Repairs and improvements

You are responsible for all the maintenance of your home and garden.  This includes:

• Servicing, repair and replacement of gas boilers and all gas appliances in the premises, these are to be carried out by a registered Gas Safe engineer
• Providing Stroud District Council with a gas safety record for servicing of the gas boiler and gas appliances every 12 months
• Servicing, repair and replacement of heat pumps
  Repair or renewal of windows and doors, gutters, drains and fencing
• Roof repairs and replacement
• Electrical repairs
• Ensuring any gardens are well maintained

You will find further details of your responsibilities in your lease.

Defects period
If you have bought your home from new, for the first 12 months it will be in the defects period. This period may be less if the property was handed over from the Developer to Stroud District Council before you purchased it.

This period means that if any urgent repairs are necessary the builders will come back and carry them out at no cost to you. Please note that this does not apply to accidental damage caused by you or your family – this will be your responsibility to repair.

At the end of the defects period we will arrange to visit your home with the builder and will list any outstanding defects. These repairs will be carried out and, when you and Stroud District Council are satisfied that all the outstanding issues have been sorted out, the property will be signed off.

All of our newly built properties carry a 10 year NHBC buildings guarantee. You can find out more on the National Housing Building Council's website.

Alterations and improvements
You don’t need our permission to redecorate the inside of the property and carry out simple repairs, but you will need permission for anything related to alterations to the structure of the property, any structural additions, change of floor covering to wooden or laminate, alterations to the fencing position or height and the painting of the exterior of the property.  If you are considering any of the above works, your first point of contact is the Housing Team.

We will not unreasonably refuse permission however, you will require our permission before any works are carried out.  You are responsible for obtaining any necessary planning permissions or building regulations consent for structural works. All improvement works must be carried out at no cost to us.  We may charge an administration fee for providing a consent letter, inspecting your plans and the finished works.

Value of improvements
The value of home improvements may not increase the market value by the full cost of any improvements made and general home maintenance, repairs and redecoration are not regarded as improvements and generally will not increase the value of your home.

Please remember that you need to request permission and written approval from Stroud District Council before carrying out any major improvements to your home. 

If you are unsure what works will require our permission, please refer to your lease or contact the Housing Team.