Making improvements to your home

If you are a tenant or leaseholder, we’re usually happy for you to make some changes or improvements to your home, but you must apply for permission for any improvements you would like to make. Our Tenant Improvement Panel will review your application and decide whether your request is appropriate. If you fail to do this, we may charge you the cost of putting your home back to its original condition.

You have the right to carry out improvements and alterations to your home, provided that we give our written permission first.

To ask for permission you must complete the tenants' request for improvements or alterations online form.

Council tenants

You will need our written permission for work such as replacement kitchens and bathrooms, extensions, structural alterations, installation of an electric vehicle change point and changes to electrical wiring.

Ponds

We do not allow the installation of ponds due to health and safety issues. The most serious danger associated with ponds is the risk of drowning. In addition, because ponds are not treated with chemicals or kept safe from environmental factors, their water often contains parasites or dangerous bacteria.

If a tenant is found to have a pond in their garden without permission, they will have to remove it and return the garden to its original state.

A compromise to a pond would be a water feature and we would have no objection to this. However, you will need our written permission before installing any water feature.

Dropped kerbs

Please note that dropped kerbs are part of the public highway and are the responsibility of Hertfordshire County Council. Find out more information on its website.

Leaseholders

If you are a leaseholder you will need our consent for any structural alterations or changes to the appearance of your property. For example, replacement windows or front doors. You do not need to ask us for permission to install new kitchens or bathrooms unless the changes affect the electrical supply or water supply to other residents of your block.

What happens next?

If you are unsure whether you need permission, please complete the form anyway. We will review your completed form, and always try to agree to the alterations you want to make. If we agree to the alteration or improvement we will tell you if there are any conditions.

If we don’t agree with any or all of the changes you want to make we will explain our reasons to you.

You will be responsible for future maintenance to any changes we agree to. We might also ask you to return your home to its original condition at the end of your tenancy.

You will not be charged additional rent for the improvements and you may even be entitled to a payment at the end of your tenancy.

To check whether you need to obtain planning permission for any improvements you make, please visit the Planning Portal website.