You will need written permission from our Housing department to alter your property. You need permission before making any changes to your property.
We will not grant permission for you to buy and extend into the loft space or for ground floor extensions on our Estates. Some alterations will need planning permission.
You may also need building control. You will need to apply and pay for these.
Apply for home alteration permission
To apply for permission to make a home alteration you will need to:
- share details of the alteration you would like to make
- tell us the room of the alteration
- tell us the person who will complete the work
- tell us if you have applied for planning permission
- tell us if you have applied for building regulations
- tell us when the work will begin (if approved).
Building insurance
In most cases, we arrange building insurance for your property. We recover your share of the cost through your service charge.
The cost is set by the rebuild value of your property. It is also set by the premium percentage agreed with the insurer.
We will notify you every April of the cost of your insurance. Please note that contents cover is not included in your policy.
To make sure the policy provides the cover you need, please read the policy statement.
To read about the risks, excesses, benefits, and limits of your cover, read our home insurance schedule.
Fire Safety
You should pay close attention to fire safety in your home. We recommend that you take the following actions:
- Arrange for a Gas Safe engineer to do an annual gas safety inspection of your home. Then, send us the certificate. Remember to ensure it includes all gas appliances. For example, boilers, fires, hobs, and ovens.
- Arrange for an electrical safety inspection of your home to happen every five years. Then, send us the Electrical Safety Condition Report.
- Tell us how many smoke and heat detectors you have in your home. State if they are battery-operated or hard-wired. Also, tell us where they are.
You can send all safety certificates to us at: firesafety@harrow.gov.uk.
To find an approved gas contractor, you can view a list on gassaferegister.co.uk.