Repairs that could be financed
If you are a home owner on a low income and your home is in need
of essential repairs the Council may be able to help. For example:
if you have an outside WC, old and/or dangerous electrics, a very
bad roof leak, no hot water or a serious damp problem the Council
may be able to help you improve your home to bring it up to the
Decent Homes Standard.
The type of finance available
The Council does not offer renovation grants any longer but they
can give financial assistance in the form of low cost or
interest-free loans to carry out essential repairs.
Who are the loans for?
Your eligibility for a loan will depend on your age and your
financial situation.
You may be eligible if you are over 60 or in receipt of a
benefit. However, you will be subject to a Test Of Resources (means
test) unless you are already in receipt of one of; Income Support,
Income based job seekers allowance or Pension Credit Guarantee
Credit.
It is always worth contacting the Council to see if you or the
repairs are eligible.
Some of the main criteria to be eligible
- You must own your own home and you should have owned it and
lived there for the past 2 years at least.
- Financial Assistance cannot be given for works that have
already been completed or for works that have already been
started.
- No work must start before the Financial Assistance is approved
in writing by the Council.
- The eligible works are as specified by the Council.
What happens if I wish to apply for financial
Assistance?
To find out if you or the repairs are likely to be eligible
contact the Housing Improvement Team. If it appears that you might
be eligible an officer from the team will visit you in your home
and will survey your whole house. They will decide which
works are eligible and talk to you about your financial
circumstances.
Paying back the loan
How the loan is paid back depends on the type of loan that you
have.
For some types of loans, when the work is finished and paid for,
a Local Land Charge or a Registered Charge with the Land Registry
will be put on the property. This is so that the money will
be paid back to the Council or loan company when the property is
sold, transferred or inherited.
Alternatively other types of loans are paid back by monthly
repayments directly from your bank account.
Care & Repair in Bath and North East
Somerset
If you feel worried or concerned about the process of applying
for Financial Assistance from the Council you may wish to apply via
Care & Repair. They will act as agents for you and help
you through the process. For example filling in the
application forms and getting estimates for the works from the
builders. The Council will pay their fees for you if you
decide to take this option.
About this leaflet
This leaflet has provided some basic key information about Home
Improvement Assistance but it is not a definitive statement of the
Council’s Policy on this matter. The Housing Renewal Policy
2007 is available on the Council’s Web site or the Housing
Improvement Team can send you a copy in the post if you wish.
For further information or to make an enquiry please
contact:
Housing Improvement Team
Housing Services
PO Box 3343
Bath BA1 2ZH
Tel: 01225-396216
For Care & Repair Enquiries:
Care & Repair in Bath & North East Somerset
(Hanover)
The Island House
The Island
Midsomer Norton BA3
2HL
Tel: 01761 413030
