Altering your home

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If you are an Ongo tenant, leaseholder (for a flat or commercial property) or a parish council making a request for alteration on land belonging to us, you must obtain our consent to undertake any additions, alterations or improvements to our property. You must do this before starting the works. Not doing so will mean you are in breach of any tenancy agreement or lease you may have with us which can have serious consequences.

The online form (get in touch with us to get a copy) in conjunction with the relevant guidance documents for any alteration you want to undertake should also be used by tenants, leaseholders or from any third party requests to apply for consent before any work is carried out.

Generally, Ongo Homes will agree to alterations being carried out to its dwellings, subject to the proposed alteration being technically sound, properly executed, not likely to reduce the amenity value of the property or adversely impact neighbours and the surrounding environment. If permission is refused we will explain the reason to you.

Altering your home FAQs

See below for more information on what you can and can’t do

  • Replace full bathroom / shower room or individual items such as bath*
  • Replace full kitchen, kitchen taps and sink*
  • Adding coverings to kitchen cupboards/units/doors such as Fablon or re-painting cupboards/units
  • Electric fires installation
  • Non-standard light fittings
  • Relocating radiators
  • Skirting boards /architraves
  • Structural internal timber (e.g. staircases, joists, floors)
  • Blocking off doors and adding doorways
  • Re-instate existing toilet or install new toilet
  • Add or remove walls/ceilings/chimney breast inside a property
  • Replace double glazed windows or external doors
  • Laminate flooring in flats or maisonettes above ground floor if covered by new tenancy agreements
  • Conservatories, Extensions, Porches, Lean-to’s, Loft boarding & Car ports.
  • Artificial Lawns
  • Ponds
  • Decking
  • Sauna cabins and hot tubs
  • Driveway, fencing, sheds and greenhouses on amenity land

* Permission to carry out work in these areas vary. Please see the Guidance sheet for work in the Kitchen and Bathroom for more information.

The above list is not exhaustive. It is always better to check first by submitting a request.

  • Driveways and hard standings
  • Adding additional kitchen units or removing kitchen units
  • External painting of the property
  • Extra electrical sockets
  • Fencing or walls
  • Outbuildings – Garages, sheds, shelters and greenhouses
  • Modification to any existing gas, electric or water installations.
  • Satellite dishes or TV aerials
  • Security works e.g. alarms, lights or CCTV
  • You can internally paint or wallpaper your home at any time without permission. However, textured wall paint or stipple finishes must not be applied to the walls or ceilings of your property.
  • You should not apply any paint to UPVC manufactured items such as windows, doors and windowsills. Additionally you should not paint wall tiles, kitchen units, electrics or boilers.
  • If you would like to paint your home externally, you must ask for permission
  • If you are carrying out alterations, there may be asbestos in your home. Asbestos is safe if not disturbed, but DIY such as drilling, or sanding may release asbestos fibres. Please visit our asbestos webpage for more information.

(for flats and commercial properties) should be aware that they require our consent for any structural alterations or alterations to the appearance of their property. We ask that you refer to your lease agreement. More information can be found on the leaseholder guidance document.

If you are disabled or have serious health issues you may be able to adapt your home so you can live in it safely and independently. If you would like to find out more on this please see our Aids and Adaptation guidance document here.

Tenants are unable to ask for alterations within the first year of their starter tenancy. We do have discretion to allow for the following requests according to the conditions stated in the relevant guidance documents. The exceptions are if tenant asks for permission for satellite dish, fence or one standard sized shed request within the first 12 months as we understand in a new tenancy, a shed would help for storage, fences for security and satellite dish to access channels which will help tenant feel more comfortable in their new home.

Permission requests will be refused for any new build properties with a warranty period (usually 12 months) as we cannot allow any changes to be made that would affect this new build warranty.

If your rent account is in arrears you will need to pay these first before we will consider your request for improvements/alterations. If there are any outstanding debts e.g. former tenancy arrears, court costs or rechargeable repair accounts we will not consider your request until they are cleared.

If there is an ongoing case against you for a breach of your tenancy conditions permission will not be considered until it is resolved.

Some alterations need planning permission and/or building control approval from your local authority. It is your responsibility to get any formal planning permission and/or building regulations approval or any other permission you need.

  • You fail to comply with specific conditions.
  • Use unsuitable materials.
  • Have insufficient expertise.
  • Inappropriate design or location.
  • Have not obtained building regulations approval if required.
  • Have not obtained planning consent if required.
  • There is less living space in your home.
  • The alterations will make your home unsafe.
  • The improvements create disadvantages for neighbouring homes.
  • They make it more expensive for us to maintain your home.

If we give you permission, there will be specific criteria that you must follow in terms of the standard of work we expect. This will be explained in our permission letter to you. You will have 3 months to make the alteration or you will need to apply for permission again.

If permitted work is not up to our required standard, you will be in breach of your tenancy or lease agreement. We may ask you to put the property back to the state it was in before the alteration was made or we may do the work on your behalf if it poses a health and safety issue.

If an alteration has been undertaken without permission, then a form will need to be completed for retrospective permission. Each case will be looked at on an individual basis and permission may be granted provided that the necessary paperwork/certificate is completed and returned confirming that all conditions have been met. We may ask you to remove, put back or make good any alteration we have not approved and/or which does not meet our standards especially those that require planning or building regulation approval.

Any costs incurred by us to rectify alterations you have made without permission or where permitted works do not meet our standards will be recharged back to you. Please note that any former tenants with outstanding recharges are not eligible for re­housing until the debt is repaid.

We have put together guidance sheets for the most common alteration requests, so before you apply, please make sure you read through them thoroughly.

To apply to carry out an alteration simply log onto your My Home, your online account.

If you haven’t got an account yet, registering is really simple. Just head to https://myhome.ongo.co.uk or download the My Home app from Google Play or the Apple app store.

Click to open the guidance sheet.

From booking repairs to paying your rent, register for my Home and keep track of your tenancy at the click of a button.

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There are lots of ways we might be able to help and support you, take a look at some of the different services we offer.

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There are lots of ways we might be able to help and support you, take a look at some of the different services we offer.