Types of Tenancy

Scottish Secure Tenancy

Most Council tenants will have a Scottish Secure Tenancy (PDF, 786 KB) which guarantees them certain rights, and also places certain duties upon them as tenants. Such as:

• You cannot be evicted from your home without a court order.
• You and anyone who lives in your house and uses it as their only home can apply for a joint tenancy.
• When a tenant dies the tenancy may be inherited in a number of ways;
  • their spouse
  • their partner who was living with them for at least 6 months before their death
  • the other joint tenant
  • another member of their family who was living there before the tenant's death
  • a carer who lived with the tenant before they died and gave up their only or main home to care for a member of the household
• You can sublet your tenancy, exchange your house or take in a lodger with written permission from the Council. You can also sign over your tenancy to anyone who has lived in your home for at least six months.
• The Council must carry out certain types of small urgent repairs on your home.
• You have a right to compensation at the end of your tenancy for certain types of improvements you have made to your home. The Council must have given you written permission to make the improvements.
• The Council must give you a written tenancy agreement, information about the complaints procedure, and information about right to buy and any responsibilities you may have if you buy your home.
• The Council must consult with tenants, and take account of their views, before making or changing any housing management policies that are likely to significantly affect you, such as repairs or rent and service charges. How we will do this in Perth and Kinross is set out in our Tenant Participation Strategy.
• You and your neighbours can get together to form a tenant management co-operative and enter into an agreement with the Council to manage your own homes.

Short Scottish Secure Tenancy

The Short Scottish Secure Tenancy (SSST) includes the same rights as the full Scottish Secure Tenancy, with the following exceptions:

• there is no right to buy
• your tenancy cannot be passed to someone else if you die
• your right to stay in the house is more limited than with a full SST

Short SSTs are useful where people are only looking for a short-term place to stay, or where support measures need to be put in place to help someone meet their responsibilities as a tenant.
If you are not happy with the offer of a short SST you have the right to appeal to the Sheriff Court. You can get advice on appealing from a solicitor or the Citizens' Advice Bureau.