Improving and adapting your council home

Planned improvements

Improvements are delivered through planned programmes of work set out in the annual
capital upgrade programme. These programmes are based on the information collated by
the stock condition survey for each property. We will inform you in writing at the start of each
financial year if you are included in that year’s programme.

Improvement programme examples:

• Kitchen replacement
• Bathroom / shower room replacement
• Window replacement
• External door replacement
• Roof covering, soffit and fascia and guttering replacement
• Heating and boiler replacement / installation
• Loft insulation during roof replacement works
• Fixed wiring
• Rebuilding chimneys
• Estate improvements for paving, fencing and car parking.

When your home is included in a planned home improvement
programme, we will:

• Contact you in advance of the work to arrange a visit for one of our home improvement team to discuss upgrading your home
• Provide you with contact details in case you have an enquiry about the work or you want to arrange a more convenient appointment
• Discuss with you what work we will be doing
• Let you know the length of time we require access to your home.

When your home is included in a planned home improvement
programme, you need to:

• Allow us access to your home for the agreed appointment time to ensure that you remain in the programme
• Contact us as soon as possible if the appointment is no longer suitable.

Carrying out your own improvements or alterations

If you wish to improve or alter your home, you must request permission to do so. Apart from general redecorating and repairs listed as tenant  responsibility, all changes require written permission from NWLDC before work starts.

Refer to the Tenants Guide to Permissions and Property Alterations for more information; this is available along with the request forms on
our website or contact the repairs helpline if you would prefer a copy sent out to you.

You can download a copy of the Tenants guide to permissions and property alterations here: Tenants guide to permissions and property alterations (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)

Our tenant portal is currently being developed which will also provide the option of requesting permission online.

Aids and adaptations

An adaptation is a change to a person’s home which makes it easier to live in.

Leicestershire County Council's Adult Social Care Services currently arranges about 6,000 adaptations each year to the homes of older and disabled people. Examples may include:

• Grab rails or banisters
• Stair lifts
• Level-access showers
• Ramps
• Widened doors.

How to apply

You will be seen and assessed in your own home, usually by an occupational therapist or community care worker who will make appropriate recommendations for any adaptations required, to make the home as safe as possible.

Contact: Leicestershire County Council Adult Social Care

Tel: 0116 305 7404
E-mail: adultsocialcare@leics.gov.uk