Tenant responsibilities

If you are a secure tenant, you are allowed to carry out improvements and make alterations to your home.

You don’t need permission for minor improvements such as fitting shelves and cupboards or installing secondary glazing. However, will need request permission before carrying out any major improvements or alterations such as:

• building an extension
• partitioning of rooms
• removing walls and chimney breasts
• adding a garage or car parking space
• installing a satellite dish on your property
• installing a cat flap

You can request permission to make an improvement to your home through your tenant services account in My Account. 

Don’t have an online account?

Creating an account is easy and only takes a couple of minutes. All you need to get started is an email address, to use as a login. We will then send you details on how to activate your account.

Register to My Account

You will need to activate your tenant services account the first time you log in.

Aids and adaptations for disabilities

If you need to adapt your home because of a disability or old age, contact us to find out if we can help you carry out improvements and adaptations to suit your needs.

If you wish to keep a pet such as a cat or a dog, you must apply for permission.

You don’t need written permission for small animals such as gerbils and guinea pigs.

You can request permission for a pet through your tenant services account in My Account.

Animals we don’t allow

We do not allow any tenants to keep pit bull type dogs or any other banned breeds, as defined by the Dangerous Dog Act 1991.

Removing your pets

All pets must be well looked after and kept under proper control. You should be respectful or your neighbours and not allow your pet to cause alarm or become nuisance. We can take your permission to keep a pet away at any time. If we do this, you will have to remove the pet from your home.

If you do not remove your pet, we could:

• take out an injunction (court order) to force you to remove your pet
• serve you with a notice to seek possession of your home.

If you have a garden with your home, you are responsible for maintaining it and keeping it tidy.

This includes:

• mowing the lawn regularly
• keeping hedges and bushes trimmed
• making sure that weeds, plants and bushes don’t grow into neighbouring gardens or on to pathways
• keeping your garden tidy and free from waste and litter 
• clearing up after your pets if you have them.

The responsibility to maintain your garden is the same whether you:

• have direct access to a garden from your home (such as if you live in a house or ground floor flat
• live in a flat or maisonette and have been given sole use of a garden area within the grounds of your block.

As a council tenant, you must make sure that you protect your household belongings against loss or damage. We strongly advise you to arrange home contents insurance when you move into your home.

You can order replacement keys and fobs for the following communal doors and windows:

• entrance key to block
• balcony door key
• room door key
• window key

Order a key or fob

You can order a new key or fob through your tenant services account in My Account.

Don’t have an online account?

Creating an account is easy and only takes a couple of minutes. All you need to get started is an email address, to use as a login. We will then send you details on how to activate your account.

Register to My Account

You will need to activate your tenant services account the first time you log in.