Home improvements

Home Improvements

As a shared owner, we want you to have the flexibility that home ownership can offer that renting doesn’t. That means that if you want to decorate or make some minor ‘tweaks’ to your home, you can without our permission, but some home improvements will require VIVID to approve these first.

What am I responsible for in a Shared Ownership home?

Your new home is yours to style and decorate as you see fit. The general rule of thumb is that maintenance of your home is your responsibility. This includes maintaining the boiler, fixtures and fittings, internal decoration, garden fences, lightbulbs and windows. Your home will require some maintenance, and on the whole you can carry out the DIY that you need to do, however there are a couple of exceptions to this rule, see just below.

Is your home less than 1 year old?

The maintenance of the plaster, structure, fixtures and fittings is the builders responsibility for the first 12 months only. Call our customer experience team on 0800 652 0898 if you need to get these fixed within the 1st year. If you have an emergency defect during the first 12 months, where there's a risk to your home or someone living in it, it'll be made safe within 24 hours of you reporting it. Please call the Customer Experience Team on 0800 652 0898 at any time.  You can also report a non emergency defect by emailing repairs@vividhomes.co.uk

 

Cosmetic damage to the property is still your responsibility so the builder or VIVID will not come out to repaint walls etc.

Is your home an apartment?

VIVID will maintain the balcony, window frames, external communal doors and roof. This is because they are part of the structure of the whole building. You will be charged a service charge fee (sometimes called a sinking fund) for the maintenance of these parts.

 

You will also need to maintain the rest of your home in the same way as any homeowner would over time and these responsibilities include regularly servicing your boiler, maintaining full working order of kitchen and bathroom plumbing and heating systems. Also internal decoration and flooring, as and when a refresh is required. 

 

Find out more

 

Is your home a house?

You will need to maintain your home in the same way as any homeowner would over time and these responsibilities include regularly servicing your boiler, maintaining full working order of kitchen and bathroom plumbing and heating systems. Also internal decoration and flooring, as and when a refresh is required. Externally you’ll need to take care of painting window frames and ensuring external doors are safe and keeping your garden neat and tidy too.

 

Find out more

What’s the process?

If you want to redecorate, put up a mirror, change the tiles, flooring etc, then we don’t need to be involved. Your home your rules. We only need to be involved if you want to make structural alterations to your property, as we need to ensure the work you’re planning does not affect the value or safety of your home. Unsure? There are several ways you can get in touch with us. Find out more about them on the link below:

 www.vividhomes.co.uk/contact-us

Contact us