Localism Act 2011

Tenancy strategies

150Tenancy strategies

(1)A local housing authority in England must prepare and publish a strategy (a “tenancy strategy”) setting out the matters to which the registered providers of social housing for its district are to have regard in formulating policies relating to—

(a)the kinds of tenancies they grant,

(b)the circumstances in which they will grant a tenancy of a particular kind,

(c)where they grant tenancies for a term certain, the lengths of the terms, and

(d)the circumstances in which they will grant a further tenancy on the coming to an end of an existing tenancy.

(2)The tenancy strategy must summarise those policies or explain where they may be found.

(3)A local housing authority must have regard to its tenancy strategy in exercising its housing management functions.

(4)A local housing authority must publish its tenancy strategy before the end of the period of 12 months beginning with the day on which this section comes into force.

(5)A local housing authority must keep its tenancy strategy under review, and may modify or replace it from time to time.

(6)If a local housing authority modifies its tenancy strategy, it must publish the modifications or the strategy as modified (as it considers appropriate).

(7)A local housing authority must—

(a)make a copy of everything published under this section available at its principal office for inspection at all reasonable hours, without charge, by members of the public, and

(b)provide (on payment if required by the authority of a reasonable charge) a copy of anything so published to any member of the public who asks for one.

(8)In this section and section 151 (preparation of tenancy strategy)—

(a)references to a registered provider of social housing for a district are to a registered provider who grants tenancies of dwelling-houses in that district, and

(b)“district”, “dwelling-house” and “local housing authority” have the same meaning as in the Housing Act 1985.

151Preparation of tenancy strategy

(1)Before adopting a tenancy strategy, or making a modification to it reflecting a major change of policy, the authority must—

(a)send a copy of the draft strategy, or proposed modification, to every private registered provider of social housing for its district, and

(b)give the private registered provider a reasonable opportunity to comment on those proposals.

(2)Before adopting a tenancy strategy, or making a modification to it reflecting a major change of policy, the authority must also—

(a)consult such other persons as the Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe, and

(b)in the case of an authority that is a London borough council, consult the Mayor of London.

(3)The authority must, in preparing or modifying a tenancy strategy, have regard to—

(a)its current allocation scheme under section 166A of the Housing Act 1996,

(b)its current homelessness strategy under section 1 of the Homelessness Act 2002, and

(c)in the case of an authority that is a London borough council, the London housing strategy.

152Standards about tenancies etc

In section 197 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (power of Secretary of State to give directions to regulator) in subsection (2) after paragraph (a) insert—

“(aa)tenure,”.

153Relationship between schemes and strategies

In section 3 of the Homelessness Act 2002 (homelessness strategy) after subsection (7) insert—

“(7A)In formulating or modifying a homelessness strategy, a local housing authority in England shall have regard to—

(a)its current allocation scheme under section 166A of the Housing Act 1996,

(b)its current tenancy strategy under section 150 of the Localism Act 2011, and

(c)in the case of an authority that is a London borough council, the current London housing strategy.”