• We must ask your views about any of our housing plans if they affect you in a major way. For example, we will talk to you about any modernisation or improvement work we have planned for your home or your area. We will involve you or your residents' groups in local housing issues.
• We must ask your views about any planned changes to the terms of the occupation contract. We will tell you in writing if these changes are to go ahead.
• Residents’ organisations have the right to take over managing their homes. This is called the 'right to manage'. The scheme allows residents’ organisations to run services instead of us. Ask at your local housing office for more details.
• As a member of the public, you have the right to go and listen to our Executive Board and Scrutiny committees. These meetings of councillors decide how the housing service is run and managed. You have the right to see the records (minutes) that are kept of the meeting. You can find out more by contacting the Guildhall, Wrexham or by asking at your local housing office.
• Your right to be given information. You will be able to see certain information which is recorded on file and related to your occupation contract in general. However, there may be a charge.

Your rights

• If you are a secure contract holder, you have the right to swap your home (called a mutual exchange) with another of our secure contract holder, a housing association contract holder or a contract holder of another council. You must get our written agreement first.
• As a contract holder you have the right to apply to move to another council home.

Your rights 

• If you die, we may be able to pass your occupation contract to another person. This is the right to succession.
• You must not assign your occupation contract to another person. However, you can do through a mutual exchange, or if a court orders this.

In both of these circumstances, you need our written permission first.

Right to succession

In the event of a contract holder passing away, it may be possible for another person to be given a contract at the property.

Succession can take place when a sole contract holder dies leaving a spouse, civil partner, partner or other qualifying family member in the property.  

The law allows for up to 2 successions to take place. There can be a ‘priority successor’ and a ‘reserve successor’.

Priority successor 

This is the spouse or civil partner of the current contract holder. The contract will pass to them, regardless of whether any other family members are also living in the property.

Reserve successor

When a priority successor passes away or if there is no priority successor living in the property at that time. The contract can pass to a family member or carer. They are a reserve successor. 

A reserve successor may not be able to stay in the current property; if for example, it is bigger than the person needs. 

In these cases, staff will work with the remaining person to arrange suitable alternative accommodation. 

If you want to apply for a right to succession, you will need to complete an ‘application to change contract’ form (contact your local housing office). 

If a joint contract holder passes away

When a joint contract holder dies their interest in the contract passes automatically to the surviving joint contract holder(s) by “survivorship.” It is not a succession and the surviving joint contract holder(s) continue to be contract holders. Their rights are unaffected.

Your responsibilities 

• You must tell us in writing at least 4 weeks before you want to leave your home.
• The 4 weeks' notice must end on a Monday. You must return the keys to your home to your local estate office before 4.30pm on the date the occupation contract ends. If you return the keys after this, we’ll charge you the weekly rent amount for the home, up until the date the keys are returned or the locks to the premises are changed - whichever is earlier. If we need to change the locks, you’ll also have to pay these costs.
• You must make sure all rent and charges are paid up to the date the contract ends.
• You must leave the home and the fixtures we’ve provided in a good condition when you go (we don’t count wear and tear). If any are missing or aren’t in good condition, we’ll charge you to replace or repair them. You must not remove gas appliances or cooker points.
• You must not leave anybody else living in the home when you move out. If you do, we’ll evict them and charge you for the cost of evicting them, and for the continued use of the home.  You can’t pass on your occupation contract to anyone else without our written permission.
• When you leave the home, you must leave it and the garden clear of rubbish, furniture and other belongings, and in a clean condition. We’ll charge you for the cost of clearing items and cleaning the home.
• When your occupation contract ends, if you leave any item in the home we’ll assume you’ve abandoned it. We may then get rid of anything you leave in any way we see fit. If we sell any items, we may use any proceeds to reduce any debt you owe us, or for the cost of storing or getting rid of any items. We accept no responsibility for any items left in the home.
• If you are joint contract holders, any one of you can end the contract by giving us four weeks' notice. If you only want to end your share of the contract, you can do this by giving us 4 weeks’ notice and the remaining contract holders will keep their right to occupy the property.
• If you abandon your home, we’ll assume (after investigation) that you’ve given up your contract, and will then rent your home to someone else. We’ll charge you the costs of changing the locks and providing replacement keys.
• You must give us a forwarding address and make sure your post is redirected. We won’t accept responsibility for post addressed to you that’s delivered to the property after you’ve moved out.

• You may receive extra support services, through supporting people. If this applies to you, there will be a schedule attached to your occupation contract. These services may change.
• If you agree to this support, we assess you as needing supporting people services. However, you do not have to continue to accept those services. However, if as a result of the lack of support you break clauses of your occupation contract, we may take action to recover the contract.

• We will use your personal information (which you provided in the application form and any other information you may give us in the future) for all purposes in connection with your occupation contract.
• We may release this information to service providers and agents who carry out services on our behalf. We may check with other organisations how accurate information you provide is and share information with them, for example, government departments, the police, the probation service, the supported living section, other registered social landlords, healthcare, social and welfare advisors and organisations and so on.
• By signing your occupation contract, you agree to us processing sensitive personal information (for example, information about your health, race or ethnic origin and criminal records).
• You have a right to ask for a copy of your information (for which we charge a small fee) and to correct any inaccuracies in it.