Do I need your consent to alter or improve my home? 

Yes, you must get our written permission. You mustn’t start any work before you have our written consent. We may want to inspect your home first.

You may need other permissions from the local council, such as planning permission or building regulations approval.

Also, if the work is to involve gas, electrical or water services, you will need to follow the relevant rules and provide certificates of compliance where necessary, for example an electrical certificate from an approved contractor.

We will acknowledge your request within 2 working days. We will respond to your request for consent within 10 working days of receiving all the necessary information from you. We will give you our decision in writing.

Who can I ask to do the work?
 
A competent professional must do all the work. You must request permission from us before carrying out the improvement and, before starting work you must receive approval from us in writing. You must get three estimates to do the work and tell us which estimate you wish to accept. We must agree with your choice of contractor.

We may inspect your home to ensure they have done the work to a good standard.

Can I remove fixtures and fittings from my home?
 
Yes, but you must return them to us as they still belong to us.
 
Who is responsible for maintaining alterations and improvements I make?

 You are responsible for the cost of all maintenance and repairs.
 
What happens if I leave the property?
 
If you want to leave your home we may need to return the property to its original condition. We may require you to remove, alter or replace your improvements. You must arrange and pay for this work.

However in some cases we may be able to compensate you for improvements you have made to your home. You can apply for compensation when you end your tenancy with us.

Will I qualify for compensation?

To qualify for compensation when you leave your home, you must do the following before you start altering or improving it:

·        Send us three estimates from contractors.

·        Tell us which estimate you have chosen, and why.

·        Get our written consent agreeing the contractor, the estimate and permitting work to start.

We will inspect the work when it is complete. We will pay compensation only if we have inspected the work and are satisfied with its quality.

You must keep a copy of the invoice showing how much the work has cost, as you will need it when you claim compensation later.

What kind of work qualifies for compensation?

The right to compensation applies only to:

·        A shower installation

·        Central heating installation

·        Upgrade of loft insulation

Please remember the following

·        We pay compensation for the cost of materials and labour (but not for goods such as cookers or fridges, or your own labour).

·        We pay compensation only when you give up your tenancy and leave the property.

·        You can’t get compensation if you have already received a grant to do the work.

·        When you claim, you must give us a copy of the invoice showing how much the work has cost.

·        The longer you have had the improvement, the less compensation you will get.

Who can claim compensation?

Most tenants can claim compensation if they have had improvements done. If a tenancy ends because the tenant dies or in other special circumstances, compensation may still be claimed.

You won’t be able to claim compensation if you buy your home through the Right to Buy scheme.

How do you work out how much compensation to pay me?

The cost of the work you paid for will be more than the amount you get if you claim compensation because all improvements lose value over time. Also, if you owe us any money when you leave the property we will reduce any compensation we owe you by that amount.

We give each type of improvement a ‘notional life’ (how long we would expect it to last – for example 12 years for a new central heating system).

The formula we would use to work out your compensation is:

Cost of improvement x number of years’ notional life left ÷ notional life

For example, if you had a new central heating system fitted six years ago, costing £5,000 and with a notional life of 12 years, we would work out your compensation like this:

£5,000 x 6/12 = £2,500 compensation

So how do I claim compensation?

You must put your claim in writing to us (with all the required proof) within 14 days of ending your tenancy. We will then decide if the improvement qualifies for compensation. If it does, we’ll calculate how much we owe you and pay the compensation by cheque within 14 days. We will take off any money you owe us.

If you need more information, please contact us on  01922 648252