ASSURED TENANCY AGREEMENT

Transcription

1 You should read and understand the terms in this tenancy agreement so that you are satisfied it contains the information that you want and need about your tenancy agreement and it does not contain anything you are not prepared to agree to. You must have an adequate opportunity to read this agreement and ask any questions you may have about it before signing it. If you require further information about the agreement then please contact us on Freephone ASSURED TENANCY AGREEMENT THIS TENANCY AGREEMENT IS BETWEEN Name and Address of Association Linc-Cymru Housing Association Limited ( the Association ) of 387 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 1GG, which is a Registered Social Landlord under Section 1 of the Housing Act Name of Tenant and ( The Tenant ). (In the case of joint tenancies, the term Tenant applies to each or all of the joint tenants named above. Each tenant jointly and individually has the responsibilities and rights set out in this tenancy agreement ( the Agreement ). Address In respect of. ( The Premises ) Description of Premises Which comprises NB. The Premises, which are the subject of this Tenancy, is held by a charity which is an exempt charity. Date of Start of Tenancy ( the Tenancy ) The Tenancy begins on Monday,. and is for an initial term of one week and continuing weekly thereafter until determined. The terms of the Tenancy are set out in this Agreement. 1

2 Acceptance of this Tenancy This Tenancy is granted on the understanding that you or a person acting at your instigation or on your behalf, did not provide false or inaccurate information (either spoken or written) when you applied for the Tenancy with Linc-Cymru Housing Association. 1. GENERAL TERMS Payments for your home a. The weekly payments for the Premises at the date of this Agreement shall be:- Rent.. Variable Service Charge* Variable Heating Charge* Water Charge* Other (describe) Total Weekly Charge * Delete if not applicable b. The payment of the total weekly charge is due in advance on the Monday of each week. We can ask the Court for permission to evict you from your home if you do not pay your rent. You may be eligible to receive Housing Benefit to help pay your rent. c. Joint Tenancies - We can collect all rent due for your home from any joint tenant. d. You must pay the council tax, water charges, gas and electricity and any other charge payable in respect of your home direct to the supplier if they are not included in the Total Weekly Charge. Changes in rent e. We can increase or decrease the Rent by giving you not less than four weeks notice in writing. The notice shall specify the Rent and the included Service Charge. The Association can serve notice to increase or decrease the rent at any time during the tenancy. Subsequent Notices to increase or decrease the rent will be served to take effect not less than eleven months after the previous increase/decrease. The revised Rent shall be the amount specified in the Notice. 2

3 Services Changes in Service Charges/Heating/ Water /Charges f. The Association shall provide the services set out in the schedule to this Agreement (Service Charge Statement), for which you will pay a service charge in accordance with 1(a) above (the Variable Service Charge). The Variable Service Charge will be reviewed in accordance with clause 1 (g) below. g. We will provide the services that apply to your tenancy which are listed in the Service Charge Schedule (attached). In return you must pay the service charge, which is included in your total weekly charge The cost of providing services will be divided equally between the homes which receive them, unless it is likely that some will use more than others (e.g. heating and hot water charges for different sizes of home). We review the service charge each year in April to take account of the amount we have spent on services during the period of twelve months ending in the previous September. We may also take account of any known or expected costs for the next twelve months as long as those costs are reasonable. Service Charges will normally only be altered once a year, but may be altered at any time should the cost of providing these services increase or decrease. Where costs have been estimated, the difference between the actual and the estimated cost will be carried forward and you will be asked to make up any shortfall. You have the right to appeal to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal if you think the Service Charge is unreasonable. You have a Variable Service Charge which means that we may increase, add to, stop or reduce or change the services provided. This will not be done without a valid reason and we will, wherever practicable, consult with you and the other tenants receiving the services. Notice of changes in Service/Water and Heating Charges (where collected by the Association) h. If we increase or decrease a service charge or water or heating charge, we will tell you in writing at least 28 days before the change. Housing Benefit i. You must repay to the Association any sum of rent we are required to repay the Local Authority as overpaid Housing Benefit awarded to the Tenant whether such sums relate to this Tenancy or another previously held by you. 3

4 2. THE ASSOCIATION S RESPONSIBILITIES Linc-Cymru agrees: Possession a. To give you possession of the Premises at the commencement of the Tenancy Tenant s Right to Occupy Repair of Structure and Exterior b. Not to interrupt or interfere with your right to peacefully occupy the Premises during the Tenancy except where access is required to inspect the condition of the Premises or to carry out repairs or other works to the Premises or adjoining property. c. To keep the structure and exterior of your home and any outbuilding provided by the Association in repair including:- i. drains, gutters and outside pipes ii. roofs iii. foundations, outside walls, outside doors, window cills, catches, and sash cords, window putties, window frames including necessary external painting and decoration iv. internal walls, floors and ceilings, doors and frames, door hinges, locks jambs, thresholds, letter boxes, door handles and skirting boards but not including internal painting or decoration v. chimneys, chimney stacks and flues but not including sweeping unless the flue serves an enclosed solid fuel fire vi. pathways, steps or other means of access vii. plasterwork viii. integral and freestanding garages and stores ix. boundary walls and fences originally provided by the Association, or present at the time of purchase by the Association The Association reserves the right to hold you liable to pay for or contribute to any repair required as a result of the breach of your obligations to report defects under clause 3.c (i) and/or 3.c (ii) below, or if the need for repair is as a result of damage caused by you or by any person living in or visiting the premises, contrary to clause 3. b (ix) below. Repair of Installations d. To keep in repair and proper working order any installations in the premises provided by the Association for space heating, water heating and sanitation and for the supply of water, gas, electricity, including: i. kitchen and bathroom fixtures and fittings such as basins, sinks, toilets and baths, ii. electrical wiring, including sockets and switches, gas and water pipes; iii. heating equipment and water heating equipment provided by the Association. 4

5 The Association reserves the right to hold you liable to pay for or contribute to any repair required as a result of the breach of your obligations to report defects under clause 3.c (i) and/or 3.c (ii) below, or if the need for repair is as a result of damage caused by you or by any person living in or visiting the premises, contrary to clause 3. b (ix) below. Repair of Common Parts e. To keep any shared areas around your home (such as stairs, lifts, landings, light fittings, entrance halls, paving, shared gardens and parking areas) in repair and fit for use by you, other occupiers and visitors to the Premises. Communal Spaces f. To make arrangements to keep all external communal spaces tidy. Insurance g. To insure the structure of your home, fixtures and fittings with a reputable insurer. You should take out your own insurance to cover the contents of your home (this means all of your belongings). Nuisance h. If you report any nuisance or harassment, we will look into your complaint and advise you on what action can be taken, based upon the nature of the problem and how serious it is. General i. To carry out repairs in a reasonable and specified time. j. Offer you a suitable alternative home if we need to move you out because major repairs are needed or we need to demolish or dispose of your home. k. Wherever practicable, we will give you at least 48 hours notice if we need to get into your home to inspect it or carry out work to your home or a neighbouring property, but we do not need to give this notice in an emergency. If we need to gain access to your home in an emergency, then we will pay for any damage caused provided we are responsible for the cause of the emergency. Tenants Guarantee l. To provide you with information on its housing management policies as required by the guidance issued by The Welsh Assembly Government (The Tenants Guarantee) under the provisions of Section 36 of the Housing Associations Act

6 3. THE TENANT S RESPONSIBILITIES The Tenant agrees: a. The Premises Possession i. To take possession of the Premises at the commencement of the Tenancy and not to part with possession of the Premises or sublet the whole of it. Rent ii. To pay the Rent and other charges weekly in advance. Use of Premises iii. To occupy the Premises as your only or main home and not to use the Premises for any purposes other than residential purposes without first obtaining the Association s written consent. Responsibility for Others iv. You are responsible for the behaviour of everyone (including children) living in, or visiting, your home. You are responsible for them in your home, on surrounding land, in shared areas and in the neighbourhood around your home. Overcrowding v. Not to allow more than.. persons to reside at the premises. Lodgers vi. Before taking in any lodger, to obtain the written consent of the Association and to inform the Association of the name, age and sex of the intended lodger and of the accommodation they will occupy. Sub-Tenancies Prohibited vii. Not to sub-let or part with possession of the whole of the Premises. Not to sub-let or part with possession of part of the Premises without first obtaining the written consent of the Association which shall not be unreasonably withheld. b. Behaviour Nuisance You must not do the following or allow anyone living with or visiting you to do the following: i. Cause a nuisance to, annoy or disturb any other person, including your neighbours, neighbours' visitors and our employees or agents, or behave in such a way that is capable of causing a nuisance, annoyance or disturbance to such people. ii. Cause or threaten violence to people sharing your house, including your family, your partner or the family of your partner, or cause or threaten violence to other persons in the locality, including the Association's employees or agents. 6

7 Noise iii. Allow noise, including the use of radio, television, record, digital, compact disc player or musical instrument, etc, so loudly that it causes, or is capable of causing, a nuisance or annoyance to neighbours or can be heard outside the Premises, or to make or allow to be made any other noise that: i. between the hours of 10.30pm and 7.30 am can be heard outside the Premises and is capable of causing a nuisance or annoyance to others or ii. at any time causes nuisance or annoyance to neighbours or is capable of causing a nuisance or annoyance to neighbours. Racial and Other Harassment iv. Harass any other person, including your neighbours, neighbours visitors or any other person lawfully in the locality. Examples include sexist or racist behaviour or language, using or threatening to use violence, using abusive or insulting words or behaviour, damaging or threatening to damage another person s home or possessions and writing threatening, abusive or insulting letters or graffiti. Racial and Other Harassment (Association s Staff and Agents v. Not to commit or allow or permit members of his/her household or visitors to commit any form of harassment against the Association s staff or appointed agents vi. Hinder, obstruct abuse or assault the Association s employees or agents in pursuance of their duty, and must not cause any disturbance at the Association s offices or in their locality. Drugs and Illegal /Immoral Use of the Premises vii. Use the Premises for any illegal or immoral purpose including but not limited to, the supply, cultivation and/or possession of illegal drugs or prostitution, and not to carry out such activities in the vicinity of the Premises. Pets viii. Keep any animals unless you have our prior written permission. If we give our permission we can withdraw it at any time if the animal annoys or worries your neighbours, causes damage to the Association's property, or is likely to cause structural damage to the property. Dogs must be supervised at all times and must not be allowed to foul public or communal areas. Damage ix. Vandalise or damage our property either deliberately or through lack of care Use of the Premises x. Run a business from your home without first obtaining our permission in writing. You may also need planning permission which will be your responsibility to obtain. If we give our permission, we can withdraw it at any time if we consider it appropriate. If we are going to withdraw our permission, we will first tell you the reasons for this and give you the opportunity to answer any points made. 7

8 Vehicle Repairs, Parking and Storage xi. xii. xiii. xiv. Park a vehicle (or permit your visitors to park a vehicle) anywhere at your home except in a proper parking space. You must not park anywhere where your vehicle would obstruct emergency services, cause an inconvenience or damage our land or buildings. Park any untaxed or un-roadworthy vehicle at the Premises, on the land around your home or on the road, or if the condition of the vehicle, if left unattended, would be a hazard to children or other people. Park caravans, trailers, boats and commercial or heavy goods vehicles at the Premises, on the land around your home or on the road. Carry out repairs to a vehicle, if this may cause a nuisance to neighbours or damage to the property Garden xv. Allow trees, bushes or other plants to overhang footpaths or go onto your neighbours land, or interfere with your neighbours enjoyment of their land. For example, by blocking their light. xvi. Put up structures such as sheds, garages or pigeon lofts unless you have first obtained our permission in writing. If we give our permission, we can withdraw it at any time if we consider it appropriate. Rubbish xvii. Place any domestic rubbish or refuse outside the Premises except on the day designated by the Local Authority for collection. Dangerous Items xviii. Store or use bottled gas, paraffin, petrol or any other dangerous goods in your home or shared areas. xix. Use any dangerous weapons or other item to intimidate, threaten or cause a nuisance to any person. Any weapon or item capable of causing injury will be considered to be a dangerous weapon, whether or not a licence is needed to own, hold/or use it. General xx. Erect any external satellite dishes, CCTV cameras or similar apparatus without the Association's prior written consent. xxi. xxii. Interfere with security and safety equipment in flats. To site in a fixed position and/or train or use any camera and or any video or visual recording equipment situated within or on the premises, in such a way as to cause interference to the privacy or rights of others, e.g. neighbours or be capable of causing such interference. 8

9 c. Repairs and Maintenance You must do the following and make sure that everyone living with or visiting you also does the following: Repairs i. You must notify the Association of any defect, repairs needed, or damage caused to your home and shared area that requires action to be taken by ourselves. You must notify the Association of the defects, repairs needed and/or damage as soon as is reasonably possible. ii. iii. If your delay in reporting a defect, repair that is needed or any damage that has been caused, leads to more damage than would have been the case if it had been promptly notified to us we may charge you any additional costs which we incur. We will only do this, if in the opinion of our staff and/or any surveyors retained by the Association, the damage has got worse because of your failure to report it. If we intend to charge you for the damage that we consider has got worse because of your delay in reporting it, then we shall notify you of this in writing and give you the opportunity to comment upon the reasons that we give for holding you responsible and if you wish, giving you the opportunity to provide your own information or evidence to the Association if you say you are not responsible for the damage. You are responsible for carrying out minor maintenance and upkeep of the home, which are not covered within the Associations own obligations referred to in this agreement. Access iv. Let the Association s employees or agents have access to the property at all reasonable hours to inspect its condition and carry out any maintenance, servicing and/or necessary repairs. The Association will normally give at least 48 hours notice. We may enter the premises using force if necessary if there is reasonable cause to believe that there is an emergency and access cannot be gained by other means. v. If any gas or power service, inspection, or repair which has implications for the potential health of the tenant or other occupiers/neighbours, is outstanding for more than a calendar month, then you agree that we (and our nominated contractors) may effect entry to the premises in order to carry out any outstanding service, inspection and/or repair providing that the Association follow the steps in clause 3 c (vi) below. vi. a) The tenant has failed to keep at least two appointments arranged for inspection, service or repair. b) The Association has written to and/or left written communication at the tenant s home inviting the tenant to make another appointment and the tenant has failed to respond within 9

10 seven days. c) The Association has written to and/or left written communication at the tenant s home providing two clear working days notice of the date and time of the appointment. d) An employee of the Association accompanies the contractors when entry to service, maintain or repair is affected. e) The Association secure the premises after completion of the inspection, service or repair work, leave written confirmation to the tenant of the works undertaken, and take steps to ensure that the tenant has access to their home. If we need to take action to enter your home, including legal action, you may have to pay the costs of this action. Appointments vii. Keep appointments for our contractor to call at your home or give the Association reasonable notice if you cannot keep the appointment. If our contractor cannot get into your home after agreeing a time with you, you may have to pay their call out charge. Premises viii. Keep the inside of your home clean and decorated to a reasonable standard. Garden ix. Maintain the garden in good condition and not to allow rubbish, disused equipment or any other debris to be placed in the garden or curtilage of the Premises. Shared Areas x. Co-operate with the Association and your neighbours to keep any shared areas clean, tidy and free of obstruction. If we need to do this for you, you must pay our costs d. Using Your Home Informing the Association about changes i. Inform the Association of anyone who comes to live in your home, who was not included on the original application form. ii. Tell the Association in writing, and if possible before leaving, if you expect to be absent from your home for more than 21 days. Ending The Tenancy iii. iv. Give at least four weeks' written notice that you intend to leave your home. This four weeks' notice must end on a Sunday. (You must return your keys to our office, or as directed by the Housing Officer or Scheme Manager.) If you are a joint tenant, any one of you can end the tenancy by giving the Association four weeks notice in writing. You should seek independent legal advice before doing this to ensure the written notice is effective. 10

11 Moving Out v. To give the Association vacant possession and return the keys of the Premises at the end of the Tenancy. Disposal of Personal Items vi. vii. Leave the home, our fixtures and fittings and the garden in good condition. You will have to pay for any repair or damage you cause deliberately or carelessly, for any redecoration required to the property, any cleaning of the property or for the clearance of the garden. You will have an opportunity to put forward your own evidence should this matter be in dispute. Take all your belongings with you when you leave the home. Any items left in the home after the end of the tenancy can be disposed of immediately by the Association and the full cost of the disposal charged to you. You accept that the Association cannot be held liable for any loss resulting from the disposal of such items. 4. THE TENANTS RIGHTS The tenant has the following rights at all times during the course of this tenancy. Right to Occupy Succession to a Spouse Security of Tenure a. You have the right to occupy the Premises without interruption or interference from the Association for the duration of the Tenancy (except for the obligation contained in this Agreement to give access to the Association s officers or agents) so long as you comply with the terms of this Agreement and have proper respect for the right of other tenants and neighbours. b. On death of the Tenant (where the Tenancy is held by one person) this Tenancy will vest in the Tenant s spouse under the provisions of the Housing Act 1988 or to a civil partner under the Civil Partnership Act 2004, provided that he/she occupied the Premises as his/her only or principal home at the time of the Tenant s death, and provided that the Tenant did not originally succeed to the Tenancy in this way. c. You have security of tenure as an assured tenant so long as he/she occupies the Premises as his/her only or principal home. We can only end the Tenancy by obtaining a court order for possession of the Premises on one of the grounds listed in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988, as amended by the Housing Act To obtain a court order for possession against an Assured Tenant, one or more of the following grounds must be relied upon: 11

12 d. Grounds listed in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988, as amended by the Housing Act Grounds on which the court must order possession Ground 6 The Landlord intends to demolish or reconstruct the whole dwelling or a substantial part of the premises. Ground 7 Ground 8 The weekly tenancy has devolved to the tenant through the will or intestacy of the former tenant and the landlord begins possession proceedings within the twelve months of the former tenant s death or, at the court's discretion, from the date on which, in their opinion, the landlord became aware of the death. On the date of the Notice of Seeking Possession and the date of any possession hearing there is at least eight weeks unpaid rent. Grounds on which the court may order possession Ground 9 Ground 10 Ground 11 Ground 12 Ground 13 Suitable alternative accommodation is available for the tenant or will be available for her/him when the Order for possession takes effect. There are rent arrears at the date when possession proceedings began and at the time of service of the Notice of Seeking Possession. Whether or not any rent is in arrears on the date on which proceedings for possession are begun, the tenant has persistently delayed paying rent, which has become lawfully due. Any obligation of the tenancy (other than one related to the payment of rent) has been broken or not performed. The condition of the premises or common parts has deteriorated owing to acts of waste by, or neglect or fault of, the tenant or any other person living in the property and in the case of an act of waste or neglect, or fault of a person living with the tenant or a sub-tenant, the tenant has not taken reasonable steps to remove the lodger or sub-tenant. 12

13 Ground 14 Ground 14A Ground 15 Ground 16 Ground 17 The tenant or any person living in or visiting the premises has been guilty of conduct causing or likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance to adjoining occupiers, or any other people living in, visiting, or otherwise engaged in a lawful activity in the locality, or if the tenant or any person residing in or visiting the property has been convicted of using the dwelling, or allowing it to be used, for immoral or illegal purposes or if the tenant or any person living in the property or any visitors to the property has been convicted of an arrestable offence committed in or in the locality of the property. The property was occupied whether by themselves or other people, by a married couple or a couple living together as man and wife, or a couple who are civil partners of each other, or living together as if they were civil partners of each other, and one or both of the partners is a tenant of the property, and one partner has left the property because of violence or threats of violence by the other towards either that partner who has left, or a member of the family of that partner who was living with that partner immediately before the partner left, and if the court is satisfied that the partner who is left is unlikely to return. The condition of any furniture provided has deteriorated through ill-treatment by the tenant or other person living in the premises; and if the ill-treatment is by a lodger or subtenant, the tenant has not taken reasonable steps to remove the lodger or sub-tenant. The premises were let to an employee by the Association, and the tenant has ceased to be employed by the Association. The tenant is the person or one of the people to whom the tenancy was granted and the landlord was induced to grant the tenancy by a false statement made knowingly or recklessly by a) the tenant or b) a person acting at the tenant's instigation. This ground is likely to arise if you have not given truthful information on the application form or process. Right to take in Lodgers Right to Sub-Let f. Subject to 3 a (v) 3a (vi) and 3 a (vii) you may take in any persons as lodgers as long as you have our permission in writing first. A lodger is someone who lives in your home but does not have exclusive right to any one part of it. They will usually get some sort of service from you such as cooking or cleaning. We must have a good reason for refusing permission. g. To sub-let part of the premises provided written consent has first been obtained from the Association. A sub-tenant is someone who you sublet part of your home to and who has 13

14 an exclusive right to that part of your home. You must not sublet your entire home. If you sublet part of your home, you must not give your sub-tenant an Assured Tenancy under the Housing Act Right to make and be compensated for Improvements h. You have the right to carry out improvements, subject to the Association s prior written consent (which will not be unreasonably withheld). Consent may be given subject to conditions. It is the tenant s responsibility for obtaining any necessary planning permission or building regulation approvals. You may be compensated for qualifying improvements should the tenancy end. Compensation will be calculated according to the useful life left in the improvement at the end of the tenancy. Right to Consultation i. We will consult you before making changes in matters of housing management or maintenance which are likely to have a substantial effect on you. Right to Information Right to Exchange Right to Acquire Right to Succession to a Family Member j. You have the right under the Data Protection Act 1998 to see certain information we hold about you and your household, except for information we must keep confidential, for example, that provided by a third party. You also have the right to obtain certain information from us about the terms of this Tenancy and about certain policies and procedures, in accordance with the Tenants Guarantee. Full details of this information are contained in the Tenants Handbook. k. To exchange your home with that of another of our tenants or a tenant of another housing association or local authority, as long as you have our permission in writing first. Permission can only be withheld on a limited number of specified grounds. l. In certain circumstances, you have the right to acquire the Property in accordance with Sections 16 and 17 of the Housing Act The property must have been built since 1997 using Social Housing Grant and you must have been a housing association or public sector tenant for a minimum of two years. m. On the death of the tenant, the tenancy may, under certain circumstances pass to a member of the tenant's family as of right if certain conditions are fulfilled. Conditions for succession i. Unless the tenant was herself/himself a successor, then on the tenant's death the tenant's husband or wife succeeds to the tenancy as long as she/he was living in the premises at the time of the tenant's death and it was his/her principal home. 14

15 ii. iii. iv. If two people are joint tenants and one dies, the surviving tenant becomes sole tenant and is regarded as a successor. When both joint tenants have died, there is no further automatic succession If there is no joint tenant, the tenancy may pass to a husband, wife, civil partner or co-habitee of either sex living with the tenant at the time of his/her death. If there is no spouse, civil partner or co-habitee another family member, of at least 18 years of age, may succeed to the tenancy if he/she has been living with the deceased for at least 12 months prior to his/her death. v. Where a carer has left alternative accommodation to live with a tenant and has cared for the tenant for at least twelve months immediately prior to the tenant's death, and the accommodation is his/her only or principal home, he/she will be entitled to succeed to the tenancy, provided there is no surviving joint tenant or other qualifying member of the deceased's family. vi. vii. If there is more than one member of the family who is entitled to succeed to the tenancy, they can decide themselves who is to succeed. In the event that this cannot be resolved, the potential successors should be advised to seek a legal solution to decide who will succeed to the tenancy. If they fail to do so then we will make that decision, having given the potential successors the opportunity to make representations to the Association. For the purpose of this Agreement, a successor shall be an eligible family member, this includes the deceased tenant's parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece. It also includes half blood relationship, stepchildren and step-grandchildren. You should note that: If your tenancy passes to someone by succession and the home is bigger than he or she needs or where it is specifically designed for a particular group (such as elderly or disabled people), we may move him or her out, but we will offer him or her another suitable home. viii. ix. If you wish to leave your home you may ask the Association to consider whether you can assign your tenancy to a person who would be able to take it over by succession when you die. You may only do this if you did not get the tenancy by succession and a previous tenant did not transfer it to you. You cannot pass your tenancy on without our permission and you cannot just leave someone else in your home when you move out. 15

16 5. SERVING NOTICE Notices to the Association a. If you want to give the Association four weeks' notice to end your Tenancy, or any other notice, you should post or bring your written notice to: Linc-Cymru, 387 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 1GG. Notices to You b. If we need to serve any notice on you, whether or not that notice is being served under this Agreement, we will: i. deliver the notice to you personally or to someone living at your home or, ii. iii. iv. send the notice to you by recorded delivery or; send the notice to you by first class post or, leave the notice at your home. Notices include any notices we need to serve on you under the Housing Act 1988 as amended by the Housing Act 1996, and any Notice to Quit. 6. SIGNATURES This Agreement is a legal contract. It describes your and our rights and responsibilities. Only sign this agreement if you want to be bound by it. If you are not sure about this, get legal advice from a solicitor, Citizen's Advice Bureau or law centre. All joint tenants should sign below after reading this Agreement. The information given in the housing application or transfer application process was and still is true. I/We understand it is a breach of the Tenancy Agreement to provide false information in the housing or transfer application process. I/We understand and agree to the conditions in this Tenancy Agreement. Signed on behalf of Linc-Cymru: Name:.. Date: Signed by the tenant (s) Name: Date:. Name:. Date:. 16

17 If the Tenant feels that the Association has broken this Agreement or not performed any obligation contained in it, he or she should first complain to the Association in writing giving details of the breach or non-performance. If the Association fails to deal with the complaint or, in the Tenant s view, continues not to comply with this Agreement, the Tenant can obtain advice and information from a local Citizen s Advice Bureau or law centre or from a solicitor. If you need to use our appeals or complaints procedures, we will tell you what you have to do. If you are still not happy at the end of the complaints procedure, you can refer any matter to the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales, 1 Ffordd yr Hen Gae, Pencoed, CF35 5LJ. The Association is subject to any guidance on housing management practice issued by The Welsh Assembly Government and this Tenancy is one to which the Tenants Guarantee applies. 17