What do I need to do?
We want you to take pride in your home and make it your own. If you want to make changes to your home or garden, you must request a permission pack. You can get these at your local Customer Service Centre.
We may need to grant permission with special conditions if needed. We will not refuse your request without a good reason. It’s important that you get written permission from us, to make sure the work is being done to an agreed standard. Please do not carry out any work without this.
Examples of alterations that would need permission are:
- additional radiators or storage heaters
- extra electrical sockets
- installing central heating or fires
- new kitchen
- new shower or bathroom
- new window or doors
- laminate flooring or tiles
- satellite dishes or aerials
- installing CCTV
- decking in your garden
- driveway improvements, such as slabs or monoblocks
- adding fencing or walls
You also need written permission if you wish to:
- remove, chop down or destroy any bushes, hedges or trees within your garden
- carry out repairs to your vehicle at your home
- keep more than one pet
- sub-let part of your home or take in a lodger
- make any tenancy changes. This could be passing your home onto a family member or changing your tenancy from joint to sole
What happens next?
Once we get your application, we will contact you directly within the next 28 days. We use this time to check the information you give us and get advice from qualified teams. We will visit your home as part of this process. It’s up to you to check if you require building warrants or planning permission.
If we haven’t been in touch after 28 days, you have the right to carry out the works without permission.
If we refuse you permission, for any reason, you must not carry out work. We have the right to ask you to return your home or garden to the way it was before. If you refuse to do this, we can do it and recharge you for the cost.
What to do when you end your tenancy
You could get the costs of any alterations or improvements you’ve made refunded back to you at the end of your tenancy. This is on the advice of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.
When you hand in your official end of tenancy paperwork, please ask for an “Application for Compensation for Improvement Works” form. You need to fill this out and return it within 21 days of leaving your tenancy. You must include all proofs that work was carried out. We have 28 days to get back to you and arrange to visit your property, to inspect the alteration. We will then let you know our decision.
We will not get these costs refunded if:
- You were not given permission for the work
- You have already been given the costs back at an earlier date
- Your tenancy is ended through a court order
- You have an outstanding debt due to us, for example rent or council tax arrears
- You have already bought your home under our Right to Buy scheme
- The costs are less than £100 or more than £4000, for one alteration
If you need to know more about requesting permission for this work, please speak to your Housing Management Officer. For advice on building warrants and planning permission, please call 03451 55 11 22.