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Torus services: We are continue to experience a high demand for repairs, resulting in longer waiting times for non-emergency repairs. We are working hard to fix this, apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
Duplicate Rents issue (17 May): Post Office, PayPoint & online secure Internet rent payers - we are here to help if you are struggling – find out more here.
Homes for Ukraine Scheme: Information for Torus customers considering offering a room in your home to a Ukrainian refugee – more.
My tenancy
We offer a number of services to ensure that you are able to live in a home that is kept to a decent standard in a place where you can live in peace and comfort.
You will sign a tenancy agreement when you become one of our tenants, which is a legal contract between you and your landlord, Torus 62 Limited. Your tenancy agreement details our responsibilities to you and your responsibilities to us. You must keep to the terms and conditions of your tenancy.
A Neighbourhood Officer will be designated to look after your area and you can get help from them if you have any issues with your tenancy. You can find out who your Neighbourhood Officer is here.
Email us at info@torus.co.uk if you have any questions about your tenancy agreement.
- 1. Tenancy agreements
- You give us 4 weeks’ notice in writing
- You transfer your tenancy or swap homes
- You breach the terms of your tenancy agreement and we evict you
- We need to move you (to redevelop your property) but we would offer you a different home
- 2. Your tenancy responsibilities
- Pay your rent in full and on time (one week or one month in advance)
- Be a considerate neighbour, make sure that everyone who lives with or visits you doesn't cause a nuisance or annoy others
- Not use your home for any illegal or immoral purpose
- Ask permission to run a business from your home
- Live in your home - you can’t move out and allow someone else to move in
- Give us 4 weeks’ notice when you intend to move out
- Not cause any damage
- Keep us up to date with who is living in your home
- Keep your home and garden clean, tidy and rubbish free
- Keep your home in good repair - take care of repairs you're responsible for and report any repairs that are ours
- Allow us access for annual gas inspections/condition surveys/electrical surveys or to carry out repairs
- Report any damage that you, those you live with or any visitors have caused
- Not leave caravans, trailers, other large items or untaxed vehicles on your drive or any shared area
- Return our calls when we need to speak to you and meet with us to review your tenancy
- 3. Our responsibilities
- Take account of your views
- Carry out the repairs we are responsible for
- Allow you to carry out your own improvements and alterations - but you need our permission first.
- Let you to take in lodgers – you’ll need our permission first and it can’t cause overcrowding
- Allow you to exchange with another social landlord or council tenant - providing you have our permission
- Give you information about the services we provide and how we perform
- Consult you about any changes to your service
- 4. Succession
- Who you are
- Your relationship with the tenant
- How long you have been living with them
About your tenancy agreement
Your tenancy agreement is a legal contract that sets out certain terms and conditions.
It tells you how much rent you’ll pay, what we are responsible for, what you are responsible for and how long your tenancy will last.
The type of tenancy you have will be outlined in your tenancy agreement. Below are examples of the types of tenancy we offer.
Assured shorthold tenancy
Assured shorthold tenancies are given to most new tenants for a probationary period of 12 to 18 months. After this time, unless you have breached the terms of your tenancy agreement, the tenancy can be extended or you may be switched to an assured tenancy or a fixed term tenancy.
Assured tenancy
An assured tenancy has no fixed end date and can only be ended if you breach the terms of your tenancy agreement.
Fixed term tenancy
These tenancies are usually fixed for a period of 5 years. We may use a fixed term tenancy for a new build property or where the long term future of a property is uncertain.
Ending your tenancy
You can end your tenancy if:
We can end your tenancy if:
Your tenancy comes with certain terms and conditions
As part of your tenancy agreement you must:
You are responsible for taking care of your home and we expect that you’ll:
If you breach your agreement we will inform you and take appropriate action. If it is serious, we will take legal action.
Home Contents Insurance
We always advise all tenants to have their own contents insurance and following the flooding earlier this year we would really encourage you to make sure you cover your belongings with contents insurance.
While Torus cover your building insurance, your personal belongings need to be covered by contents insurance. Contents insurance covers everything you’d take with you if you move. From the jewellery you wear to the sofas you sit on; contents insurance covers the lot.
There is also lots of useful advice from the moneysavingexpert.com about contents insurance and how to access cheap contents insurance for tenants: www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/renters-contents-insurance/
Our responsibilities
As your landlord we will:
Can a tenancy be inherited?
The right to inherit a tenancy, when the tenant dies, is known as succession.
Depending on the type of tenancy and your relationship with the person who died, you may have the right to inherit the tenancy.
Before this can happen you will need to provide evidence of:
Joint tenants
If you have a joint tenancy and the other joint tenant dies, you will automatically become the sole tenant.
Married and unmarried partners
If the tenant who died was your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabitee, and as long as the property was your home when they died, you can inherit an assured tenancy.
Relatives of an assured tenant
Depending on the tenancy agreement, if the tenant who died had no spouse, civil partner or cohabitee living with them, a relative may be able to inherit the tenancy.
Fixed term tenancy of less than two years
If the tenancy is an assured shorthold tenancy with a term of two years or less, you cannot inherit the tenancy.
Fixed term tenancy of two years or more
Where the tenancy was fixed for more than two years, the spouse, civil partner or cohabitee of the tenant may be able to inherit the tenancy, as long as it was their home when the tenant died.
About your tenancy agreement
Your tenancy agreement is a legal contract that sets out certain terms and conditions.
It tells you how much rent you’ll pay, what we are responsible for, what you are responsible for and how long your tenancy will last.
The type of tenancy you have will be outlined in your tenancy agreement. Below are examples of the types of tenancy we offer.
Assured shorthold tenancy
Assured shorthold tenancies are given to most new tenants for a probationary period of 12 to 18 months. After this time, unless you have breached the terms of your tenancy agreement, the tenancy can be extended or you may be switched to an assured tenancy or a fixed term tenancy.
Assured tenancy
An assured tenancy has no fixed end date and can only be ended if you breach the terms of your tenancy agreement.
Fixed term tenancy
These tenancies are usually fixed for a period of 5 years. We may use a fixed term tenancy for a new build property or where the long term future of a property is uncertain.
Ending your tenancy
You can end your tenancy if:
- You give us 4 weeks’ notice in writing
- You transfer your tenancy or swap homes
We can end your tenancy if:
- You breach the terms of your tenancy agreement and we evict you
- We need to move you (to redevelop your property) but we would offer you a different home
Your tenancy comes with certain terms and conditions
As part of your tenancy agreement you must:
- Pay your rent in full and on time (one week or one month in advance)
- Be a considerate neighbour, make sure that everyone who lives with or visits you doesn't cause a nuisance or annoy others
- Not use your home for any illegal or immoral purpose
- Ask permission to run a business from your home
- Live in your home - you can’t move out and allow someone else to move in
- Give us 4 weeks’ notice when you intend to move out
You are responsible for taking care of your home and we expect that you’ll:
- Not cause any damage
- Keep us up to date with who is living in your home
- Keep your home and garden clean, tidy and rubbish free
- Keep your home in good repair - take care of repairs you're responsible for and report any repairs that are ours
- Allow us access for annual gas inspections/condition surveys/electrical surveys or to carry out repairs
- Report any damage that you, those you live with or any visitors have caused
- Not leave caravans, trailers, other large items or untaxed vehicles on your drive or any shared area
- Return our calls when we need to speak to you and meet with us to review your tenancy
If you breach your agreement we will inform you and take appropriate action. If it is serious, we will take legal action.
Home Contents Insurance
We always advise all tenants to have their own contents insurance and following the flooding earlier this year we would really encourage you to make sure you cover your belongings with contents insurance.
While Torus cover your building insurance, your personal belongings need to be covered by contents insurance. Contents insurance covers everything you’d take with you if you move. From the jewellery you wear to the sofas you sit on; contents insurance covers the lot.
There is also lots of useful advice from the moneysavingexpert.com about contents insurance and how to access cheap contents insurance for tenants: www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/renters-contents-insurance/
Our responsibilities
As your landlord we will:
- Take account of your views
- Carry out the repairs we are responsible for
- Allow you to carry out your own improvements and alterations - but you need our permission first.
- Let you to take in lodgers – you’ll need our permission first and it can’t cause overcrowding
- Allow you to exchange with another social landlord or council tenant - providing you have our permission
- Give you information about the services we provide and how we perform
- Consult you about any changes to your service
Can a tenancy be inherited?
The right to inherit a tenancy, when the tenant dies, is known as succession.
Depending on the type of tenancy and your relationship with the person who died, you may have the right to inherit the tenancy.
Before this can happen you will need to provide evidence of:
- Who you are
- Your relationship with the tenant
- How long you have been living with them
Joint tenants
If you have a joint tenancy and the other joint tenant dies, you will automatically become the sole tenant.
Married and unmarried partners
If the tenant who died was your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabitee, and as long as the property was your home when they died, you can inherit an assured tenancy.
Relatives of an assured tenant
Depending on the tenancy agreement, if the tenant who died had no spouse, civil partner or cohabitee living with them, a relative may be able to inherit the tenancy.
Fixed term tenancy of less than two years
If the tenancy is an assured shorthold tenancy with a term of two years or less, you cannot inherit the tenancy.
Fixed term tenancy of two years or more
Where the tenancy was fixed for more than two years, the spouse, civil partner or cohabitee of the tenant may be able to inherit the tenancy, as long as it was their home when the tenant died.