If you are a secure tenant you may be entitled to claim compensation, when your tenancy ends at that property, for certain improvements that you have made.
The right to compensation applies to improvements that were started on or after 1 April 1994 that have been given the written consent of the Council.
The qualifying improvements that you may apply for compensation are shown in the table below:
| Improvement |
Notional Life |
| Bath or shower |
12 |
| Wash hand basin |
12 |
| Toilet |
12 |
| Kitchen sink |
10 |
| Bathroom/kitchen storage cupboards |
10 |
| Work surfaces for food preparation |
10 |
| Space or water heating |
12 |
| Thermostatic radiator valves |
7 |
| Insulation of pipes, water tank or cylinder |
10 |
| Loft insulation |
20 |
| Cavity wall insulation |
8 |
| Double glazing or other external window replacement of secondary glazing |
20 |
| Rewiring or the provision of power and lighting, or other electrical fittings (including smoke detectors) |
15 |
| Any object which improves the security of the property, excluding burglar alarms |
10 |
Internal decoration, such as painting or wallpapering does not qualify for compensation. Compensation can be claimed for the cost of materials from the above list (but not appliances such as cookers and fridges) and labour costs (but not the tenants own labour). No compensation can be claimed for professional fees (such as architects), or the costs of any relevant planning permission or consent under Building Regulations.
The compensation is worked out under the following formula, which takes into account wear and tear and depreciation:
C x [1 – Y/N]
C = original cost of the improvement. (Any financial assistance (such as a grant) that was paid towards the cost of the improvement will be deducted from the cost)
Y = the number of complete years the improvement has been in place (with part of a year being rounded up to a complete year) starting on the date the improvement was completed and ending on the date the compensation is claimed
N = the notional life of the improvement
You may be eligible for compensation up to a maximum of £3000 for any one improvement. No compensation will be made if the level of compensation is less than £50.
To make your claim, please complete this application form (or you can put your request in a letter) no more than 28 days before or 14 days after the date on which your tenancy ends
Once we have received your request, we will arrange for an Officer to visit the property to inspect the improvement and make a decision on the outcome of the claim. We will then write to you with the outcome of your claim no more than 21 days after your request was received.
Full details of the Council’s Right to Compensation for Improvements Policy can be obtained online.
