Major change planned affecting people living in South Tyneside's 18,000 council houses – what it means

The local authority’s Labour cabinet of senior councillors, at a meeting this week, approved the consultation process for a “revised tenancy agreement.”

Last year (2024), senior councillors backed a formal process to dissolve South Tyneside Homes, the council’s arms length management organisation, and to bring the management of around 18,000 council properties back into the council.

This process concluded in November, 2024, with a “community operations directorate” established, and the service rebranded as South Tyneside Council Housing Services.

A report to cabinet at a meeting this week said that “the need for an up-to-date tenancy agreement with our tenants is essential to reflect changing lifestyles, tenants needs, and technological advances”.

It was noted that “as a responsible social landlord, our tenancy agreements must reflect recent regulatory changes to protect tenants” and that the revised agreement would “provide the council with a solid basis to take enforcement action where that is necessary as a last and final resort”.

The council said a “full, inclusive and transparent consultation process will ensure that the council is compliant and has enabled all tenants to be involved within the proposed changes to tenancy agreement”.

The consultation is expected to start in October, 2025, and will run for a “period of 12 weeks” before being “shared with housing and environment scrutiny committee in January, 2026, and implemented thereafter”.

It was noted that “if these changes are agreed and a new tenancy agreement is issued, continued engagement and information will be given to tenants to ensure a full understanding of their responsibilities as a tenant.”

A report presented to cabinet outlined the main proposed changes to the tenancy agreement, which will go out to consultation, which include:

• Strengthening tenancy fraud process and outlining the action where tenancy fraud is proven.
• Outlining a requirement for tenants to inform the council about household changes to ensure the property still meets the household’s needs.
• Providing a clearer explanation of the Right to Buy process and what rights tenants have during this period.
• Making it clear that (for safety purposes), it is always best for tenants to give the council access for essential repairs and servicing.
• Ensuring that tenants ask for permission if they are planning to make major changes to their home, including gas and electrical work.
• Ensuring that tenants ask for permission for other modifications such as CCTV, hard-wood flooring in upper flats or removal of adaptations.
• Setting out the responsibility to maintain gardens, including asking for permission to erect/maintain a shed, prohibit bonfires and set out restrictions for shared spaces.
• Outlining that tenants must not run a business from their home.
• Setting out that expected behaviours apply to all tenants as well as household members and visitors to the property.

Councillor Jane Carter, deputy council leader and cabinet member for housing and community safety, outlined the report on the consultation to cabinet at South Shields Town Hall on Wednesday (September 24, 2025).

“It has been several years since the current tenancy agreement was reviewed and updated, and within that time we have had several major legislative changes including the Social Housing (Regulation Act) 2023, Building Safety Act 2022 and Fire Safety Act 2021,” she said.

“In addition we have undergone the transfer of the management of council housing back into direct council control in November, 2024.

“Therefore the review and provisions to the tenancy agreement are timely, strengthening the council’s ability to fulfil statutory duties whilst importantly protecting our tenants and communities.

“The changes will allow us to more effectively address breaches in tenancy and tenancy fraud through effective enforcement.

“These proposed changes will also feed directly into the new tenancy fraud policy and the updated housing allocations policy to ensure that our social and affordable homes in the borough are going to those who are most in need, which is really critical in these challenging times.”

Cllr Carter added the consultation will include “every introductory and secure council tenant being written to”, along with face-to-face drop-in sessions at different locations across South Tyneside, which will be publicised, and additional sessions with housing plus residents.

Presentations on the proposed changes will also be given to all of the council’s community area forums, and information will be published on South Tyneside Council’s website.

For more information on the cabinet report discussed this week, visit South Tyneside Council’s website.