Furnished tenancies information

Bury MBC is pleased to announce the successful development of its Furnished Tenancy Scheme. The scheme is designed to assist both single people and families in setting up their new home with Six Town Housing.

The Scheme is available to all new applicants wishing to take a property managed by Six Town Housing. New applicants who are interested in the scheme should let their Community Housing Officer know when they are offered a property.

A furnished tenancy will consist of completely decorating the property, fitted carpets and curtains, plus an electric cooker and fridge freezer which will be installed on the day of delivery.

The furnished tenancies will have a weekly service charge that will be added to your rent account when all items have been fitted and delivered.

How do I apply for a Furnished Tenancy?

When you are provisionally offered a property please ask your Community Housing Officer about access to the scheme. They will check your eligibility and then arrange for the Furnished Tenancy Officer to be present at your sign up to go through the scheme’s procedures with you.

What type of furniture is available under the scheme?

Quality fitted floor coverings and curtains in a choice of 4 different colour schemes. An electric cooker and fridge freezer will also be supplied and installed on the day of delivery. The scheme will also pay for your property to be completed decorated.

What happens if I decide to purchase my own furniture and no longer require a furnished tenancy?

The property you have signed up to is a furnished tenancy and the scheme requires it to remain so. If the property contains fitted floor coverings and curtains, then it must remain a furnished tenancy for a minimum of 5 years. In exceptional circumstances it might be possible to remove furniture from your property so long as the items have been kept in a reasonable condition. You (the tenant) will be charged for the removal of fitted floor coverings and curtains to cover the loss of expenditure to the Furnished Accommodation Scheme.

What happens if any of the furniture I lease is damaged or broken?

This must be reported to the Furnished Tenancy Officer immediately. You are responsible for the caring of the furniture leased to you by Six Town Housing. If any of the damage to the furniture is unreasonable wear and tear, then you will be charged for either the repair or replacement of the item. Natural wear and tear is expected through normal usage. The Furnished Tenancy Scheme will arrange for this to be repaired or replaced when it is deemed necessary.

How much will a furnished tenancy cost?

The weekly service charge will depend on the size of your property:

1 bedroom property = £17.14
2 bedroom property = £20.19
3 bedroom property = £23.23

What happens if I want to move or transfer to another Six Town Housing tenancy?

This may be possible in certain circumstances. It is essential that you do not have any arrears over £100 before the transfer. Please contact your Community Housing Officer for further details

Can I get help towards obtaining a furniture package?

All the weekly furniture service charges are fully covered by Housing Benefit. If you are not in receipt of benefit we can check to see if you are entitled to any Housing Benefit assistance to help you with your rent plus service charge at your tenancy sign-up.  Alternatively you can use Six Town Housing’s online Benefits Calculator . This will tell you how much housing benefit and council tax benefit you are eligible for, and inform you if you are entitled to a tax credit.  It will also help you to submit an official claim for Housing and Council Tax Benefit online.

How long does it take to provide the furniture?

Your furnished tenancy should take no longer than 14 working days to complete including decorating the property. The Furnished Tenancy Officer will take a set of keys at your sign up and liaise with you about delivery dates. If you move into the property before the cooker and fridge freezer has been delivered the Furnished Tenancy Officer will provide an AM or PM delivery for you to allow access for our contractors.

For further enquiries, please email enquiries@sixtownhousing.org.