Becoming A Council Tenant

We will notify you when the property is ready for you to move into and ask you to attend an interview to complete the paper work.

Your Tenancy Agreement

When you become a tenant of Wrexham County Borough Council, you will sign a tenancy agreement with us. This is a legal document which sets out the relationship between you and us. All new tenants become "introductory tenants", whilst existing secure or assured tenants of both the Council and a Housing Association will be granted a "secure" tenancy.

If you become an introductory tenant, the first 12 months in your home are a trial period. All your rights and responsibilities are explained to you in the leaflet called "Your Introductory Tenancy".

If you become a secure tenant you have more rights, and can keep your home for as long as you wish, providing that the Court has not given the Council possession of the property.

Your Rights as a Secure Tenant

Your rights and obligations as a secure tenant are fully explained in the "Tenants Handbook". As a secure tenant your rights may include:

• Buying your home from us through the right to buy scheme

• Handing on your tenancy when you die to any joint tenant, or a husband, wife, partner or close family member if they live with you at the time of your death – a process called succession

• Handing on your tenancy before you die to someone (as above) who could take over the tenancy when you die – a process called assignment

• Taking in a lodger or subletting part of your home

• Exchanging properties with another secure tenant or a tenant of a housing association.

Your Bills  

You must pay your rent on a weekly basis. We encourage payment by Direct Debit as this is convenient for both you and us. Otherwise, you can be issued with a payment card which allows you to pay at Housing Offices and over 100 local outlets throughout the Borough which display the PayPoint symbol. You can also pay your rent via the internet or by telephone. If you are on a low income, you may be able to get housing benefit to help with your rent payments.

Paying your rent is a condition of your tenancy agreement and you are at risk of losing your home if you are in arrears.

You will also be responsible for paying council tax, house insurance, water and sewerage charges and charges for gas and electric supplied to the property.

It is important that you take meter readings and notify your gas and electric suppliers of the readings as soon as your tenancy commences.

Your Repairs

We are responsible for keeping the structure and outside of the property in good condition. We will also keep the following in good condition:

• Heating & water heating equipment
• Electric wiring, gas & water pipes
• Kitchen & bathroom fittings

You must report faults or damage to us immediately. If you deliberately damage items (doors or windows) you must replace them, if not we will do the work and recharge you. You must keep your home and garden in a clean and tidy condition.   

Your Neighbours

People can sometimes forget that our normal everyday and routine activities can be a source of nuisance and annoy others. We ask all our tenants to consider the impact your daily activities may have on your neighbours paying particular attention to:

• playing of loud music, parking of your car, controlling your dog, minimising nuisance caused to neighbours as a result of parties or barbecues

It will be a condition of your new tenancy agreement that you or anyone visiting you does not cause a nuisance to other people. Your home is at risk if you break these conditions.

Your Landlord

Housing services are provided through 6 Housing Offices. In each office we deal with cash collection, rent arrears, the housing register, transfers and exchanges, repairs and improvements and the managing of estates.

We are committed to providing you with excellent standards of customer care at all times. Putting tenants first is at the heart of all our activities. We aim to provide effective and efficient services by being responsive and caring and we aim to keep our promises. We listen to our tenants, seek to keep you informed and need to know when you have a problem.

We would also like to hear from you if you have any suggestions on how we can improve our services, if you have any difficulty using any services or if you require any information on how we can help.

If you wish to comment or complain about the service you have received please contact:

The Representations & Complaints Officer
Housing Services
Ruthin Road
Wrexham
LL13 7TU

Tel: 01978 315442
Email: housing@wrexham.gov.uk