decide to end your tenancy, an officer will carry out an inspection of your home and garden, if you have one. The inspection is to check that the property has been looked after, and not changed in any way without agreement. We ask you to leave your home as you would hope to find it, so that the next tenant can enjoy a clean and tidy home.

During the notice period we may wish to show the tenant around the property by arrangement with you.

Succession in your tenancy

Sadly there is another way your tenancy could end. If you die and have been living alone we will sort out everything with your family. If you were the tenant, and your family are still living with you, your tenancy may not end. This is because certain people have the right to take over or 'succeed' to the tenancy.

You will find information about succession in your Tenancy Agreement or from your local Neighbourhood Office, Customer Service Centre of by telephoning the Customer Contact Centre on 0300 100 2010.

Ensuring your move goes well

There are a number of things that you need to consider to make sure that your move goes well. The weeks before the move:

• If you are throwing things away, you should avoid leaving large piles of rubbish outside your house.
• Avoid theft of your possessions by not drawing attention to our move by collecting boxes to pack your things in.
• Make sure that if you are using a removal firm, that they have adequate insurance.

The day of the move:

• Ask friends to keep an eye on your home and possessions.
• Arrange for children and animals to be looked after.
• Make sure the removers secure their van and stop it from being stolen.
  

Last update: 07/06/2011