Islington Council is set to consult its tenants on proposed changes to tenancy conditions, aiming to update, clarify, and strengthen the rules governing council homes. The decision was made during an Executive meeting on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
Councillor Jason Jackson, Executive Member for Homes & Neighbourhoods, explained that the proposed changes are a response to legislative updates, building safety requirements, and emerging risks such as the safe charging of lithium-ion batteries and the misuse of council homes for commercial purposes. These changes are intended to make the conditions clearer for tenants, easier to apply consistently, and more effective in protecting residents, homes, communal areas, and the wider estate environment.
The proposed changes also respond to the expectations placed on the Council by the Regulator of Social Housing, particularly the consumer standards relating to safe and well-maintained homes, transparency, influence and accountability, neighbourhood and community management, and effective landlord services.
The proposed changes include stricter rules on the non-residential use of properties, updated succession and assignment rights, clearer permission requirements for home alterations, revised household rubbish and recycling guidelines, and new conditions addressing the storage and charging of e-bikes, e-scooters, and mobility vehicles due to fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries.
Non-residential use and commercial activity
The proposed change to tenancy conditions states: You must not use or cause or allow to be used any parts of the property or estate for non-residential purposes, or residential businesses (e.g. holiday let or boarding house) or any commercial activity, (e.g. running a car repair business) without the council's written permission.
This change aims to support effective housing management, protects the availability of social housing and helps prevent unauthorised occupation or subletting including the use of properties as holiday lets, boarding houses, and long term Airbnb.
The council's priority is to ensure all properties are occupied by tenants.
Succession and assignment rights
Regarding succession and assignment rights, the proposed change is to align with the published Housing Allocation Scheme.
The existing condition states that Assignment and succession can only take place under the limited circumstances allowed by the Housing Act 1985 and only then with the council's permission.
The proposed wording clarifies that this also includes the Localism Act 2011
and provides more detail on succession rights for tenancies granted before and after April 1, 2012, including discretionary inherited tenancies for other family members who have resided in the property for at least five years. It also notes that assignment can be carried out by court order. The change aims to reflect the Council's current Housing Allocations Scheme and the statutory framework for assignment and succession.
E-bikes, e-scooters, and mobility vehicles
New conditions for e-bikes and e-scooters state: You must not store or charge electric scooters or electric bikes or their batteries in any of the communal parts or hallways of the buildings managed by the council, in garages, or anywhere on estates. If you wish to store or charge electric scooters or electric bikes or their batteries in your home, you must seek the permission of the council to ensure that the safety of all residents and the building can be maintained. Permission will not be granted to store or charge electric scooters or electric bikes or their batteries in the communal areas under any circumstances. For fire safety reasons, residents must always be in the property when the recharging of any lithium batteries takes place.
For electric mobility vehicles, the condition states: You are allowed to store electric mobility vehicles in your own home. However, you must seek the council's written permission before you do this. To apply for written permission, you will need to provide a medical professional's report supporting your application. The Council will not unreasonably withhold permission providing means of escape in the event of fire can be maintained. You are not allowed to store a mobility scooter in communal areas or hallways, garages or anywhere on estates unless there is a designated mobility scooter storage area. If you wish to store a mobility scooter in a designated mobility scooter storage area you will need to seek written permission from the council. To apply for written permission, you will need to provide a medical professional's report supporting your application. We will not unreasonably withhold permission providing means of escape in the event of fire can be maintained.
The reason for these changes is due to the fire risks of lithium-ion batteries and are in line with the Building Safety Act 2022.
Specific fire safety measures considered include ensuring means of escape in the event of fire can be maintained
and that residents must always be in the property when the recharging of any lithium batteries takes place.
Consultation process
The Executive agreed to commence a statutory 16-week consultation with all Islington Council tenants on these proposed changes. The consultation will be extensive, utilising various communication channels to ensure all tenants have an opportunity to provide feedback. This will involve approximately 200 drop-in sessions, direct communications with tenants and housing officers, and utilising tools such as online platforms, emails, texts, and paper options, with information available in community languages and alternative formats upon request.
Councillor Jackson emphasised that the consultation is not a final decision but an opportunity for residents to understand the challenges and influence the proposals. He stated, This work is us being a responsible landlord and listening landlord and also, at the end of that, improving landlord.
Following the consultation, tenants will receive an additional 8-week notification period before any new tenancy conditions are implemented. The statutory consultation will commence in October 2026 for a sixteen-week period. Following the consultation, tenants will receive a further 8-week notification period before any implementation of the new Tenancy Conditions is enforced. Therefore, implementation is anticipated to occur after these periods have concluded.
More information on the proposed changes can be found in the Public reports pack for the Executive meeting.