Two tenancies at the same time

[RichPetunia]

I have just been offered a housing association tenancy in a different area. I need some time to get the house up to the standard I would like, so am reluctant to give up my current HA tenancy until the house is ok to move into.
Am I unreasonable to want to run two tenancies at the same time, and am I allowed to do so?

[RichPetunia]

For information, I can afford to run both until I am ready to move because I am on a good wage.

[PrincessWellington]

Yabu

[Caitlin17]

YABVVVU. There is a shortage of decent, affordable social housing and you think it's ok to have 2.

There are also legal aspects as running 2 may well mean you are in breach of lease conditions.

[DameDeepRedBetty]

You're not BU to want to run two tenancies for (say) a week, to sort out things in the new one and tidy up the old. But us home-buyers aren't normally granted that luxury, and the new tenants for your old place deserve to be allowed to move in asap.

[SporkandFooon]

No you are not being unreasonable.
Will you be able to do up your new property in four weeks? This is generally the amount of notice you are required to give to end your tenancy with housing associations.
If so, and if you can afford the rent on both properties, there is no reason why you can't. If you do not give the amount of notice specified in your tenancy agreement, you are breaching it.
You are not intending to run two tenancies for any length of time so you are not breaking any laws.

[RichPetunia]

I am perfectly aware there is a shortage of social housing. For information, the house I will give up will be passed 'by succession' to another member of my family, so will not be offered to someone on the waiting list.

[Hercy]

You can't be on that good a wage if you've been offered a housing association tenancy.

[MammaTJ]

Yeah, leave some poor souls in B&B for longer than is necessary because you, unlike most other people, do not want to live in a house while you are decorating!

[PrincessWellington]

Drip drip

[ModreB]

How long are you wanting to do this for? It's normally a 4 week notice period if you are leaving a HA tenancy, even when you have signed up for another one, so its tolerated for that long, but any longer and you will be in breach of both tenancy agreements.

FWIW, I was a Housing Officer for a HA for over 8 years.

[PrincessWellington]

What is the point it asking if your family member is taking over the tenancy? You can still stay there can't you regardless of the legal situation.

[mollythetortoise]

Iirc succession is only on death of tenant. Do you mean assignment? Are you moving to a different area? Housing benefit use to allow a 2 week period of "double" rent when tenants move from temporary housing to permanent (for example) and I think 2 weeks of holding both tenancies is generally considered reasonable.
Does your landlord know you have been offered another tenancy by another landlord? If so, what do they say?

[ModreB]

And on what grounds are you passing the tenancy to a successor? If they don't meet the criteria, they might not get the property.

[gamerchick]

Are you splitting up with somebody? That's the only reason I can think of you would be allowed aside from death. You can't just pass it on by your own choosing.

[DontmindifIdo]

Erm, why don't you pass to the other family member but ask them if you can continue to stay there while you do up the other place?

[FortyDoorsToNowhere]

if you can afford 2 rents on HA, then why are you even renting.

[Hegsy]

We normally try to have a month croasover when moving properties. We're private renters. Normally the one we're living in is paid in advance anyway. Just apply for council tax exemption in the one you're not living in.

[BiscuitsAreMyDownfall]

When I moved from one council to another in 2012 I didn't have to give 4 weeks notice. Also in 2005 when we went from temporary accommodation to our house we didn't have to give notice then either and was told we would get charged rent until we handed in the keys (for both the temp accom in 2005 and the house last year) Dont know what would have happened if we kept both for too long though.

[Feminine]

This has to be a wind-up. All the components are here.

[hwjm1945]

Wind up.note the high wage and passing on to family.enough to get hackles rising...................

[HerRoyalNotness]

Are you trying to start a fight on this lovely Sunday afternoon? Mmmmm?

[Harryhairypig]

No you won't. You can't occupy both as your home so are likely to lose your assured tenancy status for one of them which could be a problem for you

[SoonToBeSix]

Hercy HA tenancies have nothing to do with income why would they? In fact in many areas working people get priority to unemployed.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

I'm not sure I quite understand why the succession because the person whose succeeding would have to have lived there for 6 months already and the actual tenant would have to have died without leaving a joint tenant