Making additions or alterations to your council home

Once you have been a council tenant for 12 months, with no breaches of your tenancy agreement, your tenancy will be made ‘secure’. 

As a secure tenant you can make improvements to your home, provided you obtain permission in writing from us before the works begin, and that they are completed to an agreed standard.

You may also be considered to make improvements to your council home if you are:

• a ‘successor tenant’ or the tenancy was assigned to you by the court
• transferring to another Luton Borough Council property
• exchanging your council or housing association home (mutual exchange), you may be eligible at the time of the transfer or exchange

About the improvements

To claim compensation:

• the improvements you are claiming for must have begun on or after 1 April 1994
• you must have proof of our written consent to the improvement work being carried out
• the improvements you are claiming falls under the list of ‘qualifying’ improvements

Compensation can be claimed for the cost of materials (but not appliances such as cookers and fridges) and labour costs (but not the tenants own labour). No compensation can be claimed for professional fees (such as architects), or the costs of any relevant planning permission or consent under Building Regulations.

Compensation will be payable to a maximum of £3000 for any one improvement. No payment will be made if the level of compensation is less than £50.

When you will not be paid compensation

Compensation will not be paid when:

• the compensation payable is less than £50
• the tenancy has ended as the result of eviction
• the tenancy has ended due to the occupants exercising the Right to Buy
• compensation has already been paid for the improvement under S100 Housing Act 1985
• the notional life of the improvement has expired

The "notional life" is a set period in years for calculating the amount of compensation owed to a secure tenant who has made approved home alterations, such as installing a new bathroom or insulation, when they leave their property.

Fitting flooring

If you wish to fit laminate flooring or tiles to the floors in your home you need to obtain permission from us.

You will be responsible for:

• lifting the flooring should access be required to carry out repairs
• lifting and refitting any carpets for the same reason

If repairs are needed we would make every effort to avoid causing damage, but it is important you are aware that difficulties can arise.