Apply for alterations

Please note

Submitting an alterations application form is ONLY a request.

No work can commence unless you receive written permission from Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council.

Before your start your online application, please ensure you have all your supporting documents to hand.

Found on this page:

What is an alteration request?

An alteration request is where a Tenant, Owner occupier or Leaseholder would like to make an alteration to their property at their own cost, but they require the Council’s permission to do so as former or current Landlord.

The kind of improvements you can make to your council or ex-council property will be considered in accordance with the relevant contract, which will be in the form of a tenancy agreement, covenant or lease agreement.

An alteration will not be funded, repaired or replaced by the council at any time and the council will not be responsible for the disposal of any associated waste. For BMSDC tenants, the alteration may also need to be removed if they should leave the property, and any removal will be at their own cost.

Please note: An alteration request is for permission from BMSDC as a former or current Landlord only. This is NOT the same as the following:

  • BMSDC’s scheme to provide grant funding for disabled adaptations
  • Planning permission
  • Building regulations
  • Highways regulations

Depending on the nature of the alteration/circumstances, permission from the above departments may also be required and will require a separate application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to research their request prior to making an alterations application to be clear about what other regulations are relevant. Applicants MUST contact the relevant departments and acquire confirmation that the request complies with the relevant regulations BEFORE making an alteration request for Landlord or Former Landlord permission. If you are unsure which departments are relevant, please contact us on 0300 123 4000.

Who can apply for an alteration?

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council tenants

Only tenants with a secure Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council tenancy can request alterations.

In some circumstances, minor alterations during an introductory tenancy may be considered if in connection with a disability, or in exceptional circumstances.

Homeowners

Homeowners can also apply, where there is a covenant in place following a sale under Right to Buy.

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council Leaseholders

Leaseholders can also apply, where the leaseholders occupy a property and Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council is responsible for the building.

How long does it take?

We are currently reviewing our Tenant Alterations Policy.

We receive a large number of applications with insufficient information. You may still submit a request for permission to make an alteration, but please be aware that due to these factors, applications are taking longer than usual to process.

Once you have submitted your Alterations Request form, you must also agree to send all the relevant supporting information to alterationrequests@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk within 48 hours of submitting the form. Please make sure you have all your supporting documents ready first.

It is your responsibility to ensure that supporting documentation is successfully submitted. Any forms that do not have adequate supporting documentation will be rejected after 48 hours. If this happens, you will be required to submit a new application.

The Council aims to issue a decision within 20 days of receipt of a complete application. This means applications with all relevant documents.

Why do I need to supply supporting documentation?

There are many factors which affect whether permission can be granted which include planning regulations, building regulations, health and safety practices, legal matters, land ownership and such like.

The welfare of your property means a lot to us. So that we can make a prompt, safe and competent assessment of your alterations request, we need as much information as possible from you.

A lack of information is the biggest cause for delay to application processing times and it is not always possible for a surveyor to attend.

As a tenant you have a responsibility to provide all necessary details about the alteration with your request. This is to enable Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council to make an informed decision and help to speed up your application.

What information do I need to provide?

We receive a large number of applications which do not give enough information for a decision to be concluded. Please use the guidance below. However, if your alteration request is not featured below, please contact us if you are not sure what to provide.

Our email address is alterationrequests@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

To help speed up the application process, please ensure that when you submit your request for permission that you provide detailed drawings of the layout of the area you wish to make an alteration to and detailed plans for your proposed alteration.

You must also list materials to be used, measurements, and photographs of the existing area that you wish to make an alteration to if you are applying for permission.

Please see below for examples of common tenant alteration requests, and the information required. This list is not exhaustive.

Bathroom replacements (either full or partial)

  • Details of the contractor chosen to carry out the work. Contractors must be suitably qualified. For example, registered with an appropriate trade body, insured to carry out the required work and VAT-registered.
  • Detailed drawings of the bathroom layout and plans.
  • List of the materials to be used.
  • Measurements of the whole area and the alterations.
  • Photographs of the existing area that you wish to make an alteration to.
  • If you wish to re-tile, please ensure you only tile in areas that have previously been tiled, or submit detailed drawings and photos of any new areas that you wish to tile. You must not cover any pipes or electrics that may need to be serviced. The council reserves the right to remove any tiling if necessary to access services such as water electrical or drainage and does not take responsibility for any costs or repair / replacement, which may arise if tiles were a tenant’s alteration.

Kitchen replacements (either full or partial)

  • Details of the contractor chosen to carry out the work. Contractors must be suitably qualified. For example, registered with an appropriate trade body, insured to carry out the required work and VAT-registered.
  • Detailed drawings of the kitchen layout and plans.
  • List of the materials to be used.
  • Measurements of the whole area and the alterations.
  • Photographs of the existing area that you wish to make an alteration to.
  • If you wish to re-tile, please ensure you only tile in areas that have previously been tiled, or submit detailed drawings and photos of any new areas that you wish to tile. You must not cover any pipes or electrics that may need to be serviced. The council reserves the right to remove any tiling if necessary to access services such as water electrical or drainage and does not take responsibility for any costs or repair / replacement, which may arise if tiles were a tenant’s alteration.

Fencing (either full or partial)

  • Confirmation in writing from the planning authorities as to whether or not planning permission is necessary and that it has already been obtained where necessary. Or details of why planning permission is not necessary.
  • Detailed drawings of the layout and plans.
  • List of the materials to be used.
  • Measurements of the whole area and of the fencing.
  • Photographs of the existing area that you wish to make an alteration to. Where possible, take a photo from an upstairs window, or from each corner of the garden, to show the whole area.

You can contact the relevant Council's Planning department to determine whether planning permission is required. Please ensure that this is obtained before you make your application for tenant alteration permission.

You may contact the Planning department at planning@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

Please note fencing can only be placed along the existing legal boundaries of the property, and comply with the Council's fencing policy.

Shed / greenhouse or outbuilding

  • Confirmation in writing from the planning authorities as to whether or not planning permission is necessary and that it has already been obtained where necessary. Or details of why planning permission is not necessary.
  • Detailed drawings of the layout and plans.
  • List of the materials to be used.
  • Measurements of the whole area and of the shed.
  • Photographs of the existing area that you wish to make an alteration to.
  • For properties less than 10 years old – details of the covenant permission for the shed if applicable.

You can contact the relevant Council's Planning department to determine whether planning permission is required. Please ensure that this is obtained before you make your application for tenant alteration permission.

You may contact the Planning department at planning@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

EV charger

Photos of:

  • The designated parking area and proposed charging point.
  • The proposed cable route between the car and property.
  • The proposed route for wiring to the main electric consumer unit.

Please also include letters and information leaflets from the EV charger installer that you wish to use.

Please note you must have your own driveway within the boundary of the property which has a pre-existing drop kerb, unless you have been accepted on to a recognised government initiative for charging cable use on public highways. You can find further details on charging cable schemes via Suffolk County Council's website.

Flooring

  • Detailed drawings of the layout and plans for the area you wish to lay flooring in, including the adjoining areas.
  • List of the materials to be used.
  • Measurements of the whole area.
  • Photographs of the existing area that you wish to make an alteration to.
  • Please ensure any permanent floor coverings do not cover any pipes or electrics that may need to be serviced. The Council reserves the right to remove any floor covering if necessary to access services such as water electrical or drainage and does not take responsibility for any costs or repair / replacement, which may arise.

Satellite receivers

  • A photo to show the location of the television satellite receiver.
  • Detailed drawings of the layout and plans of the area you wish to attach the receiver to.
  • Details of any covenants on your property relating to adding equipment to the outside of your building.
  • Please also include letters and information leaflets from the installer that you wish to use.

Trees

You will need permission to fell or prune a tree in your garden or land if:

  • It is covered by a tree preservation order.
  • It is within a designated conservation area.
  • It is protected by a legal covenant – permission is required from the person(s) benefiting from the covenant.
  • It is within a property, which is part of a relatively new development (up to five years), and may be covered by conditions on the original planning permission.
  • Not within your garden.

Please contact Planning for further information if you are unsure.

Read our guide on trees

Read our guide on tree preservation orders

If you are unsure of what you need to provide for any alteration requests not featured here, please contact us at alterationrequests@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

What happens if I don’t provide enough information?

Applications without the necessary measurements, drawings, photographs and materials to be used cannot be assessed, and will be rejected within 48 hours from the date the application form is received due to lack of information.

Where applications could require planning permission, you must ensure you include correspondence from the planning department to either detail that you have their permission in advance of your application, or that they have confirmed their permission is not required.

This would be essential to any applications for sheds / outbuildings or extensions, and in some cases, fencing or satellite receivers as some examples. Applications without this information, if relevant, will be rejected for lack of information. If you are unsure whether your application requires planning permission please contact the planning department at planning@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

Please note

Submitting an alterations application form is ONLY a request.

No work can commence unless you receive written permission from Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council.

What happens after I have submitted my online alterations application?

Once you have submitted your Alterations Request form, you must also agree to send all the relevant supporting information to alterationrequests@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk within 48 hours of submitting the form.

It is your responsibility to ensure that supporting documentation is successfully submitted. Any forms that do not have adequate supporting documentation will be rejected after 48 hours. If this happens, you may be required to submit a new application.

The Council aims to issue a decision within 20 days of receipt of a complete application. This means applications with all relevant documents.

Did you know?

EV Chargers will only be considered if the charging unit is installed on an allocated driveway within the boundary of the property which has a pre-existing drop kerb. There are some government schemes coming available for properties with no driveways but you will need to have been accepted onto one such scheme and provide evidence of this if you do not have a driveway of your own. A designated parking space away from your property is not considered to be a driveway.

New Build Properties: If your property is less than 10 years old, there may be restrictions that prevent certain alterations which were stipulated during the development phase. You must check this BEFORE applying for an alteration to your home. The information would be contained in your information pack sent to you when you moved in. If you are still unsure, please contact housingdevelopment@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

Sheds: Requesting a shed may seem like a simple decision, but there are many factors to be taken into account. For example, sheds can only be installed on land which has permitted development rights. They must be away from any heat and fuel sources such as oil tanks, and must comply with certain regulations about distance from your boundary, and NEVER be installed in a front garden. They must also comply to planning rules about height so you must check these rules before you apply.

Fences: Moving a fence line is not simple. When requesting to move a fence, you MUST adhere to the lines of the legal boundary of your property in accordance with Land Registry. Permission to move fence lines outside of this area will be refused. You must also adhere to specific height restrictions.

Read our fencing policy for more information

When are alterations not permitted?

  • Applications from introductory tenants will generally be declined unless they are required for a disability or exceptional circumstances.
  • EV chargers for allocated parking space(s) away from the property and / or communal parking areas will not be permitted unless part of an agreed scheme.
  • We do not allow log burners or open fires of any kind.
  • We will not allow you to remove any structural walls, or do anything that might damage the structure of the building, or disrupt shared services.

You must let us know if you have carried out any previous home alterations without permission. We may need to carry out an inspection to decide whether there has been any damage to the property and if it still meets required building standards.

What if I make an alteration without permission?

You can make an application for retrospective permission which is likely to be granted in cases where work is of a high standard and does not cause any issues to neighbours, mains services such as drainage, water supply or electrics, and where it does not contravene any legal, structural or health and safety restrictions or regulations.

In some cases where a major issue has been identified, you may be required to fully remove the alteration at your own cost. If you are required to remove your alteration, you will be given a reasonable timescale to carry out remedial works. Failure to comply with any such requirement would constitute a tenancy breach and therefore action will be taken against your tenancy to enforce the removal.

If you do not agree with a requirement for removal, you can follow our appeals procedure below. Providing your appeal is submitted as specified below and within 14 days of this letter, the requirement for full removal will be paused until such time as your appeal has been fully considered.

What if I have supplied all the information but you decline my alteration request?

You may appeal a decision, within 14 days of your decision letter.

Your appeal must be in writing (email is satisfactory). Our email address is alterationrequests@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

Your appeal must state clearly your reasons for your appeal and include photographs and detailed reasons for your appeal. Please also provide a drawing with the layout, measurements and materials.

Once received, your appeal will be considered within a reasonable timeframe, and you will be advised of the outcome in writing.