Alteration and Improvement Terms & Conditions

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Alteration and Improvement Terms & Conditions (copy to be downloaded and retained above)

ALTERATION: Small additions and/or changes to your home that do not add to the value of the property

IMPROVEMENT: Changes to the property that could potentially increase its value

Six Town Housing recommend that you do not make any purchases pre-application. Please note Six Town Housing do not take any responsibility for any purchases made pre and/or post application and decision.

APPLICATION FORM

Please ensure you complete the ‘Alteration and improvement request form’ fully. Providing details of the work to be carried out including any existing items to be removed. Drawings with measurements must be supplied where necessary and full details of any contractors you are planning to use to carry out the works must also be provided including registration numbers where needed. Do not carry out any work until you have received approval to do so.  

LEASEHOLDER/S

Leaseholders are required to pay £25.00 made payable to Six Town Housing to cover the cost of administration and any inspections that may be necessary, details on how to pay will be emailed to you once you have submitted the application.

TECHNICAL ADVICE

Alteration request forms are reviewed by Technical Advisors, should we feel technical advice is required you will be contacted using the details provided on your application form and a pre-approval inspection may be required. Please note technical advice will not be given if an ‘Alteration and improvement request form’ has not been submitted.

PURCHASES

You are responsible for all purchases in relation to the approved alteration and/or improvement. We advise that you do not make any purchases prior to receiving your decision correspondence, Six Town Housing do not take any responsibility for the purchasing of any products pre and post decision.

DECISION  

You will receive a decision within 20 working days of receipt of the form, the decision will be made based on the information you provide within the application form. You may be contacted during the decision period for further information and in some cases a visit to the property may be warranted. In certain circumstances and dependent upon the request a decision may exceed 20 working days, you will be notified at the earliest opportunity. You will receive correspondence which will detail the decision and any special conditions you will need to adhere to when carrying out the alteration. Please note we are unable to amend our decision and/or the Alteration and Improvement terms and conditions due to individual personal circumstances. Please retain all correspondence as this is your confirmation of the approved alteration and/or improvement.

DECISION – OUR RIGHT TO WITHDRAW PERMISSION

We have the right to withdraw permission in the following circumstances

- If you do not adhere to the terms and conditions and special conditions noted in your decision correspondence

- If the alteration and/or improvement causes a nuisance

- If there are concerns with health and safety of the alteration and/or improvement

- If there are concerns regarding Building control and/or planning 

- If the alteration and/or improvement does not match the information and/or  description you provided within the application.

OUR RIGHT TO PUT RIGHT AND RECHARGE

If you make an alteration and/or improvement to the property without our permission or if the alteration and/or improvement are not to a suitable standard we may ask you

- to apply for retrospective permission (there is not a guarantee that this will be approved)

- to make safe the alteration and/or improvement at your own cost and within a specific timeframe

- to remove the alteration and/or improvement and put right at your own cost within a specific timeframe

- to make amendments to the alteration and/or improvement at your own cost and within a specific timeframe

We will not ask you to complete and Alteration and Improvement request form if your request falls under the ‘Automatic refusal’ category.

We have the right to recharge you for all cost incurred 

- If the alteration and/or improvement causes damage to the property and/or to a neighbouring property

- If the alteration and/or improvement is a risk to health and safety

- If you do not comply with the terms and conditions and special conditions noted within the decision correspondence we have the right to remove the alteration/improvement and make good. The cost of the service will be recharged to you.

- Following request, if you refuse to remove and put right an alteration and/or improvement within the given notice period without agreed communication we have the right to remove the alteration and/or improvement and make good. The cost of the service will be recharged to you.

TENANT CONSULTATION 

We have the right to carry out an estate consultation should your alteration and/or improvement request have an impact on your estate and/or neighbouring properties. The results of the consultation will contribute to the decision.

GROUNDS MAINTENANCE

Permission will not be considered for alteration requests to all areas across the Borough that are maintained by grounds maintenance. These are open plan areas which are not part of the property you rent from us and are within keeping of the aestethics of the estate. 

COMPETENT TRADES PERSON

It is the responsibility of the tenant/ leaseholder to ensure that all work is carried out by a competent trades person/s and any remedial works caused by the alteration and/or improvement are put right by a competent trades person/s. Any future maintenance and removal of the alteration and/or improvement, unless otherwise stated in your decision correspondence will be your responsibility.

INTRODUCTORY TENANCY Please refer to pg 10 of your tenancy agreement 

An introductory tenancy is a weekly tenancy which lasts for a trial period of one year. During this period you are unable to make improvements to the property.  All properties let by us are done so to a lettable standard and all required improvement works are carried out on planned capital programmes. The cost of improvements to properties can be substantial, we ask that introductory tenants do not make improvements to the property as this may result in a financial loss if the tenancy does not proceed to a secure tenancy. As an introductory tenancy holder you can apply to make changes to your home that do not add to the value of the property. We will inform you within your decision correspondence if your application has been declined as it may be considered as an improvement.

AUTOMATIC REFUSAL 

The right to appeal does not apply to automatic refusals

The below alteration and/or improvement request/s will not be considered throughout the borough. Applications received for automatic refusals will not receive a response.

• If you do not pay your rent and do not have an agreed payment plan in place

• Loft conversions including boarding/lighting and storage. Please note tenants are not permitted to utilise or enter the loft space.

• Balconies

• Gas fires

• Open fires Inc. log and coal burners

• Pond/s

• Conservatories 

• Mono-pitched roof – often referred to as lean to 

• Build or remove extensions/partition walls

• Garages

• CCTV in communal areas and/or to record outside of the boundary of the property

• CCTV on flats/apartments and areas directly overlooking areas of public use

• CCTV to record personal property on public land Inc. but not limited to vehicles parked on a public road

• Fencing/hedging/storage to communal gardens and/or areas

• Vehicle storage Inc. mobility scooters/motorbike/mopeds/scooters/bicycle in communal areas/gardens.

• Flat/s – if a satellite dish is already in situ 

• Laminated flooring in flats excluding ground floor

• Alterations and/or improvements to shared and communal areas including but not limited to sheds and storage - The parts of a building which all tenants can use – for example, halls, stairways, entrances, landing, shared gardens and landscaped areas

• Paving – Full paving of gardens

• Decking – to the front garden

• Decking – that is requested to be fixed and/or placed to the exterior of the property

• Driveways – where the property is situated at a junction and/or bend.

• Showers and/or baths – replacing level access showers with baths in ground floor flats and bungalows 

• Driveways – to store caravans/motorhomes/horse boxes

• Replacement of fire door/s

• Cat flaps and/or any independent animal access which requires alterations to the composite door. 

• PVC and uPVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) Front and rear external doors -

• Storage containers – delivery of items only, the container must not be retained on the property.

• Hot Tubs - Temporary or permanent 

• Bars/structures for offices/socialising structures inc. pubs/bars/BBQ Huts/Pizza Huts

• Pergolas/Gazebos/canopy

• Outdoor electrical sockets 

• Parking of caravans and motorhomes/van conversions 

• Electric car charging points - If you do not have an accessible driveway 

• Security lights that beam outside of the boundary of the property

• Structural changes to the property including but not limited to the removal of chimneys and internal walls.

• Creating additional rooms i.e. dividing one room in to two rooms

CCTV 

Six Town Housing will consider permission for a maximum of two CCTV cameras to be fitted to a property, a third camera may be considered on a gable end where the land is within the boundary of the property. The cameras can either be fitted to the rear or front of the property and must not record/capture images/sound outside of the boundary of the property. The cameras must be intended for domestic use only and equipment required for the usage of the CCTV must not be stored in the loft. An additional doorbell camera may be considered.    

CCTV – IMPORTANT INFORMATION

We DO NOT give permission to record outside the curtilage of the property. If you inadvertently record/capture images outside of the curtilage of the property you will be considered a data logger and you must comply with your legal obligations under the Data Protection Laws. If we receive notification that you have been recording/capturing images outside of the boundary of the property this is a breach of the terms and conditions and special conditions of the permission/s granted and you will be asked to remove the camera/s and all associated equipment. If you fail/refuse to remove the cameras and associated equipment fitted to the external fabric of the property we will do this for you with notice and the cost will be recharged to you. 

ELECTRICAL 

Any electrical work must be carried out by a qualified electrician and be registered under the governments ‘Domestic Part P’ installer scheme.  You will be asked to provide certification that the work is compliant with regulations. 

EV Charger (Electric vehicle chargers)

Ev chargers can only be installed to properties where there is an accessible driveway. The charger must be fitted by a reputable company that will carry out a suitability survey, once the survey is complete they need to submit a basic sketch to Six Town Housing, Alteration and Improvement department where the charging equipment is being located and the location of any additional consumer units/control gear that are required to be fitted. Six Town Housing and Bury Council cannot be expected to undertake or fund additional works as a consequence of the car charger being installed.

 

GAS INSTALLATIONS AND INSTALLATION OF TENANTS OWN APPLIANCE(S) 

Please note under the Gas Safety (Installation and use) Regulations 1998, Bury Council as a landlord must ensure that all proposed work relating to gas appliances or gas pipe work within their properties is carried out in accordance with current standards and legislation.  Prior to permission being granted, a gas safety inspector will need to visit the property to inspect the suitability of the new installation. 

You will be responsible for all future costs incurred for the maintenance of the new appliance or fitting. This will include (in accordance with the current Gas Safety Regulations)  the annual service of the gas appliance, to be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer within a time period not exceeding every 12 (twelve) months. You must ensure that a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate issued by the Gas Safe registered engineer is available for inspection by the nominated gas contractors during their annual gas safety check of the property. 

Prior to vacating the property you will be responsible for re fitting the original council appliance, this must be installed to its original specification by a Gas Safe registered engineer who must issue a Gas Safety Certificate for the re-installation of the original appliance.  Failure to re-fit the original appliance will result in the cost of re-fitting the appliance being levied to you.  It is therefore recommended that the original council gas appliance is safety stored, undamaged and in a dry place. 

The authority reserves the right to isolate any tenant owned appliance that does not hold a valid landlords safety check carried out by the a Gas Safe registered engineer. 

The above excludes the fitting of gas fires.  We no longer allow fitting of new or replacement gas fires.   There is no right to appeal this decision.  

Compliance with BUILDING REGULATIONS AND PLANNING PERMISSION 

It is part of this agreement that there is strict adherence to Building Regulations and that where necessary the appropriate Planning Permission is sought. Failure to comply with this will be in breach of this agreement and any other Local Authority regulations. All necessary costs are your responsibility.  Such information must, if necessary to the project, be sought prior to seeking approval. Information regarding Building Regulations and Planning Permission can be obtained from: 

• 3 Knowsley Place (address below)

• Access through Bury Metropolitan Borough Councils home page on the internet www.bury.gov.uk

• Or write to:

The Department of Environment and Development Services 

3 Knowsley Place 

Angouleme Way 

Bury 

BL9 0EL 

Planning/ Building Control approval where appropriate is in addition to any consent given to this application and is likely to apply to the following (for example): 

Building Control 

Changes to windows 

Alterations to external drainage runs 

VEHICULAR HARD STANDINGS 

Separate online permission will be required from Bury Council Highways Department (0161 253 5353), to construct pavement crossings. Dropped kerbs are installed on the pavement outside a property, this involves the kerb stones being lowered, the pavement strengthened and made into a ramp to allow for a vehicle to cross the pavement and park on the property and can be completed via Bury council’s website.

Please be aware you are required to pay all costs associated with installing a dropped kerb. The information can be found on the Council’s webpage here on Dropped kerbs  and the application form is at the foot of the page.

Off road parking/ hard standings in gardens must be constructed to a suitable specification (25mm (1”) of grit sand on sub-base of at least 150-200mm (6-8”) of compacted stone or brick hardcore) so as to withstand the weight of a vehicle without sinking or movement.  If in any doubt please contact the Sustainability & Investment Team at Six Town Housing for advice on 0161 686 8000. 

LAMINATED FLOORING 

When installing laminate flooring over existing wooden floors it is possible that any future maintenance may require the floor to be lifted in whole or part.  If we need to lift flooring for any necessary maintenance we will not take responsibility for relaying or replacing the laminate floor. The landlord will not accept responsibility for any damages or loss occurring as a result of such maintenance/ modernisation work. If you have accepted your tenancy on a property that has previously had laminated flooring installed you have agreed to take full responsibility for the flooring.

CHANGES TO GARDEN AREAS/SHEDS & OUT BUILDINGS 

It is part of this agreement that there is a strict adherence to the following: 

1. Work to gardens must be carried out to a good standard using suitable materials for the intended location. 

2. All gardening works must be combatible with sustainable urban drainage

3. Fences or hedges must not exceed a height of one metre at the front of the dwelling and must not exceed two metres at the rear of the dwelling. 

4. Fencing must not deviate from the original boundary lines and must be erected to a  good standard from materials of an acceptable appearance and quality. 

5. Note: Building of brick/block walls to garden perimeters (where none previously exist) or similarly constructed ‘sheds’ will not be permitted. 

6. Where pavings are to be laid as hard standing to provide a patio area etc., these must be laid on 50mm(2”) of ash on sub-base of at least 100mm(4”) of compacted stone or brick hardcore.  

Sheds should be placed in a position within the rear garden where they will not interfere with the maintenance of the boundary fencing.  The erection of ‘permanent’ sheds (e.g. made from concrete block/ brick) will not be approved.  

Sheds are approved on the basis they are aesthetically pleasing and in line with the keeping of the estate and are being used to store home and garden tools and equipment such as lawn mower/s and gardening supplies. In addition sheds can be used to store items that are not suitable for in property storage but must be in line with your tenancy agreement.

Please be aware that any approved sheds and items stored will be your responsibility.

Sheds measurements should not exceed (LxWxH) 8ft x 6ft x 6ft 8in (to apex) 

SATELLITE DISHES/ AERIALS 

Aerials or satellite dishes must not be fitted until written permission is received from Six Town Housing. 

Planning permission has to be obtained before fitting of aerial/ satellite dishes, if necessary. This permission is in addition to any permission granted by Six Town Housing. (Please see guidance notes at the end of this document) 

Aerial/ satellite dishes are not to be located to the front elevation of the dwelling, unless there is no suitable alternative fixing location.  No advertising is to be visible on the dish. 

Dishes should be no larger than needed for good reception, within specified size or volume limits for your area and property and blend into the background as far as is reasonably possible. The aerial/ satellite dish shall not interfere with the reception of television or radio signals to any surrounding properties and shall not infringe any radio or telecommunications act. 

Aerial/ satellite dishes are to be installed by competent person who are members of the CAI (Confederation of aerial Installers) or an RDI (Registered Digital Installer), equipment should not be fitted by tenants/ leaseholders. 

Aerial/ satellite dishes are to be fitted to the brickwork of the property or to a separate structure, such as a strong pole set in the ground in concrete. On no account must the aerial or satellite dish be fitted to a window frame, gutter, fascia board, barge board or chimney pot. 

You will be responsible for the whole cost of the installation, including any associated fees and for the making good of any damage caused by or through the fitting of the aerial or satellite dish. 

You are required to maintain the aerial/ satellite dish in a good and safe order and will be responsible for the cost of this work. 

Bury Council will not be held responsible for any hire purchase or other charges that may be incurred due to the installation of the aerial/ satellite dish, if you terminate your tenancy before hire purchase payments are completed you will still be responsible for any outstanding payments. 

Insurance cover is required to indemnify the Council from and against any actions, proceedings, costs, claims and damages arising out of the provision, installation and maintenance of the aerial/ satellite dish and any associated equipment. Certificates of insurance should be available for inspection at any time. 

Should it be necessary to remove the aerial/ dish to carry out maintenance to the property you may be asked to arrange removal and re-fixture at your own expense. 

It is the responsibility of the tenant/ leaseholder to remove the aerial/ satellite dish either within seven days of receipt of correspondence from Six Town Housing or Bury Council and upon termination of tenancy.  Failure to do so will result in removal by us and any costs will be recharged of such work (Including any administration fees). 

You are bound by any other special conditions as stated in the permission correspondence from Six Town Housing.    

Notes 

If you live in a property that is connected to a communal satellite dish or TV aerial you will not be granted permission to erect a new aerial or satellite dish. However if the dish does not provide the signal you need then an application will be considered. 

The following information is given to provide you with some guidelines, however as planning regulations are updated and amended on a regular basis you should check any proposed installation with the planning department. 

Planning permission can be sought from 

Planning and Economic Development, 

3 Knowsley Place 

Angouleme Way 

Bury 

BL9 0EL 

Telephone 0161 253 5353 

Generally planning permission is not required for a satellite dish providing: 

The dish (excluding any projecting element) when measured in any direction would not exceed: 

45cm if fitted to a chimney stack 

90cm if fitted to the brickwork of the dwelling 

70cm if fitted in any other position 

If fitted to the chimney stack the dish does not project above the highest part of the stack or if fitted to the dwelling it does not project higher than the ridge of the roof. 

There is no other satellite dish fitted to the dwelling or within its boundary. 

If you live in a block of flats and another resident has fitted a satellite dish to the building you must check with Planning Department if it would permissible to erect another dish. 

Planning permission is usually required if a C.B. aerial is attached to a dwelling and projects 3 metres or more above the ridge