Tenancy succession

When someone dies it is always a sad time, so at The Guinness Partnership we try to make things as simple as possible for the remaining household members.

When one of our tenants dies, it is sometimes possible for other people living in the home to become the new tenant. This is called succession. Here are some examples:

  • If you have a joint tenancy and one of you dies, the remaining tenant has the right to remain in the home
  • If the last remaining joint tenant dies, no one has the right to the tenancy
  • In some cases (like civil partnerships) a person who was living in the home - who was not a joint tenant - may have the right to take on the tenancy, as long as the property has been their main home
  • A close family member may be offered the tenancy provided they have been living there for at least a year before the death

We may offer the new tenant (or successor) an alternative home if their current home has is specially adapted or is too big for their needs.

For more information contact your local housing office or refer to The Guinness Partnership’s Customer Handbook.