Renovation grants are discretionary grants for the repair,
adaptation or improvement of private homes. To assist first time
buyers, grants of up to £20,000 are available towards the cost of
eligible works to bring homes up to the decent homes
standard.
The information on this page is also available in our leaflet
Renovation grants for first time buyers (new
window PDF 305KB.
Who is eligible?
- Applicant(s) must be first time buyers who have either worked
or lived in the Suffolk Coastal area for the last three years.
- Applications must be submitted within two years of the date of
transfer of the property to the applicant.
- Grants are available for houses that are in Council Tax bands A
to C.
- Works required are those that are needed to bring the
property up to the decent home standard.
What is the decent home standard?
A decent home is one which:
Meets the current minimum statutory standard for
housing - meaning that it is free of serious health and
safety hazards.
Is in a reasonable state of repair - properties
which fail to meet this criterion are those where either:
- one or more of the key building components (for example, roof
covering, electrical installation) are old and, because of their
condition, need replacing or major repair; or
- two or more of the other building components (for example,
bathroom, kitchen) are old and, because of their condition, need
replacing or major repair.
Has reasonably modern facilities - properties
which fail to meet this criterion are those which lack three or
more of the following:
- a reasonably modern kitchen (20 years old or less);
- a kitchen with adequate space and layout;
- a reasonably modern bathroom (30 years old or less);
- an appropriately located bathroom and WC;
- adequate insulation against external noise (where external
noise is a problem);
- adequate size and layout of common areas for blocks of
flats.
Provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort
- this criterion requires dwellings to have both effective
insulation and efficient heating.
More
information about the decent home standard (new
window) is available on the Department for Communities and
Local Government (DCLG) website.
How much help might I get?
Grants of up to £20,000 are available towards the cost of
eligible works. The amount of money you will get towards the cost
of eligible works will be calculated by having regard to your
income and current mortgage borrowing:
Amount of grant = the cost of
eligible works after taking away the difference between your
potential borrowing Y and the amount
of your actual borrowing Z.
For a single person:
Y = the amount of mortgage that could be raised based on
4.25 times your total salary.
For couples:
Y = the amount of mortgage that could be raised based on
3.75 times your total salary.
Z = the amount of mortgage you
have actually borrowed.
We will calculate the cost of eligible works, usually from two
independent estimates, up to the £20,000 maximum. Up to £5,000
worth of insulation and heating efficiency improvements above the
decent homes standard can also be included within the £20,000
maximum figure. All lofts will need to have at least 150mm of
insulation and any cavity walls that are capable of being
insulated, that are not up to current building control standard,
should be insulated.
Grants are not normally given if the cost of works is less than
£1,000 and, if the builder is related to you or you are carrying
out the work yourself, the grant will only cover the cost of
materials.
Do I have to repay the grant?
There are conditions that you will have to sign up to, the main
one being that you have to own and live in the property for the
next 20 years. If you do, then you do not have to pay anything
back.
If you move, then you have to pay back the grant, but it will be
interest free unless you break some of the conditions. For
instance, you will be charged interest if you provide false or
misleading information, or if you do not repay the grant within six
months of a demand. Full details are in the deed of agreement you
will be required to sign.
How is the grant paid?
Payment will be made directly to the contractor carrying out the
works. This must be one of the contractors that originally
estimated for the work.
You will be asked to confirm your satisfaction with the work
prior to grant payment and the Council will only pay for works that
appear to be properly carried out. If you have a contribution to
make towards the cost of works this must be paid before any grant
money is issued.
How do I make an application?
Initial enquiries can be made by:
- Post or in person to - The Private Sector Housing Team, Suffolk
Coastal District Council, Melton Hill, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12
1AU.
- Telephoning 01394 444506.
- Emailing
ps.housing@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk
If we feel that you may qualify for a grant we will then arrange
to come and survey the property and provide you with an application
pack.
Can I get help making the application and finding
builders?
If you are elderly or vulnerable the Council can take away most
of the hassle that accompanies making applications for grants and
having building work carried out in your home. We operate an
in-house home improvement agency called Suffolk
Coastal Helping Hand.
Our team will draw up the schedules of required works, tender
the job to reputable builders to ensure a fair price, help you fill
out application forms, apply for any necessary planning and
building regulation consents, issue formal contracts to the
builders and supervise the works. There is a charge of 12% of the
pre-VAT building price, but this cost can be added to the grant
figure.
Further information
This page only gives an outline of the grant procedure. Full
details of the grants available, the process and conditions can be
found in Suffolk Coastal’s
Private Sector Housing Renewal Strategy (new
window PDF 613KB).
Alternatively our team can be contacted at the address and phone
number shown above and will be happy to answer any queries.
All grants offered are subject to available budget
levels and must help to meet the Council’s strategic aims in
relation to housing
matters.