Secure housing tenants can make changes and improvements to their home.
Before you start any work to improve your council home, you need to ask us if you can make the change first.
Changes you need to ask us for permission for include:
- building sheds, garages and greenhouses
- putting up extra fencing
- building an extension or conservatory
- making changes to your garden like constructing a pond or concreting over it
- making changes to the electrics.
Download the request permission to make a change to your council home form.
We give permission for most home improvements, but we often attach conditions. Our conditions usually include you agreeing to:
- use a competent contractor and complete the work to an acceptable standard
- a time limit for completing the work
- submit plans for the work
- get building regulations approvals
- get planning permission
- tell us when you’ve finished the work so that we can inspect it
- provide us with copies of certificates including electrical and building regulations.
Getting the right permissions
You must:
- get written permission from SBC Housing by completing the form above
- check if you need to apply for planning permission
- check if you need a building regulation application.
If you carry out any improvements without our permission, you will have to return the property to its original condition. You will have to pay for that work. If you do not do so, we will do it and charge you the full cost.
If you can make the improvement
Once you have all the right permissions, you can go ahead with the work.
Depending on the scale of your improvements, we may want to inspect your home before and after.
You will be responsible for repairing and maintaining any home improvement that you make.
If you get a contractor to do the work, you must make sure they have disposed of their waste correctly. Fly-tipping is a crime and carries a maximum fine of £50,000.
If you are doing the work, you must dispose of your waste properly.
If we refuse permission
We will only refuse permission if we have a good reason. We'll normally only stop you making a change if the work will:
- affect the safety of your building
- cause a future problem with maintenance of the property
- cause nuisance to your neighbours.
If we do refuse, we will write to you and tell you why.
If you disagree with our decision or the conditions we have attached, you can appeal in a letter to us.