Tenancy Strategy

Contents

1. Introduction
2. About Oxford City
3. Tenancy Strategy Aims and context
4. Partnership working with Registered Providers
5. Affordable housing
6. Affordability
7. Housing Management, Tenancy Management and Anti-social Behaviour
8. Domestic Abuse and Safe Tenure
9. Partnership and Delivery Framework
10. Monitoring and Review

• Appendix A: Tenancy Types and Oxford City Council Expectations

1. Introduction

Oxford City Council (“the Council”) is required to have a Tenancy Strategy in place which sets out the Council’s requirements and expectations of registered providers of social housing operating within the city.

Under section 150 of the Localism Act 2011, all registered providers, including the Council as a social landlord, must have regard to this strategy when formulating policies related to:

• Developing, letting and managing new and existing dwellings in the City 
• Formulating or reviewing their tenancy policies and operating procedures affecting tenants in Oxford.

This document updates and replaces Oxford City Council’s Tenancy Strategy 2018-23 and has been informed by key Oxford City housing policies including:

• Housing, Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-2028
• Housing Allocations Scheme
• Oxford City Council Strategy 2024-2028

This document responds to the national legislative and policy context established by the Localism Act 2011, the Housing Acts of 1985, 1988 and 1996 (including the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017), the Homelessness Act 2002, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.

The latter introduced a new system of proactive consumer regulation and a revised set of Consumer Standards in 2024.

The Tenancy Strategy is also complimented by and supports a range of Council policies including the Council’s Domestic Abuse Policy for Service Users and Anti-Social Behaviour Policy. 

There are 4 revised consumer standards that social housing providers must adhere to:

• Safety and Quality Standard
• Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard
• Neighbourhood and Community Standard
• Tenancy Standard

Registered providers should develop their tenancy policies in line with relevant legislation and the Regulator’s expectations as set out in the above standards.

The standards direct registered providers to offer ‘tenancies or terms of occupation which are compatible with the purpose of the accommodation, the needs of individual households, the sustainability of the community, and the efficient use of their housing stock’ (s.1.3.1 Tenancy Standard, Consumer Standards 2024)

The Council is committed to ensuring that everyone in the City has access to a safe, secure and affordable home and this strategy provides a framework for tenancy-related decision making across the City.

The Council wants to ensure that social housing is allocated and managed in ways that reduce the risk of homelessness, promotes tenancy sustainment and creates great homes for all in line with the Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-2028.

The key objectives of the Tenancy Strategy are:

• To promote the Council’s housing vision with a focus on providing secure or assured social tenancies.
• New social housing tenancies are let at genuinely affordable rents i.e. in line with Social Rent levels ideally or at Affordable Rent capped at Local Housing Allowance (or equivalent measure) levels
• To reduce the risk of homelessness, promote tenancy sustainment and contribute to the Council priorities of delivering good affordable homes and thriving communities.
• To ensure that registered Providers of social housing have regard to and adhere to the Tenancy Strategy within their own policies and work closely with their tenants and in partnership with the Council to the benefit of the local community

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2. About Oxford City

Oxford is a vibrant, internationally renowned city with a growing population of 165,200 (ONS, June 2023). While celebrated for its rich cultural heritage, world-class education, and economic opportunities, Oxford faces deep-rooted housing challenges. Oxford has long been one of the least affordable places to live in the UK, with a chronic housing shortage reflected in a current affordable housing waiting list of over 3,800 people (as of September 2025), for a new allocation or transfer of social housing. During the 2024/25 financial year, whilst the Council’s Allocations Team successfully rehoused 450 households into social housing, the demand far out stripes the current supply.

Housing affordability is a major concern: the average house price now stands at £560,880 - around 12 times the average local earnings (ONS, House price to workplace-based earnings ratio) - placing home ownership well beyond the reach of many. Private rents are similarly unaffordable, making it extremely difficult for low and middle-income households to secure suitable accommodation.

These pressures have significant social consequences. One in four children in Oxford lives below the poverty line once housing costs are accounted for. Ten of the City’s 83 neighbourhoods are among the 20% most deprived in England, and 19% of adults have no or low educational qualifications (ONS, 2021 Census).

Meanwhile, population growth, driven by a strong economy and an influx of workers, students, and families - has further intensified demand. Between 2011 and 2021, Oxford’s population grew by 6.7% (ONS, 2021 Census), yet housing supply has not kept pace. The Council has limited powers to regulate private rents, meaning many residents face high housing costs and tenancies with little or no security. These challenges underline the urgent need for a sustainable approach to housing that prioritises affordability, stability, and opportunity for all.

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3. Tenancy Strategy Aims and context

This strategy aims to promote an accessible framework for all registered providers to work closely with the Council to ensure that affordable housing – existing or new – meets Oxford’s housing needs, is truly affordable and creates good quality and energy efficient accommodation.  

The Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-2028 sets out five key objectives:

• Priority 1 - Providing more, affordable homes
• Priority 2 - Great homes for all
• Priority 3 - Housing for a net zero carbon future
• Priority 4 - Preventing homelessness and adopting a rapid rehousing response
• Priority 5 - Ending rough sleeping

This tenancy strategy seeks to compliment these objectives and confirms, in addition to providing more affordable homes, preventing homelessness and providing good quality homes as top priorities for the Council, by providing homes rather than just houses, the Council, along with other registered providers and partner agencies, can help to build safe and secure environments that promote stability and create thriving communities.

The Council aims to work closely with registered providers to achieve the best outcomes for residents of Oxford. The Regulator for Social Housing’s consumer standards are clear that registered providers should assist the local authority in achieving their strategic housing function as well as promoting “social, environmental and economic wellbeing in the areas where they provide social housing’ (s.1.2.1 Neighbourhood and Community Standard, Consumer Standards 2024)

The Council has the strategic responsibility to work in partnership with all registered providers of social housing and has signed a local partnership arrangement under the Oxford Register of Affordable Housing (ORAH) to co-ordinate nominations and allocations of housing, as well as supporting the Council’s aims on promoting tenancy sustainment and preventing unnecessary evictions in line with the Regulator for Social Housing’s Tenancy Standard.

The ORAH partnership compliments the Council’s Allocation Scheme and the pre-eviction protocol the Council has in place with registered providers and aims to promote good practice.

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4. Partnership working with Registered Providers

The Council expects all registered providers operating in the city to adopt tenancy policies and management practices that are fully aligned with the principles and priorities set out in this strategy and to continue to work in partnership through regular engagement meetings with the Council and partner agencies to achieve the strategy aims.

The term Registered Providers encompasses:

• Local authorities that are registered providers
• Other bodies, such as housing associations, that have registered with the Regulator (known as ‘Private Registered Providers’)

The Council manages approximately 8,100 homes. Other registered provider partners have approximately 4,100 social housing properties within Oxford that they manage.

The Council acknowledges the use of Introductory or Starter Tenancies for new social housing tenants. Introductory or starter tenancies usually last for 12 months, after the 12-month period, the tenancy will automatically become secure or assured if the tenant has met the tenancy conditions, unless the registered provider decides to seek eviction or extend the introductory or starter tenancy for the prescribed time period.

With Introductory or Starter tenancies, tenants are entitled to almost all the same rights as others, but there are certain limits and less security of tenure in some areas, for example a tenant in breach of their tenancy can be evicted more easily. These tenancies allow new tenants to demonstrate they can successfully manage their tenancy obligations and there is an expectation that tenants will receive adequate support to manage their tenancy successfully. The Council sets out in its tenancy policy how it implements introductory tenancies for Council tenants.

The expectations of registered providers are to:

• Support the use of “lifetime tenancies” - either secure or assured, are the standard approach and the Council’s preference when issuing a tenancy. This reflects the importance of security of tenure in supporting community sustainability overall.
• The use of fixed-term tenancies is discouraged and normally not allowed in s.106 agreements as it does not meet the Council’s aims to provide long-term secure housing. The Council acknowledges there may be exceptional circumstances where fixed term tenancies could be used, such as making use of grant funding where the provision of a fixed term tenancy allows for the best use of stock or if it supports a local lettings plan or with prior agreement from the Council, where the property can only be let on a short-term basis and would otherwise be left vacant due to a planned re-development in the future or other reasons. If registered providers do offer a fixed term tenancy, there should be clear information, robust review mechanisms, early communication with tenants, and access to independent advice. In addition, the Council would expect:
  • Clear information about the tenancy to be provided to prospective tenants before the start of a tenancy (i.e. when the property is advertised/before the property is allocated) 
  • Adhere to the Regulator of Social Housing’s Tenancy Standard regarding fixed term tenancy length and offer a minimum of 5 years tenancy unless in exceptional circumstances
  • A presumption that fixed term tenancies will be renewed if the circumstances of the household are broadly similar to those when the original letting was made.
  • There should be a tenancy review between 6 and 12 months prior to the end of the fixed term which should include (but not limited to) consideration of how the tenant has conducted their tenancy, managed their property, if the property is still suitable to meet the housing needs of the household and if the tenant has the means to move to alternative accommodation.
  • The Council discourages ending a fixed term tenancy if a tenant has improved their employment situation and earned income and seeks to promote improvement in tenant financial circumstances
  • The registered provider will adhere to the Council’s pre-eviction protocol at the end of a fixed term tenancy and include the provision of advice to the tenant regarding the appeal process, accessing independent legal advice and how to secure suitable alternative accommodation.
• Work in partnership with Oxford City Council to help meet the housing needs of Oxford residents, including the provision of homes for households in temporary accommodation and those at risk of homelessness, in line with Council duties under the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 as well as working with the Council to increase the supply of temporary accommodation.
• Deliver effective approaches to tenancy sustainment and adhere to the Council’s pre-eviction protocol.
• Support effective tenancy management including addressing anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse, and wider neighbourhood issues by maintaining a meaningful presence in the City and working collaboratively with Council teams, the Police, and other statutory and voluntary services.
• Treat tenants and prospective tenants with fairness and respect and promote tenant engagement
• The Council discourages the routine use of short-term or non-secure tenure arrangements.

These expectations apply equally to the Council in its role as a landlord of social housing. In line with Section 150(3) of the Localism Act 2011, the Council will have regard to this Tenancy Strategy when exercising its own housing management functions and the Council publishes a separate Tenancy Policy for all Oxford City Council tenants.

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5. Affordable housing

The National Planning Policy Framework (2024) defines Affordable housing as “housing for sale or rent, for those whose needs are not met by the market (including housing that provides a subsidised route to home ownership and/or is for essential local workers); and which complies with one or more of the following definitions:

1. Social Rent: meets all of the following conditions: (a) the rent is set in accordance with the Government’s rent policy for Social Rent; (b) the landlord is a registered provider; and (c) it includes provisions to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households, or for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision.
2. Other affordable housing for rent: meets all of the following conditions: (a) the rent is set in accordance with the Government’s rent policy for Affordable Rent, or is at least 20% below local market rents (including service charges where applicable); (b) the landlord is a registered provider, except where it is included as part of a Build to Rent scheme (in which case the landlord need not be a registered provider); and (c) it includes provisions to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households, or for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision. For Build to Rent schemes affordable housing for rent is expected to be the normal form of affordable housing provision (and, in this context, is known as Affordable Private Rent).
3. Discounted market sales housing: is that sold at a discount of at least 20% below local market value. Eligibility is determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices. Provisions should be in place to ensure housing remains at a discount for future eligible households.
4. Other affordable routes to home ownership: is housing provided for sale that provides a route to ownership for those who could not achieve home ownership through the market. It includes shared ownership, relevant equity loans, other low-cost homes for sale (at a price equivalent to at least 20% below local market value) and rent to buy (which includes a period of intermediate rent). Where public grant funding is provided, there should be provisions for the homes to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households, or for any receipts to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision, or refunded to Government or the relevant authority specified in the funding agreement.

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6. Affordability

Oxford is one of the least affordable places to live in the UK, with both house prices and private rents significantly exceeding national averages. This makes it essential that all affordable housing in the City is genuinely affordable to households on low and modest incomes.

The Council expects registered providers to set rents in accordance with the Rent Standard as set out by the Regulator for Social Housing, except where exclusions apply.

Social Rents

The Council expects registered providers to offer all new homes, and re-let homes wherever possible, at Social Rent level and encourages registered providers to set rents in line with social rent benchmarks as the default rental type and to use affordability assessments that reflect the realities of household income, particularly for low-income groups. Rent setting should not push households into hardship or unsustainable financial situations.

Affordable rents

The use of Affordable Rent tenures should be limited to specific scenarios and in such cases, rents, including any applicable services charges, should not exceed the Local Housing Allowance (LHA).

Although the Council does not generally support Affordable Rent as a default tenure in place of Social Rent, it acknowledges that in exceptional circumstances Affordable Rent is appropriate i.e.:

• Affordable Rents may be applied to new homes funded by Homes England (or other grant agencies) where Affordable Rent is expected in order to comply with grant funding requirements. Hence not to offer properties with Affordable Rents could limit the availability of grant funding and the opportunities to build new affordable homes in the area (In this case, the rent should be capped and not exceed Local Housing Allowance (LHA) Rates). Charging above LHA rates will exacerbate financial problems for the household and could result in loss of tenancy due to rent arrears.
• Affordable Rents (with rents capped to not exceed LHA rates) could be acceptable as intermediate tenure i.e. the additional affordable housing units offered over and above the required proportion of social rented tenure homes required through planning policy on suitable development sites (see Oxford Local Plan policies).
• Affordable Rent properties (with rents capped at LHA levels) may be applied to some new-build where there are exceptional viability circumstances on a development site i.e. where site viability has been tested and this clearly demonstrates that the site cannot deliver the required proportion of social rented tenure but it could be viable with a small element of Affordable Rent tenure as part of the overall affordable housing provision (any proposals would need to meet with current and future Oxford Local Plan Policies).
• Affordable Rent properties (with rents capped at LHA levels) may be applied to some acquisitions where there are exceptional viability circumstances. i.e. where acquisition viability has been tested and this clearly demonstrates that the site cannot be delivered without an element of Affordable Rent tenure

For further guidance on how affordable housing provision is governed through the planning system please refer to Oxford City Council planning policies and government guidance.

The Council does not support rent increases that would result in Affordable Rents rising above LHA rates in future years, as this undermines the principles of affordability and creates barriers to tenancy sustainment. Providers are encouraged to reference current ONS and LHA data when setting rent levels and to consider affordability assessments that reflect local incomes and circumstances.

Shared Ownership

Shared Ownership is one of a range of intermediate housing options. In a city with high housing costs, it is essential that these homes remain genuinely affordable to those they are intended to serve.

Whilst the Council’s preference is for affordable housing properties to be let at a social rent, it understands that shared ownership is an alternative option for residents.

The Council wants to ensure that tenants are offered the most affordable rental portion when purchasing a shared ownership property. Due to this, the Council encourages all registered providers when undertaking development scheme appraisals and modelling on a shared ownership unit, to assume the % rent charge on unsold equity is set at 2% and to only go up (to 2.75% max) in increments if this is necessary to ensure that a scheme is viable. This policy will maximise the affordability for prospective owners of shared ownership properties, whilst assessing and ensuring scheme viability for registered providers.

The Council encourages registered providers to recycle capital receipts from the sale of shared ownership units to deliver new affordable housing in Oxford.

The Council advocates for service charges for shared ownership units are kept to an affordable level (See below)

Shared Ownership homes must be affordable relative to the applicant’s income, taking into account mortgage repayments, rent, and service charges. Providers should carry out affordability assessments that are robust, transparent, and aligned with the criteria used by Homes England and reputable lenders. The  Council does not support Shared Ownership being promoted as a substitute for affordable homes for rent and expects all schemes to demonstrate that they meet genuine housing need.

Shared ownership affordability

The Council advocates for shared properties to be affordable for owners. It is the aspiration of the Council that shared ownership owners do not spend an excessive amount of their net income on rent/mortgage costs, this has been examined and reported on by the Affordable Housing Commission and supported by leading charities such as Shelter and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

The availability of mortgages and the cost of mortgage payments will be influenced by a purchaser’s available deposit and income, the current mortgage interest rates and the range of mortgage lenders who are able to lend on shared ownership properties (which can be a limited number of lenders in the market). The Council understands that there will need to be flexibility for individual aspiring homeowners to be able to purchase properties and registered providers should support making properties as affordable as possible.  

Service Charges

Service charges are governed by separate legislative requirements, including the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, The Service Charges (Consultation Requirements) (England) Regulations 2003, Service Charges (Summary of Rights and Obligations, and Transitional Provision) (England) Regulations 2007 and relevant provisions within tenancy and leasehold agreements. Under these regulations, tenants and leaseholders must be provided with a summary of their rights and obligations in relation to service charges.

The Council recognises that service charges, when combined with rent - or with mortgage payments in the case of Shared Ownership—can significantly affect the overall affordability of a home, particularly for households on low incomes or those reliant on Universal Credit or Housing Benefit. In such cases, not all elements of a service charge may be eligible for support under the housing cost element of welfare payments.

Affordable housing providers operating in Oxford are therefore expected to:

• Endeavour to keep service charges to a minimum, in scheme design and operation and ensure any increases are reasonable and clearly justified;
• Clearly distinguish between rent and service charges in tenancy agreements, property adverts, and marketing materials;
• Engage with the Council before introducing new or non-eligible service charges that may increase tenants’ financial burden;
• Comply with the Regulatory of Social Housing’s ​Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, which requires providers to supply tenants with transparent information including about how service charges are calculated and reviewed.

Oxford City Council encourages all registered providers to monitor the cumulative impact of rents and service charges on affordability, and to ensure compliance with national guidance and good practice in all communications with tenants and prospective buyers.

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7. Housing Management, Tenancy Management and Anti-social Behaviour

Tenancy and housing management

Registered providers must maintain tenancy management services that adhere to the Consumer Standards 2024 and respond to diverse tenant needs. This includes effective management of all conditions of the tenancy agreement, including tackling tenancy fraud, managing tenancy changes, mutual exchanges (e.g. Home Swapper Scheme or equivalent) and the Right to Buy process (for Council tenants) and will ensure that social housing tenants act appropriately and in accordance with their tenant responsibilities.

Anti-social Behaviour

The Council realises the impact anti-social behaviour can have on residents and supports taking appropriate action. In line with the Regulator for Social Housing’s Neighbourhood and Community Standard, the Council promotes joint working between local authorities, the police and other relevant organisations to tackle anti-social behaviour and hate incidents across the district.

The Council supports the consideration of available tenancy management powers to address anti-social behaviour, including using demoted tenancies. We would expect actions to be proportionate and to recognise and consider the support needs of the tenant and use the lowest level of intervention suitable for the case.

Tenancy Sustainment

All registered providers should deliver tenancy sustainment services, participate in the Council’s pre-eviction protocol, and adhere to the Pre-Action Protocol for Possession Claims. Information about registered providers’ tenancy sustainment offer should be promoted on their website with accessible ways for their tenants to contact and access this service.

The Council expects a strong emphasis on early intervention, proactive engagement with tenants in difficulty before crisis point, and close partnership working through the Tenants at Risk process and the Council’s homelessness prevention services and commissioned services, which supports individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Tenant decants

In cases of planned redevelopment or major works where decanting is required, registered providers must adhere to the Council’s decant requirements as set out in the Allocation Scheme. Tenants should be involved at the earliest opportunity, provided with clear and accessible information, and supported throughout the rehousing process to minimise disruption and maintain community links.

Tenants of registered providers living in Oxford, who are required to move due to redevelopment, refurbishment, or essential repairs that cannot be completed with them in residence, may be awarded ‘decant status’ under the Council’s Allocation Scheme. This is granted by a senior manager and entitles the household to a priority move. As per the Tenancy Standard, registered providers shall grant tenants who have been moved into alternative accommodation during any redevelopment or other works a tenancy with no less security of tenure on their return to settled accommodation.

Best use of stock

The Council supports the best use of social housing stock in line with the Regulator of Social Housing’s Consumer Standards 2024. The Council supports registered provider schemes to incentivise freeing up larger properties for households in need. This includes the Removals and Expenses Move-on (REMS) incentive scheme offered to Council Tenants who are under-occupying their current home and who wish to downsize. This would allow their current home to be offered to a family and be fully occupied.

Successions

Successions to tenancies should be applied in line with legislation and Government guidance applicable at the time of the succession application. Where a person succeeds to a tenancy but needs to move, please refer to the Council’s Allocations Scheme for more details.

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8. Domestic Abuse and Safe Tenure

The Council is committed to ensuring that survivors of domestic abuse can access safe, secure, and stable housing. In line with the Secure Tenancies (Victims of Domestic Abuse) Act 2018, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, and the principles of the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA), any secure or assured tenant who is rehoused due to domestic abuse must be offered a tenancy equivalent to the one previously held, in the case of social tenancies.

The Council supports a collaborative approach to promoting trauma informed housing pathways for victims of domestic abuse as per the Neighbourhood and Community Standard which confirms ‘Registered providers must work co-operatively with other agencies tackling domestic abuse and enable tenants to access appropriate support and advice.’  (s.1.4.1 Neighbourhood and Community Standard, Consumer Standards 2024). Oxford City Council expects all partners to implement this consistently and monitor allocations to ensure compliance with this statutory duty and best practice.

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9. Partnership and Delivery Framework

The Council expects that all registered providers will comply with the Rent standard and other relevant legislation when re-letting housing stock and not convert properties let at social rent levels, unless in exceptional circumstances as defined by the Regulator of Social Housing.

Through the Oxford Register of Affordable Housing (ORAH), the Council and its registered provider partners have agreed shared principles for housing allocations, nominations, and tenancy management. ORAH partners are expected to provide 90%–100% of all lettings to applicants on the Council’s Housing Register. They are also expected to support the operation of the common housing register and ensure that any disposals or tenure conversions of affordable housing stock are subject to the Council’s review and approval. Where a property is sold, it should be replaced with a new Social Rent home within Oxford.

Through the ORAH partnership, registered providers cannot convert tenures nor dispose of rented affordable homes without the explicit consent of the Council.

For new developments, registered providers are expected to comply with the tenure mix and affordability expectations set out in Oxford’s Local Plan. The Council’s Affordable Housing Policies specify that at least 80% of the total affordable housing delivered on-site should be for Social Rent, with the remaining 20% delivered as intermediate housing.

While Affordable Rent may form part of that intermediate tenure mix, Affordable Rent at 80% of market rent is not considered genuinely affordable for most households on low to median incomes in Oxford. The Council therefore expects that Affordable Rent is used only where justified, and in a way that meets local affordability benchmarks or as stated within the Affordable Rent section of this document.

The Council recognises that in some constrained or complex development sites, a degree of flexibility may be required to maximise delivery. In such cases, any proposed variation to tenure mix or rent levels must be agreed with Oxford City  Council on a case-by-case basis, subject to the planning process.

Build to rent

The Council strongly encourages new build stock to be held by registered providers of social housing and to consider the agreement of nomination rights for households that are most in need within the district. If a build to rent scheme is approved by the Local Planning Authority that are not held by registered providers of social housing, rents should be set at an affordable rent according to s.106 agreements. In line with government guidance, the build to rent operator should work with local authorities taking into account households from the Council’s housing list where there are eligible households to support the Council’s homelessness duties. Rents should be set at an affordable rent in perpetuity and should not be re-let at a non-affordable rent.

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10. Monitoring and Review

The Council will monitor delivery of the Tenancy Strategy to ensure it delivers the objectives and outcomes for local residents.

Formal monitoring will be conducted through a yearly report to the Council’s Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) and then shared for consideration and input from the Council’s scrutiny committee and relevant tenant and leaseholder board.

Alongside formal monitoring, the Council will keep the contents under review and will update with any minor changes to take account of:

• Updates to the Council’s relevant housing policies and strategies
• Legislations or regulations to which it must follow
• Good practice developments

The Council will hold regular partnership meetings with registered providers and relevant agencies within the City to prioritise the objectives within the strategy, including ORAH partnership meetings regarding lettings and nominations, new housing supply and housing management within neighbourhoods.

Tenancy policies of all registered providers should be published online and made available to the Council on request.

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Appendix A: Tenancy Types and Oxford City Council Expectations

*Examples of acceptable use for fixed-term tenancies include adapted homes with a specific mobility need, accommodation tied to employment, rent-to-buy schemes, or properties due for redevelopment. These must be clearly justified and subject to early and transparent review.

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Reference List

Legislation and Guidance Referenced in the Strategy

• Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023: Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023
• Localism Act 2011: Localism Act 2011
• Consumer Standards 2024: Annex 3: Consumer standards 1 April 2024 - GOV.UK
• Equality Act 2010: Equality Act 2010
• Domestic Abuse Act: Domestic Abuse Act 2021
• Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance: DAHA - Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance
• National Planning Policy Framework: National Planning Policy Framework
• Oxford Population Statistics: Oxford's population statistics

Oxford City Council Strategies and Policies Referenced

• Oxford City Council Strategy: Introduction - Our Strategy | Our Strategy 2024-28
• Housing, Homeless and Rough Sleeping Strategy: Introduction | Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023 to 2028
• Allocations Scheme: Housing Register Allocations Scheme - summary version
• Choice-Based Lettings: Choice Based Lettings
• Domestic Abuse: Domestic Abuse Policy for Service Users
• Anti-social Behaviour: Anti-social Behaviour Policy
• Anti-social Behaviour: Anti-social Behaviour Procedures
• Oxford City Council Tenancy: Your tenancy agreement
• Incentive Scheme for tenants: Incentive scheme for council tenants to move into a smaller home
• Tenant Satisfaction Measures: Tenant Satisfaction Measures - April 2024 to March 2025 | Our performance as a landlord

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Version: January 2026