Building alterations to your leasehold property

As a leaseholder, if you are planning to make any changes to the structure of your home, you must let us know us first. The Royal Borough of Greenwich, as your landlord, must give consent for any works to take place.

There is an administration fee payable when requesting landlord's consent.

What can you make changes to?

The area of your property that you're responsible for includes:

  • the walls bounding and inside the flat
  • the glass in the windows (but not the frames)
  • the doors and door frames to the flat and inside it
  • the ceilings and floors, including the joists and beams under the floor and, if it is a top flat, the joists and beams above the ceiling
  • the surface and railings of the balcony to the flat
  • all cisterns, tanks, sewers, drains, pipes, wires, cables, ducts, conduits and refuse chutes that serve only your flat
  • the garden area.

Unauthorised building alterations

Building alterations are considered unauthorised if we receive the application from you requesting our consent after the works have taken place.

Unauthorised alterations can cause problems, in particular when you try to sell your home. For example, if you have altered the internal walls, the layout of your home will no longer match the lease plan which forms an important part of the lease.

Building control and planning consent

Before you start building works you should check if you need building control and planning permission.

Home improvement grants

If you are on a low income or one of your family has a disability, you may be able to get a grant to help with home improvements.

Find out about home improvement grants