Qualifying improvements to council homes
Any improvements to a council home not listed as a qualifying improvements will not be considered for compensation. This includes interior decorations, such as painting and wallpapering.
Compensation is payable to the following items and the notional life of the improvement, which is the life expectancy of the improvement in years.
| Qualifying improvements | Notional life in years |
|---|---|
| Bath or shower | 12 |
| Wash-hand basin | 12 |
| Toilet | 12 |
| Kitchen sink | 10 |
| Storage cupboards in bathroom or kitchen | 10 |
| Work surfaces for food preparation | 10 |
| Space or water heating | 12 |
| Thermostatic radiator valves | 7 |
| Insulation of pipes, water tank or cylinder | 10 |
| Lift insulation | 20 |
| Cavity wall insulation | 20 |
| Draft proofing of external doors or windows | 8 |
| Double glazing or other external window replacement of secondary glazing | 20 |
| Rewiring or the provision of power and lighting or other electrical fittings (including smoke detectors) | 15 |
| Any object which improves the security of the dwelling-house, but excluding burglar alarms | 10 |
Calculation of compensation
The amount of compensation is calculated according to the following formula, which takes into account wear and tear and depreciation.
C x (1-Y/N).
C = original cost of the improvement.
Y = the number of completed years the improvement has been in place (part of a year rounded up to a complete year) starting on the date the improvement was completed and ending in the date the compensation is claimed.
N = the notional life of the improvement.
Example of calculation
If replacement windows were installed ten years ago costing £2000, this is calculated as follows:
Number of completed years (10) multiplied by the notional life (20) = 0.5.
Then 1 – 0.5 = 0.5 x £2000 (original cost) = £1000 (compensation payable).
When deductions are made to the compensation
Deductions will be made if:
- the cost of the improvement was excessive
- the improvement is of a higher quality than it would have been if we had done the work
- the improvement has deteriorated lesser than has specified in the notional life
- you owe us money – for example, rent arrears, service charge arrears, rechargeable repairs or court costs