Making changes to your home

We recognise that making changes can help turn your house or flat into somewhere that feels more like home. 

While some improvements are permitted in your Tenancy Agreement, other proposed changes require our consent (know as Landlord's Consent).

Please read this page to understand if your planned changes require our consent, and complete the application form at the bottom of this page if they do.

What improvements can I make without consent?

You don't need to request consent for works which are deemed to be minor in nature or form part of obligations within your tenancy agreement. Typical examples are listed below; however, if the work you're planning isn't listed, please fill out the form below:

  • Internal decorations
  • Internal flooring
  • TV brackets to walls
  • Picture hooks
  • Shelving to internal walls
  • Medicine cabinet (or similar small storage) to bathrooms.

Although consent isn't required for the above, you'll be responsible for any future repairs and maintenance, and may be asked to remove them at the end of your tenancy, or be charged for their removal.

Before you begin work, please contact our Compliance Team to check if your home contains asbestos, and what you need to do, if so. Please email: ComplianceTeam@eastlighthomes.co.uk

What improvements am I unable to make?

We have a duty to ensure that your home remains safe. Here is a list of the types of works we are unable to permit:

  • Open fires
  • Log/wood/solid fuel burners
  • Full gas system replacement
  • Full rewire of electrical system
  • Oil boiler replacement
  • Radiator removal
  • Conservatories
  • Loft conversions
  • Installing ponds
  • Structures such as pergolas and car ports attached to your home (as they need to be freestanding).
When are you unable to give consent for any type of work?

We are unable to give our consent for any type of work if:

  • You’re on a starter tenancy
  • You’re in rent arrears of over three months or you have debts that aren't being repaid
  • You’re in temporary accommodation
  • You’re a perpetrator in an outstanding case of anti-social behaviour
  • You’re under-occupying your home
  • There is a  health and safety concern that may impact on our liabilities as a landlord
  • You’ve undertaken historic works without our consent
  • Any existing or retrospective application is pending
  • Not enough information has been provided for the works.
What happens if I carry out work without your consent?

If you carry out work without obtaining our consent, we may require you to revert your home back to its original condition or we may do it for you – both of which will be charged to you.

If you choose to move, you may be asked to revert your home back to its original condition at your own cost.

Applying for fencing or outbuildings

General

Rules differ depending on your location, and if you live in a conservation area. Please check with your local district, city or unitary authority council.

When applying for our consent, we would appreciate a brief statement, annotated photographs, sketches and/or aerial plans (Google or similar) to help illustrate the:

  • Address
  • Location (aerial plan/sketch and/or photos)
  • Extent (measurements on an annotated plan and/or photos)
  • Height
  • Type/material
  • Company/personnel undertaking the work.

Unfortunately, permission can't be granted within shared gardens/grounds. 

You may be asked to remove and/or return to the original state at the end of your tenancy.

We typically charge a £50 administration fee when reviewing applications for fencing or outbuildings.

Outbuildings only

  • We permit freestanding outbuildings (i.e. not connected to the main dwelling and at least 1m away from it to allow for access/maintenance) as long as it is in line with the rules outlined by the Planning Portal: Planning permission and building regulations - Outbuildings - Planning Portal.
  • As with any additions/alterations you undertake, you're required to maintain, repair and service the installation, as they're not considered a ‘habitable space’ (i.e. do not form part of your tenancy). Under both Planning laws and Building Control, outbuildings are not to be used as sleeping accommodation. 

Example of information required: A 6’ x 4’ (181cm x 125cm) timber shed, 6’1 high (185cm) and is 3’ (90cm) from the boundary. Used to store bicycle and lawn mower. Company to undertake the works is A J Jones Sheds Ltd. – www.aj-jones-sheds.co.uk

Example of images & plans for outbuildings

Fencing only

We permit changes to fencing if within our ownership. Please complete an application and adhere to the rules (heights, locations etc.) outlined by the Planning Portal: Interactive House – Planning Portal.

Example of information required: A 6’ x 4’ (181cm x 125cm) timber shed, 6’1 high (185cm) and is 3’ (90cm) from the boundary. Used to store bicycle and lawn mower. Company to undertake the works is A J Jones Sheds Ltd. – www.aj-jones-sheds.co.uk.

Example of images & plans for fencing

Applying for Electric Vehicle Charging Points

We may permit the installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Points (EVCPs) if certain criteria is met e.g. no physical or legal/land ownership constraints. However, please do apply for our consent before purchasing or leasing an electric vehicle. We will typically charge a £50 administration fee when reviewing requests for charging points. Approval is not guaranteed, so we advise against making that financial commitment before receiving consent.

I'm a leaseholder - how do I apply for consent?

Find out more about carrying out works inside and outside your home here, and apply for landlord's consent here. 

What if I need aids or adaptations in my home?

It is important that you feel safe, secure and independent in your home. To help ensure this, we can make changes, known as adaptations, so life is easier for you. These range from minor adaptations, such as handrails, to major adaptations, such as creating wheelchair-accessible spaces.

You can find out more here. 

  • Stockpaperwork

    Applying and what's next

    Please use the form at the bottom of this page to apply for Landlord’s Consent.

    Fees

    We charge administration fees to process most applications for landlord's consent, including a £10 processing fee at the point of application.

    For major works, for example those that require a visit by one of our surveyors, then further charges will apply. These charges will always be discussed with you before you choose to proceed.

    If your home is receiving an adaptation following an Occupational Therapist Assessment, then you will not be charged when you apply for landlord's consent.

    Next steps

    Once we receive your application, we will assess it and aim to let you know the outcome within 28 days of receipt. It may be that a surveyor needs to visit your home, or that we require additional information from you before we can make a decision.

    Our consent will be given where the works are reasonable, won’t have a detrimental effect on your home or won’t create health and safety issues. You will assume full responsibility for the repair and maintenance of any alteration you make, and all conditions given to you as part of our consent must be observed.

    Your project may require the additional approval of your local authority to proceed, such as planning permission. Please obtain any relevant permissions before applying, as we will not be able to provide landlord's consent without them.

Landlord's Consent Form

If you need any support to complete this online form, or would rather contact us a different way, then please click here to get in touch.

Please complete this form to apply for landlord's consent to carry out work in your home.

Please include a brief description, including dimensions (widths, heights etc.) and links to any materials to be used.
In total, these files must be no greater than 35mb in size, combined. We'll be unable to process your request without sufficient information being provided. If you are uploading multiple supporting documents to attach to your application, hold down the CTRL key to select your chosen files, if using a keyboard. The total number of files you have attached will be shown.

Please note: We charge a £10 administration fee for processing applications for Landlord's Consent, and further charges may apply. If you are applying for an adaptation to your home after receiving an Occupational Therapy Assessment, then we will not charge you. If the work you wish to carry out is external, please provide a plan of the area showing where you intend to carry out the work and full details on what you intend to do, including dimensions and a full specification of the works. If you erect a shed, greenhouse or other outbuilding after obtaining our written permission you will be asked to remove them at the end of your tenancy and all areas made good. If you don’t do this you will be recharged. Your project may require the additional approval of your local authority to proceed (i.e. planning permission, building regulations, environmental services permission). If this is the case it will be your responsibility to obtain the relevant permissions before we will give permission for the project to proceed. We will only give permission for electrical work to be completed by an NICEIC or similar approved electrician. We will also only give permission for works to a gas supply where a Gas safe engineer is being used to complete the works. You will be required to provide evidence of their competency to carry out such works, for example an NICEIC of Gas Safe registration number. For certain building works you will need to provide evidence that your contractor has appropriate insurance cover. We will request this where necessary. We will treat any failure by you to satisfy our conditions as a breach of your tenancy agreement. If you make any alterations to your home without our written permission we will require you to remove them and re-instate the property to its previous condition. If you don’t do this when requested we may carry out the work and re-charge you the cost of doing this. Eastlight will process the information that you have provided for the purposes of checking your eligibility to make alterations to your home.