Doncaster Council changes succession policy for council house tenants if family member dies
Under the new requirements, family members other than the partner of the tenant will need to have lived in the property for five years to take over the tenancy.
Key changes to the tenancy agreement for social housing tenants in Doncaster have been approved, limiting who can make a succession claim for a property in the event of a death.
Under the new requirements, family members other than the spouse or civil partner of the tenant will need to have lived in the property for five years in order to be eligible to succeed the tenancy.
Previously, any family member could succeed a tenancy if they had lived in the property for 12 months or more, and on the condition there was no spouse or civil partner, nor had there been a previous succession.
According to a council report, presented to Mayor Ros Jones’ cabinet on October 8, 2025, the previous tenancy agreements would “create problems” where family would inherit council properties they would not be eligible for.
The report also said: “There is also evidence that family members have also moved in with tenants with the intention of succeeding to the tenancy.
“Further issues… are that successors inherit the Right to Buy rights and discount accrued by the previous tenant.”
With the changes being agreed by cabinet, only the spouse or civil partner of a deceased tenant would automatically succeed a tenancy.
Other family members would need to meet the new criteria of five-years lived in the property and there having been no previous successions to the tenancy.
“Any family member left in occupation of a property who does not meet the above criteria will be assessed… taking into account other circumstances with regards vulnerability, personal circumstances and other housing need,” the report states.
If appropriate SLHD may award the family member with a new introductory tenancy, it adds.
In August 2025, the cabinet agreed other changes to the Doncaster Tenancy Strategy, including the introduction of new fixed five-year tenancies for houses such as homes of four bedrooms or more, to ensure they remain “used by those that need them”.
Previously, fixed-term tenancy agreements lasted until the youngest child in a family turned 19-years-old.
The changes will only take effect on new fixed-term tenancies, families with the previous version will not change and continue as normal.
A spokesperson for the Reform UK group on the council said: “The changes to family succession are cruel, making it harder for loved ones to stay in their home after a bereavement. Clauses on CCTV, access and recharges give the Council more rights to intrude, fine and dictate.
“This isn’t fairness, it’s bureaucracy run wild. Families deal with damp, delays and broken promises, senior managers write policy papers to justify their own jobs.”
Despite this party position, not a single councillor on the Regeneration and Housing Scrutiny Panel (RHSP), which has a Reform UK majority, raised any similar concerns.
The RHSP reviewed the succession changes at a meeting on October 1, 2025, where it was approved.
Councillor Neil Wood, Reform UK, was the only panel member to raise any issue with the succession policy and argued it should be put in writing that people must evict the house by a certain deadline in the event of a death.
He said he was concerned families would use a lack of a deadline as a “get out of jail free card” and stay in the properties paying rent, rather than returning them to SLHD.