Home improvements

You won’t need our permission for minor work to your home such as decorating, replacing internal doors or having fitted bedroom cupboards.

If you want to carry out major improvements or alterations however, contact us before you order any work or begin any jobs. Under the terms of your lease, we must give our permission for these.

Major improvements include things such as:

• replacing a fitted kitchen or bathroom suite
• building an extension to the property
• building a conservatory or a garage
• replacing windows or external doors
• internal structural alterations, for example knocking two rooms into one
• installing a shower
• installing a burglar alarm (in flats and retirement properties only)
• carrying out work to the gas, electricity or water supplies to your home

We need to know whether the improvements will affect the value of your home should you wish to sell in the future, buy more shares if you’re a shared owner, or in case you need to make an insurance claim. An administration fee is payable for this service.

First, you’ll need to fill in a Home Improvement Request Form, giving as much detail as possible, and return it to us to review.

Where applicable, you will also need to obtain and provide us with copies of:

• planning permission from your local council
• confirmation that any alterations or improvements conform to current Building Regulations

We will not unreasonably withhold our permission to your request to carry out the improvements, however the following conditions will apply:

• a suitably qualified trades person or other competent person must carry out the work to a good standard, and they must have all relevant insurances
• we may carry out an inspection before and after the work takes place
• if the work has not been carried out to an acceptable standard, we reserve the right to reinstate the property back to its original condition and recover the cost from you
• it will be your responsibility to rectify any damage caused to fittings or the structure of your home as a result of the works
• in certain cases you may be liable for the removal of the improvement along with ‘making good’ when you sell the property

If you are a shared owner, you may not recover the full cost of the improvements when you come to sell your home. Your improvements will be included in the open market valuation and relevant sale price.

We will not give permission for extensions, conservatories or any works which encroach on communal areas and land that you do not own.