Council leaseholders

As a leaseholder, you’re responsible for maintaining the inside of your home. This includes:

• inside decoration, carpets, floors and fittings
• furniture and appliances
• internal plumbing and wiring
• doors inside and glass in your windows
• arranging for your own gas appliances to be serviced annually
• ensuring your front door complies with the current legislation on fire safety

Some maintenance requires you to get permission from the council before you start. So, contact us before you do any of the following.

• anything that will affect the external appearance of your house or flat – such as installing a satellite dish or painting the exterior.
• font door. If you plan to replace your front door, please contact us first as all new doors must pass specific fire regulations.
• lofts: Any space above your home belongs to the council. If you need to access this to do any repairs, you’ll need to get permission first.
• laminate flooring: You need to make sure you have adequate sound proofing before you lay any flooring. Check with us before you do.
• any modification or replacement of any gas or electrical appliances or installations
• you must seek permission before carrying out any works that alter the interior layout e.g. walls

If you don’t get permission, you may have to return your property to its previous condition at your own expense.

Permission Request

If you wish to carry out works on your property, please complete the permissions form and return it to the Home Ownership Team by email.

You can contact the Home Ownership Team via:
Email: RTB@walthamforest.gov.uk
Phone: 0208 496 4044

Once we receive your form, we aim to provide an initial response within 20 working days. Please note that response times may be longer during busy periods.

Fees apply for permission to carry out work. 

These range from £89 for minor works to £210 for major works. 

Please be aware that fees for retrospective applications are significantly higher.

After reviewing your application, we will confirm the applicable fee and provide details on how to make payment.

We are responsible for maintaining the structure of your home, and all shared areas. This includes:

• your building's structure including the roof, guttering and window frames,
• maintaining the shared parts of the building e.g. lifts and stairs,
• shared plumbing/ heating systems/ electrics,

If you experience any issues with these areas, please contact our Repairs Team on 0208 496 3000 (Options 2, 1, 1).