A lifetime of security

We all want to feel secure in a forever home that we can make our own. Following the feedback and hard work of our Gateway Membership Team, we are ensuring our customers feel safe and secure at home by offering lifetime assured tenancies as standard.

The Gateway Membership Team act as your representatives at Watford Community Housing. The team is made up of tenants and individuals who are passionate about helping to improve services for residents. They are elected by Watford Community Housing members and make sure your voice is heard on many issues and aspects of our service. 

In the case of new tenancies, the Gateway Membership Team expressed the view that making assured tenancies our standard would be in the best interests of customers. Over recent years, we have offered rolling fixed-term contracts lasting five years at a time before being renewed. 

Our Group Board has agreed to the Gateway Membership Team’s suggestion, so assured tenancies will now be offered as standard. This will mean that tenancies last a lifetime, avoiding the need for tenancy renewal and giving customers greater security and certainty about their future. It also means that you can remain a Watford Community Housing customer for life, even if your needs change and you move to a different home. 

The assured tenancy will apply to every Watford Community Housing customer, aside from those who are in rent arrears. New customers will have a one-year starter tenancy, after which they will move to the lifetime tenancy.

This will have a positive impact on around 400 households on fixed-term tenancies who would have had a tenancy review over the next five years and also around 250 households who are currently in their starter tenancy period. 

We are pleased to be able to offer this new standard, ensuring the security of our customers’ homes and helping people to feel safe and settled for a lifetime.