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Alterations and improvements

You can carry out certain improvements and alterations on your property as long as you ask our permission.

The reason for this is that we need to control what is happening to the block you live in. You might need to apply for planning permission for some improvements and alterations before we approve them. We will not unreasonably refuse requests.

Work done without our permission

If you carry out alterations and improvements without our permission, we can recharge you for the work we do to put your property back to its original state. The outside structure of your property still belongs to the landlord (city council).

Work inside your home

You need to tell us about work which affects the internal structure of the building, such as taking out or making holes in internal walls and ceilings or work which affects the water, gas or electric supplies. You do not need to tell us about things like repainting walls or putting up shelves.

Work outside your home

You will always need to get our permission to make alterations to the outside of the building, such as external doors and windows.

Permission and approval

If you want to make any alterations to your home you need to:

• put your request in writing to the Leasehold and Rechargeable Repairs Team
• include detailed plans of the improvement or alteration you wish to make
• remember that our surveyor may want to look at your request. The surveyor may decide that the alterations or improvements require planning permission which may delay your request
• wait for the approval in writing from us

Once you have received approval from us, you need to carry out the work and let us know when it is finished. We may also send someone out to check on the progress of the work at any time to make sure the work is being done according to the original writtem request

Remember the conditions of your lease!

We are the management agent for these freehold properties. Under the terms of your lease, if we do find that a leasehold property has had works done without our granted permission we could order you to change it back to the original condition at your cost.