Making improvements to your shared ownership home

As a shared owner, you can make some improvements to your home without your landlord’s permission. You can:

• paint and decorate
• replace the carpet
• update the kitchen and bathroom

Many shared ownership leases do not allow you to install hard flooring (for example, laminate, wood or tile) in living areas (for example, a bedroom or living room), so that you do not disturb your neighbours below.

If you make any improvements they must not affect:

• the building’s structure
• the building’s fire safety
• your neighbours (for example, by reducing noise insulation)

You should always check your lease and with the housing association before you make improvements to make sure they’re allowed.

Repairs are work to fix something that is worn out, damaged or broken so it works as it did before.

Improvements are changes that alter, upgrade or add value to your home.

Repairs are 100% your responsibility unless covered by the initial repair period in your lease or another warranty.

You will need your landlord’s permission for:

• anything involving the structure, for example, windows or internal walls
• anything affecting fire safety, for example, fire doors
• changing anything in your home designed to stop a fire spreading, for example, sealed gaps around pipes or fire-resistant walls that divide the building into sections
• changing the ventilation in your home

You may also need approval from the housing association to use certain contractors.

Your landlord may have the right to:

• inspect your home before, during or after completion of the improvements
• request documents (for example, plans, permissions or certificates)
• require you to fix or undo work that was not approved

Different shared ownership schemes and housing associations may have different rules, so always check your lease and with your housing association.

Improvements may increase the value of your home. If you have your landlord’s permission you will not need to share any increase in value with your landlord when you buy more shares (staircase).

If you sell your home, your buyer may want to see that you had approval for any improvements.

Even if your landlord gives you permission to make improvements, you may still need planning permission or building regulations approval from your local authority.

If you carry out improvements without necessary permission, your local authority can:

• issue an enforcement notice requiring you to stop the work immediately and undo all the work you’ve done
• take other legal action against you, which may result in a conviction and fine