Looking after your home

Making changes to your home

Your home should feel like your own, and sometimes that means making changes. For some of these changes, you’ll need our permission – here’s what you need to know.


Usually, making changes to your home is up to you. You’re able to decorate the inside of your house the way you’d like, and you are entitled to have a home that you can make your own.

However, some changes require you to have written permission, usually for safety reasons. We’re often able to grant you permission, it’s just important that we know about the changes first. If you carry out the work without our permission, you could be at risk of incurring charges, or you might be required to return the house to its original state when you leave.

It’s always best to get in touch if you’re making any significant change to your house. Some of the most common changes which require permission are:

  • Installing central heating or a gas fire
  • Putting up any permanent structures in your front or rear garden (except a wooden or glass shed)
  • Major garden or driveway works – including cutting down trees, removing a hedge or installing a driveway
  • Painting the outside of your house
  • Putting up a satellite dish or radio/television aerial

How to let us know you'd like to make an alteration

If you want to make an alteration to your home, please fill out the application for alterations form and return it to us. 

You can email the form to CustomerRelationsTeam@wcht.org.uk.  Alternatively, post it to us at: Watford Community Housing, 59 Clarendon Road, Watford, WD17 1LA 


Read the policy

You can read our full alterations policy here!