Purpose

Adoption of updated Tenancy Strategy for
Guildford Borough

Content

Decision:
1.   To approve the draft
Tenancy Strategy as set out in Appendix 2 to the report submitted
to the Executive.
 
2.   To delegate authority to
the Joint Assistant Director for Housing to make minor amendments
to the Tenancy Strategy in line with future regulatory or
legislative changes in consultation with the relevant portfolio
holder.
 
Reasons:
1.   The Localism Act 2011
requires every local housing authority to prepare and publish a
tenancy strategy and to keep it under review.
2.   Guildford Borough
Council’s Tenancy Strategy was last updated in          
2020 and is therefore due for review. Guildford’s housing
services are currently undergoing significant transformation
through the Housing Improvement Programme. In addition, the Council
adopted the Housing Strategy and the Homelessness Prevention and
Rough Sleeping Strategy in April 2025. To ensure alignment with
these strategic priorities and reflect best practice, it is
recommended that the Tenancy Strategy is now reviewed and
updated.
3.   Updating the Tenancy
Strategy is part of the Housing Service’s commitment to
improvement and delivering the corporate priority of ‘Decent
and Affordable Homes’. Work is now underway to review and
update the Council’s Tenancy Policy to reflect our approach
to granting, managing and terminating tenancies.
 
Other options considered and
rejected by the Executive:
2.      
Do Not Approve the Draft Tenancy Strategy
This option was not recommended as it would leave the existing
Tenancy Strategy in place. However, the current document does not
fully reflect the Council’s updated strategic priorities, nor
recent legislative changes, and therefore carries a risk of
inconsistency, reduced effectiveness, and potential
non-compliance.
3.      
Defer Consideration of the Draft Tenancy
Strategy
This
option was not recommended as it would maintain the status quo in
the short term but could delay the alignment of tenancy policy with
the Council’s wider housing objectives. It may also reduce
the Council’s ability to provide a clear and consistent
framework for registered providers and residents, result in us
entering Local Government Reorganisation without and up to date
strategy in place and would not address the risks identified in the
report.
 
Details of any conflict of
interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any
dispensation granted:
None.