Undertaking your own improvements

You have the right to put in your own improvements such as central heating, a satellite dish, gas fire, or put up structures such as sheds, fences, garages.

But you must get the Council's agreement in writing before doing any work like this. We will not refuse consent unless there is a good reason. You may also need Planning Permission and Building Regulation approval.
The Council has a Compensation Scheme that gives money back to tenants when they leave their property for work they may have carried out.

Main features

The main features of the Compensation Scheme are as follows:

You can only receive compensation to help with the cost of works, if:

• You have the written approval of the Council before starting the work.
• The work is one or more of the qualifying improvements highlighted in the table overleaf.
• You have left or are about to leave the home you carried out the improvement to, because you have stopped being a council tenant, or you have transferred or exchanged homes. You will not qualify if the transfer was only to a member of your household, eg succession, or if you are being evicted.
• You make a written claim no more than 28 days before the end of the tenancy, or within 14 days of the end of the tenancy.

We cannot offer help with the cost of works if:

• The improvement was started before 1 April 1994.
• The value of any compensation would be less than £50,
• You are buying your home. Any valuation of the property for sale purposes will not include the value of the improvement.

Other features to remember
The maximum compensation payable under this scheme is £3,000, but will depend on the cost of improvement and its remaining "notional life" (see table overleaf )

• Any money owed by the tenant to the Council will be deducted from the compensation payment.
• Any disputes arising over the Compensation Scheme between the tenant and the Council can be settled in the County Court, if agreement cannot be reached mutually.