Improving Your Home
You have the right to improve your home.
Most improvements such as decorating, adding fitted units etc can be made without our permission. However more drastic alterations such as structural changes, loft conversions etc require our permission.
If you want to make a home improvement but are unsure if you need permission please speak to your Housing Officer.
If necessary we will arrange for a Repairs Team Leader to visit your home to check that the work will be safe, assess the effect it will have on the property and your neighbours, then advise you about getting planning and building permission.
We will then write to you within 10 days to tell you if you have our permission to start the work.
Once you have any other necessary permissions, e.g. planning permission, you can then go ahead and do the work.
Permission Refused
We will not normally refuse permission without a very good reason.
However, if we do refuse permission, we will tell you why we have decided you must not do the work.
Permission Granted
When carrying out home improvements:
- All work must be carried out by a competent person
- All gas work must be carried out by a C.O.R.G.I Registered fitter
- All work must be carried out at your expense, including making good any damage caused by the work
Post Work Inspection
You must tell us as soon as the work is complete. We will then arrange for a Repairs Team Leader to visit your home and check that everything has been done to the required standard.
If it has not we will ask you to either put the work right or restore the property to how it was before.
Carrying out work without permission
If you carry out improvement work without first seeking our permission or after we have refused permission you could end up having to pay to put it back to its original state. We may also take legal action against you for breaking the tenancy agreement.
Who repairs and maintains the improvements?
You will be responsible for any future maintenance of the improvement during your tenancy.
What happens to the improvements if I leave?
If you move out of your home you must either leave the improvement in good working order or remove it and make good the original fitting. If you fail to this we will recharge you the cost of putting the work right.
You may be able to claim compensation for improvements you have left behind.
Work we can do for you
We are able to carry out the following work at a very reasonable price:
- Add Mortice locks
- Fit an intruder alarm
- Fit a smoke alarm (battery or hard wired)
- Fit security lights
- Connect your cooker (gas & electric)
- Plumb in your washing machine
- Add an extractor fan
- Add mains sockets
- Add a shower and a shower rail
- Add curtain rails
- Tiling
- Vinyl flooring
- Fit kitchen units
- Decorating
Contact Details
For more information, or to apply for permission to carry out a home improvement please contact your local housing office.