Adaptations and improvements for your Council home

As part of the work in bringing our homes up to the Decent Homes Standard, we carry out annual planned maintenance improvement work.

The Decent Homes Standard is the main measure of housing quality that is used to estimate if properties reach the required minimum standard. We also consider the age of properties, budget availability and the efficiency measures required.

Improvement work may include compliance works, kitchens, bathrooms, roofs, windows, doors, and any other works that arise from stock condition surveys.

How to know when your home requires improvement work

We undertake stock condition surveys which helps us to check the age and condition of all essential parts of your home, both inside and outside. We will use this information to help us plan future maintenance and improvement work to your home.

The stock condition survey takes around 30 minutes to undertake, and involves:

• Component Survey – capturing information about the key building components in your home such as your kitchen, bathroom, windows, doors and heating system
• Photographs – we will need to take photographs of these components to evidence our findings
• CAD Drawing – our surveyor will need to measure each room to produce a layout plan of your home

We ask for your help in allowing us access to your home to undertake this survey. A letter will be sent to you from us to inform you of the date and time of your survey. If this is not convenient, please do not hesitate in making contact to rearrange a date and time.

When any improvement work is planned for your home, we will notify you by letter, introducing you to the contractor. Prior to any work being undertaken, we will arrange a survey to identify your needs as well as improvements needed to make sure your home is as secure and comfortable as possible.

Can I make my own improvements to my Council home?

You can make certain types of improvements to your home; however, you must get our permission in writing first. We ask that you contact us via our enquiry form to give us information about the improvements that you would like to make. We may need to come out and visit you to discuss your proposed improvement plans.

You need to be a secure tenant with a clear rent account. We do not allow introductory tenants to carry out improvements to their home.

Any improvements you make will not affect your rent. If we do give permission, it will be conditional on you obtaining planning and building control approvals if these are necessary. Please keep any permission letter safe as you may need in future to prove that permission was granted.

If you have carried out improvements with our permission and later decide to buy your home, the work you have done will not increase the price of your home.

If you move, you may be asked to reinstate items that you changed without our permission. If you have carried out improvements with our permission and want to move, you may be eligible for compensation under the Government’s compensation for improvements scheme. Please contact us to discuss this.

What work do I need permission for?

The following type of work needs our permission:

• laying wooden flooring (include laminate)
• fitting kitchens or bathrooms
• fitting gas or electric fires
• conservatories, sheds and garages
• any electrical additions or alterations
• removing or filling walls
• installing showers
• installing burglar alarms
• fencing and walls
• built-in wardrobes and cupboards
• installing satellite dishes

Laying wooden flooring (including laminate)

If you live in a flat, you must use the correct underlay to eliminate sound transmitting through the floor to the properties below.

Permission will not be granted for laminate floor coverings on or above the first floor in flats. If we receive complaints regarding excess noise because of your new flooring or laminate, you will be instructed to remove it within 28 days of receipt of a notice. Failure to do so could affect the security of your tenancy.

If the flooring needs to be lifted so that we can make repairs, we will not be held liable for any damage that may occur to the floor during the repair. If we grant permission, it will be conditional upon your acceptance of these terms.

Please do not carry out work on your home without permission as you could be putting yourself, and your community, at risk.