Making improvements to your home
If you are a council tenant or leaseholder, you can make improvements to your home, but you will need our written agreement before you start. This is a condition of your tenancy/lease.
What changes could I ask to make?
Below are some examples of improvements you can and cannot make to your home. This is not the full list.
Remember: You will have to pay for the improvements and find qualified tradespeople to carry out the work. You must also not begin work until you have received our written permission.
Common improvements where our permission is needed
Typical works which you need permission for include, but not limited to:
- Add, move or rewire electrics
- Add to or change your heating or hot water system
- Refit a kitchen, bathroom or shower
- Fit a laminate, wood block or similar flooring
- Put in a driveway, hard-standing or paved parking area
- Fit outside CCTV cameras/equipment
More examples where you will need our permission
- Build a garage, shed, greenhouse or similar building
- Add fencing, a porch or decking
- Knock down or build walls, inside or outside of your home
- Take down or change the chimney
- Add a fish pond or outside taps
- Add or remove bedrooms
- Deck or convert a loft/roof space
- Change a balcony on a flat
- Decorate or insulate the outside of your home
- Take out trees or hedges
Installing your own adaptation
If you are looking to add an adaptation to your home, such as a grab rail, you can ask the Single Point of Access team for help. More information on making adaptations is available.
If you would like to install your own adaptation, or remove an existing one from your home, you will need to ask for our permission.
Improvements where you do not need permission
We are happy for you to carry out minor decorating and DIY, as long as it isn't gas or electrical work.
We have some useful self-help guides and videos. You must take care to avoid drilling where electrical wires might run and where sealed asbestos sheets are present. If in doubt, read more information on electrical safety or asbestos and seek advice.
Examples of improvements where you do not need permission
- Decorating inside your home, like painting your front door or walls
- Putting up shelves or curtain rails
- Replacing a light fitting and switch in the same place as before
- Hanging wall cabinets
- Carpets or vinyl flooring
Improvements where we will not give permission
We will not allow you to carry out improvements to your home which we believe will reduce the value of your home, be unsafe or cause a nuisance to your neighbours.
Examples of improvements where we will not grant permission
- Install satellite dishes or aerials in flats
- Knock down walls in flats
- Remove banisters on stairs
- Replace fire doors with ordinary doors
- Installing satellite dishes on flats
- Remove kitchens, heating or bathrooms without replacing them
- Fit patio doors that go on to communal gardens
- Any work where a neighbour has 'given permission' to use their land
