Tenancy advice

We're here to help you in your council home. It might be your first time being a tenant. We provide an excellent tenancy assistance service to help you to settle in. It's not just a house; it's your home.

Some of the things we can help you with are:

Your tenancy agreement

• understanding your tenancy agreement
• how to be a good neighbour
• your rights and responsibilities
• safety and security within your home
• what happens if you break your tenancy agreement

Your household income

• Maximising your income
• Helping you to budget
• Referring you to other services for money advice
• Helping you to heat your home efficiently

Your tenancy mail

• Helping with any tenancy related forms or letters
• Helping to answer any questions you have about benefits

Your home and living standards

• How to get furniture or decoration for your home

Your additional needs

• Helping you to access local services or longer term housing support

Managing your tenancy through difficult circumstances

• relationship breakdown
• bereavement
• major life crisis

Help with your tenancy is a free service available to all our tenants. Your housing management officer (HMO) can help with this. It isn’t just restricted to the examples above; it's decided by you and what you require. Your HMO will arrange to meet you at your home. This is your opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

It may be that you need more specialised housing support. We can refer you for Short Term Housing Support for up to two years.

We want to make sure you feel settled and enjoy a good quality of life in your home.  We will visit you within four to six weeks of moving into your home. Hopefully you'll be settling in well.

‘A smart start to housing’ is a useful guide, designed to prepare you for a new home with us. Please refer to the 'Related Publications' at the bottom of the page.

Further advice and assistance

Furnishing your home - see alternative sources of support.

Budgeting - You may have multiple debts or are struggling to budget. We can refer you to CARF (Citizens Advice Rights Fife) for advice. Our Welfare and Benefits section also has some great advice on food banks and living on a budget.

Let’s keep you connected - Why not attend a digital skills class? We are starting to do even more online.  Whatever your level of knowledge or requirements, we can help. You can access computers at many different places throughout Fife:

• your local library
• your local job centre
• at Job Clubs

Overcrowding or under occupation – If your circumstances have changed, we need to know. You can click on this link to complete a Housing Options form. We also offer interviews at any customer service centre.

Noise and Neighbour issues – You shouldn't have to put up with these issues. Please see the Safer Communities section for more information. It will tell you how to report any incidents.

We want you to take pride in your home and make it your own. If you want to make changes to your home or garden, you must request a permission pack. You can get these at your local Customer Service Centre.

We may need to grant permission with special conditions if needed. We will not refuse your request without a good reason. It’s important that you get written permission from us, to make sure the work is being done to an agreed standard. Please do not carry out any work without this.

Please see the 'Alterations and adaptations to your property' section of our repairs page for more information. This will you give examples of alterations that would need permission.

**Please note, the Garden care scheme is now closed for 2022. No further applications can be made this year.**

Tenants who are part of our garden care scheme get their gardens maintained by us. It's open to any of our tenants if they meet the conditions below.

To join the scheme you should be:

• Over the age of 60, or
• Registered as disabled and in receipt of higher rate Disability Living Allowance. It needs to be both care and mobility components, or
• In receipt of Personal Independence Payment. You must receive either the enhanced mobility or enhanced daily living components.

You must also have no other person over 16 years old that can cut the grass and hedge for you.

If you don’t meet the above conditions, we may still be able to help. Some tenants can't manage their garden because of chronic ill health.

You can apply through your customer service centre. You should bring the following proofs:

• proof of age - Myfife card or photo driving licence
• Disability Living Allowance, or
• Personal Independence Payment

We don't need your payment when you first apply.

Standards of Service:

In a normal season, you can expect:

• grass cut every two weeks, weather permitting. We cut up to 500 square meters, for example 25 meters by 20 meters
• hedge cut on two occasions, weather permitting
  • once in June or July
  • once in September or October
• application of chemical weedkiller, if you want it. Weeds are sprayed but not removed.

Those who join the scheme after the date on the acceptance letter will receive fewer cuts.

Please complete the Request contact from your Housing Officer online form, if you think you are eligible, or you can email Tenancy.Management@fife.gov.uk

You will be offered a Short Scottish Secure Tenancy (SSST) if you (or a member of your family):

• have received an ASBO
• have been previously evicted for anti-social behaviour and have now been offered a house by us
• are moving to the area for employment
• have been evicted for rent arrears and are now receiving help from the Housing Support Service
• live in temporary accommodation (for example, if you are homeless)

What does the Short Scottish Secure Tenancy mean to you?

In most cases, your tenancy will be for a six-month period. This can be extended for another six months. If there are no issues after that, you'll be given a Scottish Secure Tenancy.

Your rights are slightly different if you're in a SSST:

• You'll not have the right to buy your home
• There is no 'rights of succession' for any adult living with you. This means no one else living in your home can take over the tenancy
• If you're newly working in the area, you'll not convert to a full tenancy. You can continue for six-month tenancy periods, however.

Can you appeal against our decision?

You can take legal advice from your own solicitor or speak to Citizen's Advice if you're not happy with our decision.

We would urge you to keep us informed if anything in your household changes. If you have a new addition to your household, or if someone leaves, it could affect your housing entitlement.

Please use the Request contact from your housing officer online form, to let us know.