DIY changes in your council home

You must not make any alterations (including home improvements) to your council home without first obtaining permission. You may be asked to return the property to its original state. 

You must apply to your housing officer for permission to make DIY changes in your council home. If you do not know the contact detail of your housing officer, email our Housing Management team.

Email: housingmanagement@woking.gov.uk 

Your housing officer will contact you with a decision about whether you can or cannot make the improvement. The decision is final. 

Any appeals should be submitted to us via the housing complaints process.

Planned work must follow planning and building control regulations, if they apply. Obtaining planning permission does not mean you have landlord consent.

Works that need our permission

We must approve works for:

• changes to your kitchen or bathroom fixtures and fittings, including installing a shower
• knocking down walls inside your home or in your garden
• changes to water, gas or electricity fixtures and fittings
• putting up sheds, greenhouses or other structures in your garden
• building a dropped kerb and hard standing
• putting up any external aerials (such as TV aerials or satellite dishes)
• putting up conservatories or porches

In most cases certification will be required, particularly where there have been structural alterations or alterations to the building services.