Solihull's 10,000 council tenants would lose their two rent-free weeks from April 2027 under a new tenancy agreement. What changes and how to have your say.
Solihull’s council tenants would stop getting rent-free weeks from April 2027 under a new tenancy agreement now out for consultation.
Rent would be charged in 52 equal weekly payments. Most tenants now pay over 50 weeks, with two weeks a year free. Monthly payers would also move to weekly charging.
The council says the change does not by itself raise anyone’s annual rent. It would spread the same yearly total over more weeks.
The proposal is one of a long list of changes. The current agreement has been in use since 2012. The council owns about 10,000 homes in the borough, and Solihull Community Housing (SCH) manages them. (Solihull Council, 22 September 2026)
What happens to rent-free weeks
The council’s summary of proposed changes says annual rent “will be charged over 52 weeks rather than 50 weeks or monthly with no designated rent-free weeks”.
Tenants who already pay over 52 weeks will see no change.
The council’s frequently asked questions say tenants could still create their own rent-free weeks. They would do that by paying a little extra into their rent account and using the credit later, for example at Christmas.
The change is planned to start alongside the annual rent review in April 2027. That means the weekly figure on next spring’s rent letter will move for two separate reasons:
- the normal yearly rent increase
- the same annual rent being divided by 52 instead of 50
As an illustration (our own figures, not the council’s): a yearly rent of £5,000 works out at £100 a week over 50 weeks, or £96.15 a week over 52. The annual total is the same, but there are no longer two weeks with nothing to pay.
The FAQs do not say what the switch means for Universal Credit or Housing Benefit. They say only that tenants will get “clear information and support” before anything changes.
The other main changes
The summary lists these as the main additions to the agreement:
- e-bikes and mobility scooters: charging allowed only inside your home, never in communal or shared areas, and tenants would pay for any damage they cause
- fire safety: a new chapter on fire doors, balconies, escape routes and keeping communal areas clear
- hoarding: a new ban on storing excessive items that create fire, health or safety risks
- damp and mould: the landlord investigates structural problems; tenants must report them promptly and ventilate where they can
- CCTV, video doorbells and drones: still allowed, but they must be used lawfully and not to harass neighbours
- smoking: tenants would be required not to smoke indoors while staff or contractors are visiting
- flooring: no wooden or laminate floors in flats above the ground floor
- photographs: tenants may be asked for a photo at sign-up and when a tenancy changes, to help prevent fraud
- tenancy fraud, domestic abuse and hate crime: new dedicated sections
Pets are not banned. The expanded section covers dangerous dogs, microchipping, pet numbers and clearing up after animals.
The council says no statutory rights are removed. Security of tenure, succession, mutual exchange and the Right to Buy, where it applies, stay in place.
What it means for you
If you rent from the council, you do not need to sign anything. If the agreement is approved, every tenant will get a formal Notice of Variation, probably with the annual rent letter at the end of February or early March 2027. The council’s letter to tenants, dated 21 September, says the new terms are intended to take effect on 5 April 2027.
If you budget around the two free weeks, now is the time to say so, and to plan for how you would cover them yourself.
SCH has a money advice team for tenants worried about the change. The council’s Here2Help service also gives free advice; we covered its move to Citizens Advice last week.
How to have your say
Responses go through the online survey on Your Voice Solihull. Paper copies are available on 0121 717 1515, and copies can be read at Solihull Connect in the Bluebell Centre, Chelmsley Wood, and at The Core in Solihull town centre.
There are two closing dates in the council’s own documents. The letter to tenants says the consultation ends on 13 November. The council’s news release and consultation page say 23:59 on Sunday 15 November. Respond by 13 November to be safe.
Council and SCH staff will answer questions in person on these dates:
| Date | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 9 October | 10am to 12pm | Chelmsley Wood Library, 10 West Mall |
| Tuesday 13 October | 2pm to 4pm | The Core Library, Homer Road, Solihull |
| Thursday 22 October | 2pm to 4pm | Chelmsley Wood Library, 10 West Mall |
| Wednesday 4 November | 10am to 12pm | The Core Library, Homer Road, Solihull |
What happens next
After the consultation closes, the council will consider the responses and may change the draft. The final version goes to the Cabinet Member for Housing for approval. The council says it will publish what it changed as a result of the feedback.
Councillor Mark Parker, the Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “We will be writing to all tenants about the consultation, but there’s no need to wait for your letter. The consultation is open now and we would encourage everyone to take part.”
Under section 103 of the Housing Act 1985, the council must give secure tenants the chance to comment before it varies their tenancy terms. Rent and service charges are the exception. Rent levels are set separately each April.
Have your say