As a council tenant, you can make changes or improvements to your council home. This might include drilling into surfaces, changing flooring and adding security cameras.

You must make sure that any work you carry out conforms to conservation and building regulations, planning permission and legal requirements. We can give you advice about this. 

Ask for permission first

Under your tenancy agreement, you must ask in writing for our permission before making any alterations or improvements.

We will grant you permission unless there's a good reason; for example, we won't give permission for lockable security gates or grilles as they can be a serious fire safety risk.

If you carry out any work without our permission and we decide it's unsuitable, we may charge you for the cost of removing or repairing it. 

To ask for permission, email us at contact-centre@royalgreenwich.gov.uk or write to:

Housing Department
The Woolwich Centre
35 Wellington Street
London SE18 6HQ

When you move out of your home

Before the end of your tenancy you will need to remove any unauthorised alterations and fix any damage they caused.

If you have paid for home improvements that you got permission for, and leave before you have had the full benefit of them, you have the right to compensation.