Leasehold home alterations

Under the terms of your lease, you can only carry out internal alterations or improvements to your home if you get written permission from the council. This is because the landlord has to protect the structure and safety of the building. We will only refuse permission if we have very good reasons for doing so.

You may also need planning permission or building regulations approval.

You should discuss any home improvement plans with us before committing to the works. Solicitors will ask about landlord consent for any alterations you've done when you sell your leasehold property.

Types of work that need landlord consent

The main types of work which you will have to get our permission for are:

• any addition or alteration to the structure of your flat
• any alteration to the outside of your flat including a new vent for your boiler or a satellite dish
• removal of any internal walls
• alterations relating to the plumbing, gas and electricity resulting in changes to internal supply pipes and circuits
• individual gardens

Please see our alterations policy for leaseholders (pdf, 26 page(s), 329.26 KB). Appendix 2 lists the home improvements that require landlord permission, and related charges (additional fees are payable for retrospective applications – these are listed in clause 6 of the policy).

Carrying out work without landlord consent

If you carry out home improvements without getting landlord consent where necessary, you will be breaking the conditions of your lease. In this case, we have the right to ask you to reinstate your flat as it was before the works were carried out. We can also arrange to reinstate the flat ourselves and charge you the costs for this.

If, at any time, we have questions about the works you have carried out, either with or without our consent, we have the right to enter and inspect the inside of your flat once we've given you notice.

Apply for landlord consent

Please complete the property alterations application form and send it to the address below.

You can also email the completed form to homesales@haringey.gov.uk.

The team will then send you an invoice for the application fee together with details of how to pay.

General works requirements

When carrying out home improvement works, please ensure you:

• keep noise and dust to a minimum
• don't store building materials or equipment in communal areas
• only carry out works from 8am to 6pm, Mondays to Fridays, and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. Don't carry out works on Sundays
• don't leave rubbish in communal areas, but make sure you dispose of it correctly in the available communal refuse bins. Find out more about waste disposal  

Any work that affects the structure or the outside of the building must be agreed in advance. Where such work can be agreed it must include full reinstatement or making good.

Installing new windows and doors

We have revoked the policy allowing leaseholders to replace their own windows and doors. This is because of concerns that have been raised about alterations that may affect the performance of the building in the event of a fire. It may not be appropriate for independent contractors to carry out alterations to some of our buildings, and full Building Control approval may be required for these alterations. Consequently, you will no longer be able to apply for permission to replace your own windows and doors.

If you have any queries, please email the leasehold services team at homesales@haringey.gov.uk.

If you have already installed your own windows and doors

Even under the previous policy, works without permission would be a breach of your lease. If you breach the terms of your lease, you run the risk of having the lease forfeited. If you have replaced your windows or doors without permission, you may be required to allow our contractors access to install compliant windows and doors, and you would be required to pay the full cost of these.

If you have any queries regarding windows and doors, please email the leasehold services team team at homesales@haringey.gov.uk.