To ensure our offer is clear to our customers, this policy sets out our approach to approvals when customers apply to make improvements to their home.
This policy should be read in conjunction with customer improvements legislation and individual tenancy agreements.
This policy applies to customers of Great Places Housing Group social housing, supported housing and sheltered housing. If there is any variance between this policy and individual tenancy agreements, then the tenancy agreement takes precedence.
We require customers to seek written permission from us before commencing any improvement work. Requests for improvements should be submitted in writing by the lead customer, and permission for any improvements will be confirmed in writing. Requests should include all appropriate information, drawings, and technical specifications.
We give equal rights to all customers wherever possible. Therefore, we allow assured customers and those in older person housing schemes to have the same rights as secure customers have in legislation. Where agreed in advance, customers who request to make home improvements may be able to claim compensation for qualifying improvements when
they move out of the property.
We do not allow customers on assured short-hold tenancies and starter tenancies to make improvements.
You will need permission for alterations to the following:
Permission for home improvements may be refused if:
We may allow minor electrical improvements (e.g., single light or socket installations). This must be carried out by a qualified electrician, with the relevant certificates provided to us.
We do not allow improvements that require to landlord fixtures or fittings to be removed.
If the improvement is a customer fixture or fitting under the tenancy agreement, the exiting customer may take it with them providing the property is reinstated to our standard
specification, remains in a lettable standard and removal does not cause any damage or hazard.
Requests for non-qualifying works are assessed on a case-by-case basis and only granted in exceptional cases. Customers are not entitled to compensation for these improvements.
We advise customers to investigate and make sure they have the necessary funds for the improvements as quotes can expire, leading to future problems.
Alteration should not be completed without permission, unapproved alterations identified will be subject to a recharge, including all associated costs.
We ask customers to submit:
We take a fair and reasonable approach when assessing requests for improvements. Our surveyors engage with customers after an application has been submitted and support them to meet the necessary requirements.
Improvements must be carried out by professionals who are suitably competent and qualified.
We take a fair and reasonable approach when considering requests for alterations and treat all leaseholders in a fair and equitable way.
We aim for an initial response time of 20 working days, and information regarding timescales for a final decision is communicated to leaseholders in receipt of an application.
In certain cases, we may require a surveyor to visit the property to discuss the proposed alterations before we grant permission.
We will provide our decision, and reason for it, in writing.
Where we give permission for a customer improvement, we will follow up to check that the work has been completed to the agreed standard. All approved improvement works must be completed in line with the agreed deadlines and must meet the original specification in the application that was approved, including any necessary certification to confirm the safety of the completed improvement.
If we identify that the improvement has not been completed to the correct specification, we will engage with the customer and may advise them (in writing) that they need to remove the improvement and return the home to the original specification or rectify the works. In these situations, we will follow up with the customer to check, and if this does not happen, we will enforce tenancy conditions.
Alterations may lead to a re-assessment of the property which could result in adjustments to rent and charges.
Failure to comply, or changes to the agreed plans, may require retrospective approval.
Where works are not compliant with criteria outlined above, the customer will be required to rectify the work to an acceptable standard.
Laminate flooring can cause issues of noise transference between properties or cause repair obstacles, e.g., when we need to access pipework or remedy leaks. Therefore, we do not grant permission for laminate flooring unless the following conditions apply:
Laminate flooring required for health reasons is assessed on a case-by-case basis, after appropriate supporting correspondence has been provided.
Improvement work must not cause serious disruption or nuisance to neighbours or other people in the estate or area.
We advise customers who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of the improvement when providing our written permission.
Where we are not responsible for the repair and maintenance of an improvement, we may carry out repairs in an emergency. This includes where failure to maintain an improvement puts the customer or others at risk, or where not repairing the improvement would cause damage to our property. In such circumstances, we may recharge the repair costs to the customer.
We may agree to carry out repairs that are needed as the result of poor-quality improvement works. Any associated cost would be recovered from the customer.
In exceptional circumstances, when a customer leaves their home they may be entitled to compensation for a qualifying improvement they have carried out. The maximum payment is £3000, and the minimum payment is £50.
We only pay compensation where approval was sought and written permission for the finished improvement was provided.
We calculate compensation using the receipts and original estimate provided by the customer for the completed work covered, that formed the basis of our permission.
We only pay compensation for an improvement where the customer is moving home permanently, this includes permanent decant or transfer. We do not pay compensation for customer improvements where a customer is evicted or the tenancy changes through a joint tenancy, assignment, or succession.
Where we agree to compensation for an improvement, we will use the compensation to clear any debt the customer has with us, before issuing final compensation.
The following table lists the improvements for which compensation may be considered at the end of the tenancy and their average associated notional life:
| Improvement | Life cycle (years) |
|---|---|
| Insulation (Loft / Cavity) | 20 |
| Double glazing | 20 |
| Electrical installations | 20 |
| Bathroom / sanitary fitting | 25 |
| Kitchens | 20 |
| Doors – Front / Rear | 20 |
| Roof | 60 |
The amount of compensation owed to a customer is calculated in line with The Secure Customers of Local Authorities Compensation for Improvements) Regulations 1994. This formula considers the cost of the improvement and the expected lifetime the improvement has left when compensation is requested.
C x ( 1 – Y)
C x ( N)
Where:
C = cost of the improvement (excluding the amount of any grant or minor works assistance under Part VIII of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989(6) or the Home Energy
Efficiency Grants Regulations 1992(7) paid in respect of the improvement)
N = the notional life of the improvement; the useful lifespan of the improvement before it would need to be renewed or upgraded.
Y = the number of complete years, with part of a year being rounded up to a complete year, starting on the date the improvement was completed and ending on the date the compensation is claimed.
Example:
Kitchen – Cost: £6,800; Completed years: 7 years installed notional life 20 year life; 0.35; £2,380
We understand that customers may need to make home improvements to support themselves to remain independent and live in their own home. We support them with this by signposting to our Aids and Adaptations Policy and providing information on how a request for aids and adaptations can be made.
All requests from customers to accommodate their needs are considered and acted on where possible, in accordance with our Inclusive Services Policy and the Equality Act 2010.
You can request a reasonable adjustment from us through the officer you are engaging with, or by contacting our Customer Hub.
This policy aligns with our wider approach to Equality Diversity and Inclusion as outlined in our Customer Experience Strategy.
An improvement will count as a landlord’s fixture where it becomes a fixed part of the structure or installations of the building, as defined in the Landlord and Customer Act 1985. For example, new bathrooms and central heating will be landlord’s fixtures. We have a duty to keep such items in good repair.
The Director of Property has overall accountability for this policy.
The Property Surveying team will monitor the application process and sign off any approved works.
All records and component information must be recorded in Aareon QL.
Under the Landlord and Customer Act 1927 and the Housing Act 1985, customers have the right to make certain improvements to their home, with Great Places written permission, in line with the law, statutory obligations, their tenancy agreement and this policy.
Under the terms of their lease, leaseholders may be able to make alterations to their premises with permission. This covers all leaseholders (commercial and residential) in the Great Places Group, including Plumlife.
This sets out our process and should be read in conjunction with Individual Leasehold Agreements and appropriate regulatory legislation.
This procedure applies where we are the freeholder. Any applications made on properties where we are not the freeholder are determined by the freeholder or their appointed agent separately. Individual lease agreements take precedence over this policy document.
An alteration could be:
Leaseholders must seek permission from us for any alteration work.
Leaseholders are advised to investigate and ensure they have the necessary funds for the improvements as quotes can expire, leading to future problems.
We do not allow any alterations which would negatively impact the building, other residents, the environment, or the value of the property.
If a leaseholder undertakes an alteration without requesting permission (as specified in this policy and their lease agreement) they are potentially in breach of their lease. In such cases, we may ask the leaseholder to reinstate the property to its previous state at their own cost.
Alternatively, we may reinstate and recover all costs including but not limited to, the reinstatement costs, management, consultant, and legal costs.
We will give guidance if an alteration requires approval. We do not offer a pre-application advice service; our surveyors engage with leaseholders after applications are submitted. We may answer general enquiries, but do not go into specific details without a full application.
Leaseholders pay a legal and administrative fee to Plumlife / Great places when submitting an application. This is non-refundable regardless of outcome and the decisions made by our surveyors are non-negotiable.
Leaseholders should request alterations in writing, on the appropriate form that the Plumlife Property Manager or Great Places Assets Team can provide.
All requests for alterations should refer to, and align to, the terms contained within the lease of the property. The specific clause within the lease must allow for the type of alteration requested for permission to be granted.
Leaseholders are asked to provide the relevant clause from the lease permitting the alteration and to seek, and provide, legal clarification in the case of any ambiguity. In the absence of a clause permitting the alteration, we may refuse the request.
Leaseholders are asked to submit detailed plans for the alteration which contains information about the design and materials to be used.
Leaseholder must provide details of planning permission and/or building regulations approval and any other relevant statutory approvals as required.
Leaseholder must provide details and/or samples of all materials to be used, and these must comply with the requirements of the Building Safety Regulator.
We take a fair and reasonable approach when considering requests for alterations and treat all leaseholders in a fair and equitable way.
We aim for an initial response time of 20 working days, and information regarding timescales for a final decision is communicated to leaseholders in receipt of an application.
In certain cases, we may require a surveyor to visit the property to discuss the proposed alterations before we grant permission.
We provide our decision, and reason for it, in writing.
The work MUST be carried out by a competent tradesperson, where appropriate trades such as Gas, Electric or work to Fire rated components etc, trades shall be certified by the relevant governing body. All materials shall be an approved by the relevant regulatory body and MUST not result in a breach of Statutory regulations.
All contractors, suppliers or tradesperson carrying out work MUST be competent and hold appropriate trade qualifications and accreditation and MUST have appropriate insurance cover.
Great Places Property Surveying team will monitor and sign off work from a Great Places perspective.
The leaseholder is responsible for future repairs and maintenance of alterations.
We will recharge the leaseholder for any unforeseen arising costs we incur as a result of the alteration.
We have no control over the approval of alterations by other landlords and external managing agents; leaseholders must obtain direct consent from the freeholder of the building. We can provide the contact information for this and support leaseholders who remain under our affordable head lease to submit an application.
All requests from leaseholders to accommodate their needs are considered and acted on where possible, in accordance with our Inclusive Services Policy and the Equality Act 2010.
You can request a reasonable adjustment from Great Places through the officer you are engaging with, or by contacting our Customer Hub. Examples of the support we can provide include providing information in alternative formats and adapting our communication to suit customer needs.
The Director of Property has overall responsibility for this policy and its implementation.
