Tenants of Leicester City Council have what is known as a 'secure tenancy'. This means as a tenant you have the right to carry out improvements to your home, provided that you first get permission from the Director of Adults and Housing.

Each application is considered separately and permission is usually given, subject to any conditions that may be appropriate.

If permission is not given we will write to you, giving you the reason. If you are not satisfied with the decision you have the right to appeal. Appeals should be sent to the Director of Adults and Housing in the first place, and then to the County Court if you are still not satisfied.

You also have the right to appeal if you think that the conditions under which permission is given are unreasonable.

You MUST NOT start any improvement work until written permission has been given by the Director of Adults and Housing.

Check the regulations

Once you have received permission, the next stage is to make sure the improvement work you want to carry out complies with Building Regulations and Planning Requirements. It is best not to start any work until you have received written approval from the council sections concerned.

Contact Building Control on (0116) 252 6662 and Planning on (0116) 252 7248 or 252 7249 to find out about the building and planning regulations that might affect you.

Please note:

You will be responsible for the maintenance and repair of any addition or alteration to your home, and for making good any damage.

Any permanent alteration or addition becomes the property of the City Council and cannot be removed when you leave the property.

Any alteration you carry out without the permission of the Director of Adults and Housing may be removed by the City Council to restore the property to its original design. You would then have to pay for the cost of this extra work.

Compensation

Tenants are now entitled to compensation for certain types of improvement work when their tenancy is terminated.

Any repayment is calculated on a set formula which takes annual depreciation from the original costs into account.

For further information write to the Director of Adults and Housing and ask for details on the 'compensation for improvements scheme'.

Internal decorating

Tenants are responsible for the internal decorating of their homes.

Low cost decorating service

The City Council offers a low cost decorating service for disabled and pensioner tenants. The work is carried out by council workers and the tenant is charged for their time and for the materials they use, with a discount of up to £100. Tenants can also provide their own wallpaper and emulsion paint if they want, as long as it is of a suitable standard and quality.

If you are interested in this service, ask at your neighbourhood housing office and they will make the arrangements for you (the address and phone number is given on the back of your rent card).

Work done through the decorating service must be paid for in advance, but you can arrange to pay instalments with your rent instead of one lump sum.

Decorating after major repairs

The city council offers an allowance to help pay for the cost of redecorating after major repair work that we carry out, such as putting in a new damp-proof course or rewiring. These allowances are at a standard rate, fixed every year by the Housing Committee.

Decorating communal areas

Tenants are not responsible for decorating the communal areas of flats and maisonettes. The city council inspects them every five years and decorates them when necessary.

Pensioners and disabled tenants

If tenants are pensioners or are disabled, the city council will deal with some of the work that would normally be their responsibility, at no extra cost.

Tenants' Associations

Tenants' Associations in some areas have stocks of materials and equipment, such as door chains and hot water cylinder jackets. These are available for sale at reduced prices for tenants.

Paying us to do your repair work

You can now choose to pay the City Council to do some of the minor repair and replacement work that you are responsible for. The work has to be paid for in cash at your local housing office before it is carried out.

Once the payment has been made, the repair and replacement work can be booked by phoning the repairs call centre on (0116) 252 7007.

Priority is given to pensioners and disabled tenants, and waiting times will depend on the repairs workload at the time.

Adaptations for disabled tenants

If you are disabled you may need adaptations to your home – such as ramps, level access, hand rails, raised power points, lower work surfaces in the kitchen, a stair lift or a hoist for the bath.

 

If you need adaptations you should call (0116) 253 1191 and ask for an Occupational Therapy referral.