Your rights and responsibilities as a tenant

Your rights and responsibilities as a tenant

Before you move into your new home, we ask that you sign a tenancy agreement with us.

This is a very important document as it describes what you can expect of us as your landlord and what we can expect of you as our tenant. Unless your tenancy agreement states otherwise, all obligations and rights apply to joint tenants jointly and individually. 

Your tenancy agreement exists to help you, and to help us to provide the best possible home and environment for you to live in. 

Your tenancy agreement is a legal contract – please read it carefully and keep it safe. 

We have prepared a video guide to help make your tenancy agreement easier to understand and to answer any questions you might have. We also have an Easy Read guide to your tenancy agreement and a copy of a tenancy agreement for you to look at.  

If you are not sure about any part of your tenancy agreement, or would like further information, please contact us.

Tenancy types 

Chesterfield Borough Council uses three types of tenancy: 

  • interim 
  • introductory 
  • secure 

Most new tenants start as an introductory tenant and this means that for the first 12 months you don’t have the same rights as a secure tenant. 

Find out more about the rights and responsibilities of introductory tenants.

Our responsibilities 

We are committed to providing you with a home that you choose to live in, and the services that you want, so we will: 

  • help you to enjoy your home without unreasonable interference from us
  • keep your home in a good state of repair and carry out repairs as quickly as possible
  • help you wherever possible, and always be friendly and polite
  • treat your concerns and complaints seriously

Where it is reasonable to do so, we may take action to enforce the tenancy agreement.

Your responsibilities 

To help us to provide you with a quality service, please: 

  • let us know if you think you may have problems paying your rent on time 
  • be considerate towards your neighbours 
  • keep the inside and outside of your home in a clean and tidy condition 
  • allow us access to your home for repairs, servicing, inspections and improvements 


Go to the tenant handbook