Selby tenants decoration allowance policy

1.1 A decoration allowance may be awarded in one of the following circumstances:

1. One of our allocated properties is deemed ‘hard to let’ by the housing tenant services team because of its poor decorative condition or has been refused by applicants on multiple occasions on the basis that it is in poor decorative condition.
2. Following any planned maintenance or improvement work we carry out where it is deemed necessary for a decoration allowance to be given.

1.2 Poor decorative condition may mean the wallpaper is considerably torn, the walls are badly marked or smoke stained, the woodwork has been badly chipped or painted, the paint is peeling from the woodwork or has been painted a strong colour that is not easily covered up, and so on. This list is not exhaustive and final judgment would be made by our housing tenant services team.

1.3 When a tenant is not satisfied with a responsive repair and damage caused to internal decoration through this process, they should go through our corporate complaints procedure.

2.1 A decoration allowance will not be awarded in the following circumstances:

• where a tenant, family member or visitor has caused the damage
• where the tenant has neglected the interior decoration of the property
• to change the interior decoration of a property because it is not to the new tenant’s personal taste (unless it’s a new tenancy and the decoration is a strong colour, as assessed by our housing tenant services team, which would prove costly to change, for example black)
• to act as payment following an incident which the tenant should have been insured for
• where a new tenancy is beginning as a result of mutual exchange
• where we, or our contractor, have completed decoration

3.1 In allocating a property via North Yorkshire Home Choice, our housing tenant services team may decide it is classed as ‘hard to let’ due to its poor decorative condition.

3.2 Whether or not the decorative condition of a property warrants a decoration allowance, and if so how much is awarded, will be at the discretion of the housing tenant services team leader or neighbourhood officer supervisor.

3.3 This process will take place prior to allocation and the prospective tenant is not expected to make this request themselves, although such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

4.1 Tenants undergoing major works, most commonly electrical re-wires, installation or complete replacement of central heating systems and substantial internal damp works, will automatically be awarded a decoration allowance on completion of the work. This list is not exhaustive and we reserve the right to define other works as such at the sole discretion of our property services manager.

4.2 Once the work has been completed, a decoration allowance will be awarded to the tenant to compensate for the damage caused to the property’s decoration as part of the major works process.

4.3 This award will be calculated depending on which rooms within the property require decoration. Amounts are capped at:

• kitchen - £28.50
• hall or stairs - £28.50
• hall, stairs and landing - £43
• lounge: £41
• one bedroom - £35
• two to three bedrooms - £60
• four bedrooms - £72
• bathroom - £25.50
• toilet - £15

4.4 For improvement works, such as a kitchen or bathroom replacement, basic decoration works to the appropriate room should only be completed by us or contractors working on our behalf. Our decoration service will take the form of application of magnolia emulsion paint to walls, white emulsion to the ceiling, and white gloss paint to woodwork.

5.1 Tenants will be provided decoration allowance in the form of a voucher or preloaded card for stores including, but not limited to Wilko, B&Q and the Community Furniture Store.

5.2 Only products used for household decoration can be bought with these vouchers. This includes but is not limited to:

• paint - gloss, emulsion matt and silk
• woodcare – varnish
• paint stripper
• brushes, rollers, roller kits, trays and scrapers
• protective sheets
• sandpaper and masking tape
• white spirit
• sealants, sealant gun and fillers
• wallpaper and wallpaper paste

5.3 Voucher cards will either be given directly to a tenant or sent in the post to their home address. They will also be provided with a letter of authority. When making any purchase in store, the card, letter of authority and ID must be shown.

5.4 Where the cost of chosen materials exceeds the amount of decoration allowance, the tenant will be expected to pay the difference. The voucher card cannot be exchanged for cash.

5.5 Once issued to the tenant, decoration allowances become the tenant's responsibility. Lost or stolen voucher cards (or damaged and defaced cards presented as evidence) will only be replaced at the discretion of either the housing tenant services or property management team leader, following appropriate enquiries.

6.1 At our discretion we may wish to inspect a tenant’s property to confirm that the decoration allowance has been spent appropriately. If this is the case, tenants will be given adequate notice at a time that suits them.

6.2 If at such an inspection, the voucher/card allowance has been spent and the decoration of the property is unchanged; or the tenant is unable to demonstrate that they have purchased decoration materials, either through their presence or relevant receipts, we may look to recharge the tenant for some or all of the value of the decoration allowance.

6.3 Any tenant who is not satisfied with the manner in which we, our contractor(s) or an approved retailer has dealt with any aspect of this service can go through our corporate complaints procedure.

7.1 This policy will be reviewed every 12 months to ensure that the financial amounts cited within it remain appropriate, taking into account inflation.