Failure to manage a tenancy agreement successfully is a common occurrence within the social-housing sector and one that is financially and emotionally damaging for both the tenant and the housing provider.

Fiona Sheen, Virtual College's online learning advisor, commented, "We were aware of the issues surrounding tenancy-agreement failures widely expressed by the social-housing sector.

"There is a need to help tenants become self-sustaining by developing their financial awareness and general ability to manage their tenancy successfully.

"Our investment in helping our social-housing-provider partners to provide a proactive approach to these issues recognises their current budget constraints and the limited financial resources at their disposal."

The online learning resources will be useful for prospective residents, especially those applying for housing for the first time, or existing residents who require additional assistance.

The five short online pre-tenancy courses provide learners with the knowledge they require for a tenancy agreement: exploring the basics of finding and viewing a property and the practicalities involved in occupying a new home, including paying rent; opening a bank account; and getting advice on the services and support available.

The modules have been designed to be stand alone so that housing associations can select some, or all, of the topics dependent upon their current and prospective tenants' needs.