Tenancy Relations Service (TRS)

TRS is part of the Council’s Housing Section. The core aim and objective of the TRS is private landlord and tenant engagement.

The service recognises the importance of Oldham’s private rented sector (PRS) and its role in providing safe and affordable homes for Oldham residents. To ensure the sector functions appropriately the TRS is on hand to offer advice and support to tenants and landlords on what their responsibilities and legal obligations are in accordance with the law.

The activities of the TRS can be broken down into four keys interventions:

  • Homelessness Prevention
  • Protection from Unlawful Eviction and/or Harassment
  • Tenant Advice
  • Landlord Advice

Main activities of the Tenancy Relations Service:

Homelessness Prevention

  • Prime focus on sustaining and reinstating tenancies to prevent tenants from becoming homeless
  • Finding solutions to the issues that may be creating a threat of homelessness. For example, resolving issues of affordability or reminding landlords and tenants of their rights and obligations
  • Proactive and upstream activities to extend a tenancy or help a tenant secure a new tenancy with another landlord
  • Offering informal advocacy or mediation where both the landlord and tenant are willing to cooperate
  • Addressing issues of disrepair in collaboration with Environmental Services that prevent a breach or breakdown in the tenancy

Protection from Unlawful Eviction and Harassment

  • Intervention to prevent incidents of threats and persistent harassment of the tenants
  • Progressing cases to prosecution where there is evidence of suspected harassment or unlawful evictions
  • Reminding landlords they could be breaking the law if they commit one of the following acts against their tenants without permission;

Changing the locks

  • Removing a tenant’s belongings
  • Undertaking unnecessary and disruptive repair works to the premises
  • Threatening or intimidating behaviour towards the tenant
  • Any behaviour intended to make the tenant feel uncomfortable
  • Disconnection of services
  • Persistent unannounced visits
  • Entering the premises without explicit permission

Tenant Advice

  • Making tenants aware of their rights so they can take appropriate legal actions against their landlords
  • Advising tenants of their legal obligations when they enter into a legal tenancy agreement
  • Signposting tenants to where they can get additional advice and support to sustain and protect their tenancies and take necessary legal action against their landlords
  • Advising tenants how to be good tenants
  • Advising tenants on good practice and the things to be aware of during a tenancy such as;
    • Communicating with your landlord
    • Reporting and following up repairs
    • Budgeting and debt advice
    • Keeping up with rent payments and accessing support

Landlord Advice

  • Making landlords aware of their responsibilities and legal obligations
  • Providing landlords with information on Training, Accreditation and Best Practice in the PRS
  • Advising landlords on how to maintain valid tenancies i.e. issue the correct documents at the start of a tenancy
  • Advising landlords on how to issue valid notices and seek additional legal advice
  • Advising landlords on how to categorise and prioritise repairs to ensure their properties are fit for habitation
  • Advising landlords on good practice and the things to be aware of during a tenancy such as:
    • Keeping accurate rent statements
    • Conducting periodic inspections
    • Giving the tenant reasonable notice for repair works or compliance checks
    • Communicating with your tenant

How to contact the Tenancy Relations Service

Availability: Monday – Friday between 9am-5pm

Location: The team is based at the Civic Centre, Access Oldham, West Street, Oldham OL1 1UT, and offers pre-booked appointments.