Thinking of moving

We might be able to offer you a range of help if you are thinking about moving from your home.

We’re ready to talk to you if you’re thinking about moving. We can give advice to help you stay in your current home, or tell you about your options such as transferring to another of our homes or swapping your home with another tenant.

If you decide that you’d like to move, you’ll usually need to give us four weeks’ notice. You can give your notice by contacting us and your notice period will begin from the next closest Monday.

If you are already living in a Thirteen home and will be moving to another home provided by Thirteen, timescales for your notice period may be different to the standard 4 weeks, but we will discuss that with you.

What happens after I give my notice?

After you’ve given your notice, we’ll give you a call to discuss the next steps and arrange a home inspection. During the home inspection, we’ll let you know how much rent you’ll need to pay to clear your account, check your home for any issues and answer any questions you may have.

Before you move you should make sure that your property is safe and in good condition for the next tenant and you have permission for any home alterations that you have made. This means that:

  • Fixtures and fittings are intact
  • Your property is clean, clear of rubbish and belongings
  • Your garden is safe, clear and tidy
  • Any decoration, such as wallpaper and paintwork, is in good condition

During our home inspection we’ll discuss any issues that you’ll need to fix before you move out. If these aren’t resolved by the time you move, we may charge you for repair or restoration costs which we’ll discuss and agree with you during our final visit.

We may advertise your home during your notice period and check if you’re happy to let us make arrangements for the next tenant to view your property before they accept. We’ll always make an appointment with you first if we want to show anyone around your home.

Towards the end of your notice period, we’ll be in touch to arrange a final visit to collect your keys and carry out our final checks on the day you move out.

If you are moving to another Thirteen property, you will not receive the keys for your new home or be able to start your new tenancy until your accounts are clear of any housing debt and any property issues have been resolved.

Case Study

Can I withdraw my notice?

We understand that circumstances can change and that you may decide that you’d like to stay in your home after you’ve given your notice, or that you need more time to move out. You should contact us to discuss this.

Case Study

Moving day checklist

There’s a lot to remember when moving out so to help take some of the stress out of moving day, we’ve put together a few tips:

  • Tell your water, gas, electricity and phone companies you’re moving and let them know your meter readings to make sure your final bill is correct
  • If you claim Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, you will need to update your claim with the DWP
  • Check that your home is clean, tidy and that you’ve remembered to remove all of your belongings and rubbish
  • Tidy your garden and clear any greenhouses or sheds
  • Hand over all keys and fobs to us