Home improvements
As a council tenant you have the right to make improvements and alterations to your home, but you must get written permission from us before you make any changes.
If the changes you want to make seem reasonable to us, we are likely to give permission. But we will ask you to make sure the improvements meet certain standards. We may inspect the improvements when you have finished to make sure we are happy with the standard of work.
If you move out of your property you might be able to get compensation from us for any improvements you have made, providing we gave permission for them. For more information please contact us.
You can request permission by contacting us. We will respond in writing to you within 10 days. You must not start making the alterations or improvements to your home until you have received our permission in writing.
Adapting your home
We want to help you live independently in your home. If you have a disability you may be entitled to help with equipment for or adaptations to your home that will make it possible for you to carry on living there. Solihull Independent Living (SIL) is a not-for-profit organisation that offers people who are older, disabled or on a low income an affordable way to repair, improve or adapt their homes.
What kind of help is there?
- You can get advice on suitable equipment for you or adaptations to your home, for example, stair rails or outside handrails.
- You may be able to get some equipment on loan, for example, a raised toilet seat or bathing equipment.
- You can get advice on how any major adaptations such as a lift or a ramp for wheelchair access can be funded.
You will have a visit from an occupational therapist who will decide whether or not adaptations to your property are necessary. If they decide your property should be adapted the occupational therapist will contact us to arrange it.
The adaptation may affect your rent, but we will tell you if this is the case. For more information please contact us.
For more information on help available to enable you to live independently, please visit our support for vulnerable people pages.
