Getting ready to do the work
As soon as we have a referral for major adaptations, we carry out a tenancy check to make sure you are the tenant, or if the adaptations are for someone else, that they are registered at the address.
We might not agree major changes to your home if:
- you’re registered on homemove and looking to move
- you’re been served a ‘Notice of Seeking Possession’ (NoSP) for a breach of tenancy, for rent arrears or anything else
We won’t agree major changes if you’ve put in a Right to Buy application.
Sometimes the work won’t be able to go ahead for other reasons:
- If it’s not reasonable or possible to do the adaptations to the property – for example, if it’s too small, the access is too steep or the difficulty of doing the work means the overall cost is more than the maximum amount we can fund.
- The cost of returning the property back to how it was would be too high – for example, if you live in a property that would not normally be adapted, the cost of changing it back in the future will be taken into consideration
The adaptations may also not go ahead if the work will affect your neighbours - for example, if changes need to be made to a shared entrance or common ways.
If the work does affect other residents, we’ll need to consult with them. The housing team will write to neighbouring residents explaining what the proposals are to see if there are any objections. The consultation period lasts for 14 days and any objections must be reasonable.
We won’t generally approve the installation of stair lifts in the common ways of council-owned blocks due to the health and safety concerns and risk of obstructing an emergency evacuation route. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that all common ways need to be kept clear.
If a property is newly-built, we’ll need to check any changes are permitted within the warranty period.
If the work can’t go ahead, we will tell you why.
Asbestos check
We also need to be sure that any proposed adaptations can be done safely and need to know whether there is any asbestos in the property.
We may have this information already, but if not we’ll arrange a survey and report to be carried out. If we do need to arrange a survey, you’ll need to allow access.