Understanding your occupation contract
What is an occupation contract?
Your occupation contract is the agreement between you and Taff. It sets out what you agree to do, and what we agree to do.
In Wales, occupation contracts replaced tenancy agreements on 1 December 2022. This is because of a law called the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.
If your name is on the contract, you are a contract holder. This used to be called a tenant.
What does your contract tell you?
Your contract explains:
- your rights, like living in a safe home that is kept in good repair
- your responsibilities, like paying your rent and looking after your home
- how to make changes, like adding someone or swapping your home
- ending your contract like what you need to do if you decide to move out.
Where can I find my contract?
You should have been given a copy of your contract, called a written statement, when you moved in or when your contract changed.
Not sure what something in your contract means? Get in touch with us. We are happy to explain.
If you live in a flat
In a block of flats, you share some spaces with your neighbours.
These are called communal areas. They include entrances, corridors, stairwells, lifts, bin stores and fire exits.
Our Estate Assistants help keep the shared areas around your home clean, tidy and safe.
They visit blocks to:
- clean shared areas
- check for anything that could be unsafe
- report repairs
- deal with things left in shared areas
If you see them, feel free to say hello and tell them about any problems.
Put your rubbish in the bins or bin store for your block. Tie bags up and put them inside the bin, not next to it.
Please don’t leave rubbish in corridors, on landings or outside your door, even for a short time.
Bin days and recycling: Cardiff Council collects rubbish and recycling. You can check your bin day and what goes in each bag on their website.
Find your bin day and recycling information on the Cardiff Council website.
For big items like sofas, beds or fridges, your local council can collect them.
Making the most of your home
We know pets are an important part of the family
If you would like to have a pet in your Taff home, you will need to ask us first and get written permission. This is the same whether you live in a house or a flat.
You can do this by contacting us.
A few things to keep in mind
If you have a pet, please:
- Look after your pet and give them the care they need.
- Be mindful of your neighbours.
- Make sure your pet doesn’t damage your home or anyone else’s home.
If your pet causes damage, you may need to pay for repairs.
Sometimes, we may need to take back permission to keep a pet if they are causing problems for neighbours or the rules in your contract are not being followed.
Pet Policy Agreement:
Parking is different depending on where you live. Some Taff homes have parking spaces, while others don’t.
At some of our sites, parking is managed by another company on our behalf.
These companies may give you a parking charge if your vehicle is not registered or you don’t follow the parking rules.
Please check the parking signs where you live and follow the parking rules and be mindful of your neighbours.
If you need to register your vehicle, get in touch with us
Fly-tipping is when someone leaves rubbish or unwanted items where they shouldn’t.
This includes leaving furniture, mattresses, household items or bags of rubbish in shared areas, gardens or around bin stores.
Please do not leave unwanted items outside your home or next to bins. This can block access, attract pests and make shared spaces unsafe or unpleasant for your neighbours.
If you spot fly-tipping near your home, please let us know so we can look into it.
Parking charges come from the parking company, not Taff.
Making changes to your occupation contract
Things change, and sometimes you might want to move home, add someone to your contract or end your contract.
Here's what you need to know and how to get started.
Thinking about moving? You may be able to swap homes with another social housing tenant. They could live in a Taff home, or a home from another housing association or the council. This is called a mutual exchange.
You and the person you are swapping with both need permission from your landlords first.
Please do not move until we have agreed the swap in writing.
If someone lives with you, you can ask for them to be added to your contract. They would become a joint contract holder.
This means you would share the rights and responsibilities of the contract, including paying the rent.
If you would like to add someone to your occupation contract, please contact us.
Download the Application for Joint Tenancy :
If you are thinking about moving out of your Taff home, please let us know.
We will explain what you need to do to end your contract, including how much notice you need to give and what happens before you leave.
To end your contract, you will need to fill in a Surrender form. We will also talk you through things like handing back your keys and making sure your rent account is up to date.
Download the Notice to End Contract form:
