Homeowners and shared owners

Home improvements and alterations

For homeowners, there are some changes that you can make to your property without asking us, and some where you need our permission.

If you are a tenant, complete the alterations request form.

You must get our permission before starting work. If you carry out alterations that require permission without getting it first, you may have to return your home to its original condition.

We review alteration requests to help keep residents safe and protect the building.

Examples of what you do and don't need permission for

Permission required

  • Extensions
  • Moving walls
  • Loft conversion
  • Replacing a bathroom
  • Replacing a kitchen
  • Connecting or installing a satellite dish or cable TV
  • Replacing a boiler

Permission not required

  • Hanging pictures
  • Changing flooring like-for-like
  • Applying wallpaper
  • Painting walls

Learn about our recommendations if your home was built within the last 12 months.

Get permission to make alterations to your home

Use our form to tell us about your planned alterations and submit an application.

Apply for permission to make alterations

Home alterations: structural and non-structural

What you need to do next depends on the type of work you’re planning. The permission process is different for structural and non-structural alterations.

Structural alterations affect the structure or layout of your home, such as extensions, loft conversions or moving internal walls.

Non-structural alterations are smaller changes that still require our written permission, such as replacing a kitchen, flooring or a boiler.

Permissions for leaseholders, shared owners and freeholders 

Leaseholders

You must get our written permission for structural and non-structural alterations.

Shared owners

If you increase the share that you own in your home (staircase), we may not include improvements in your home’s valuation if they needed permission and you did not get it.

Freeholders

You may need our permission to carry out major home improvements if restrictions apply in your transfer document.

The home alterations application process

Complete our application form to get help with your application and to find out about what’s allowed.

We’ll check your lease or transfer agreement to confirm:

  • whether the works are allowed
  • whether your request is classed as structural or non-structural

If we can’t approve your request, we’ll explain why in writing.

We grant permission based on what your lease permits.

For all works we’ll ask for:

  • quotes
  • layout plans or photos
  • installation details
  • indemnity insurance (if needed)

If your works are structural we may ask you to instruct a qualified surveyor to carry out a pre and/or post condition survey.

We’ll explain next steps by email.

We will review all requested documents, along with your lease, to confirm if consent can be given.

If legal documents are required (such as a Deed of Variation), our solicitor will liaise directly with yours about any fees.

Once all required checks are complete, we’ll ask you to pay our non‑refundable admin fee by phone.

View our list of admin fees.

You must wait until you receive our written permission before starting any work.

For non-structural works – send evidence within 12 weeks.

For structural works – send evidence within 20 weeks.

This usually includes:

  • photos of the completed work
  • safety certificates
  • Building Control sign‑off (if relevant)
  • post‑completion survey (structural works only)

The first 12 months after your property has been built

Ask us before making any changes to your home in the first 12 months after it has been built. This is when the builder may still need to check and fix issues – the 12-month defect liability period.

We recommend that you do not paint, wallpaper or hang pictures during this time. This helps your home dry out properly and makes it easier to identify any problems.

For more advice, refer to your Home User Guide.