Signing Up to Apply to Make an Alteration
1: I have signed up but haven’t received an email to activate my account?
Activation emails are usually delivered within a couple of minutes or a few hours depending on your email service provider. Please make sure you check your spam/junk folder for this activation email and email our customer service team at enquiries@bvt.org.uk or call 0300 333 6540 after 24 hours if you have not received it.
2: I have tried to log-in but I keep seeing an error message that says my username or password is incorrect?
If you are confident that you have entered the correct details, please try the following steps:
- Delete your browsing history before trying again as it could be remembering previous information entered
- Try using a different computer or mobile device
- Come into our office and try using our computers.
If you have tried all of the above and still can’t log-in, please contact our customer service team by emailing enquiries@bvt.org.uk or call 0300 333 6540.
Charges
3: How much does it cost for me to apply to make an alteration to my home?
You can find details of application fees for Birmingham and Lightmoor Village below.
Please be aware that application fees for Birmingham changed on the 1st July 2023. You can read more about this on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Changes to Application Fees
Fees for Birmingham
Our fees are calculated on a sliding scale depending on the complexity of proposals and are subject to VAT. Fees have been calculated using a simple formula which considers the average amount of hours we will reasonably be required to assess the application. Please be aware that fees are separate from any additional fees that may be payable to Birmingham City Council’s planning department, or any professional you instruct.
For applications where two or more types of alteration are requested, a 10% discount will be applied. Fees for listed buildings may incur additional costs, charged by the relevant bodies that govern these types of buildings. Our fees are reviewed every three years.
PLEASE NOTE: These fees do not apply to BVT Tenants, however tenants are required to make an application for any property alterations, please also refer to your tenancy agreement.
Pre-Application Advice
| Type | Fee from July 2023 |
| Initial discussion up to 30 mins of any alteration – verbal advice only. | £0 |
| Householder advice to extend or alter a single domestic property including extensions / outbuildings to houses (single-family unit only or one flat if part of a block/conversion). Verbal advice followed by Written confirmation only. | £134.40 |
| For pre application advice including a meeting/site visit and written confirmations. | £268.80 |
| Should either of the above exceed 8 hours of work, we reserve the right to charge an additional hourly rate. | £67.20 |
| Administration fee – Where a fee has been submitted for pre-application advice without all the necessary information and it is not received within four weeks of the original submission, the fee will be returned less an administration fee. | £67.20 |
Property Alteration Applications
For all applications, included in the price is;
- Validation of the application (do we have everything we need to assess your application)
- General administration (this includes keeping the portal updated, checking TP1’s and Land Registry)
- Review and assessment of the application
- Liaison with Birmingham City Council’s Conservation Officer and other bodies, where appropriate and…
For Major Alterations, we will also include;
- Visits to your home
- Meetings with you or your representatives
- Consultation with your neighbours to address any concerns or objections
- Material review such as brick and tile matching.
| Type | Fees from July 2023 |
| Two storey extension | £403.20 |
| Single storey extension | £268.80 |
| New or replacement conservatory | £201.60 |
| New or replacement porch | £134.40 |
| New or replacement canopy | £67.20 |
| Garage amendments or conversion including roof, fascia’s and guttering, windows and doors. | £168.00 |
| Loft conversion that affects the look of the roof – add additional elements such as dorma, rooflights etc | £134.40 |
| New or replacement dorma | £201.60 |
| New or replacement roof lights, includes sun ports/tunnels – up to three | £134.40 |
| Hard standing/driveway, new or change in size or materials and pathways | £201.60 |
| Windows and/or door replacement | £168.00 |
| Other building works (Note: The price is per item): Re-roofing, re-rendering, external insulation/boards | £134.40 |
| Type | Fees from July 2023 |
| Energy saving devices – solar panels | £168.00 |
| Energy saving devices – heat source pumps (including ground and air, and air conditioning systems) | £168.00 |
| Energy saving devices – other, including EV chargers | £67.20 |
| Garden building (sheds, greenhouses, pergolas, etc) | £201.60 |
| Fencing and gates | £134.40 |
| Garden/landscaping alterations including decking, patios | £67.20 |
| Tree works including felling of trees and removal or reduction of hedges | £134.40 |
| Flues, chimneys and cowls | £134.40 |
| Other includes (Note: The price is per item): Security lighting, wheelie bins, satellite dish, aerial, facia and rainwater goods renewal and replacement, gas and electricity external meter cabinets and utility service boxes. | £67.20 |
| Retrospective application (plus alteration fee) | £120.00 |
| Variations/revisions to first stage approval or new application | £201.60 |
| Note: Administration fees. If all information requested is not received within four weeks, at validation stage, we will reject the application and refund the charge minus an administration fee. During the assessment of the alteration application, if further information is required or variations are to be made, all information requested should be received within four weeks of its request (unless extension agreed – to a maximum of eight weeks). If this is not received within four weeks (or other agreed timeline), we will reject the application and the whole fee will be retained and a new application and fees will need to be submitted. | £120.00 |
Fees for Lightmoor Village
PLEASE NOTE: These fees do not apply to BVT Tenants, however tenants are required to make an application for any property alterations, please also refer to your tenancy agreement.
| Lightmoor Village | Freeholder/Leaseholder | Two storey extension | £150 |
| Single storey extension | £90.00 | ||
| Conservatory | £60.00 | ||
| Garage / garage conversion | £36.00 | ||
| Loft conversion with dormer windows and/or roof lights | £36.00 | ||
| Driveway | £30.00 | ||
| Windows and/or door replacement | £30.00 | ||
| Re-roofing | £18.00 | ||
| Energy saving device | £18.00 | ||
| Satellite dish | £18.00 | ||
| Garden building (sheds, greenhouses, pergolas, etc.) For Birmingham, Lightmoor and Telford other, timber sheds smaller than 6ft (w) x 8 (l) x 7ft (h) don’t need an application | £18.00 | ||
| Other (fencing, CCTV, flues, security lighting, wheelie bin storage, landscape alteration | £18.00 |
4: How do I pay the annual management charge?
When you move into your home, you will receive details of how much the annual charge is and how to pay. You can make a one-off payment on our website or set up a direct debit. To set up a direct debit, please call our customer services team on 0300 333 6540.
5: When do I pay the annual management charge?
Residents living in Birmingham receive an invoice in June and pay six months in arrears and six months in advance. A direct debit can be set up or the invoice paid within 30 days.
Residents living in Lawley and Lightmoor Villages receive an invoice in December, which has to be paid by 31st January or a direct debit can be set up.
Your home alteration application
6: I have completed part of my application form but when I go back to the ‘Apply to make an alteration to your home now’ page, I can only see a blank form?
To go back to your form, you must save it before exiting or it will not save. You can do this by scrolling to the bottom of the form and selecting ‘save and exit application’.
Once you have clicked ‘save and exit application’ you will see a message appear with a link that you can follow to go back and complete your form. You can also email this link to yourself. The link will expire after 30 days.
If you choose to email the link to yourself, you will need to type your email address into the ‘email address’ box as prompted and click ‘send link’. Once you have done this, the link will be sent to the email address you have entered.
7: How do I ‘log-out’ so I can log back in and see my partly completed form?
You do not need to log-out to get back to your partly completed form and there is not the option to do this. To get back to your partly completed form, you need to follow the steps above.
If you want to get back to the log-in section for any other reason but keep seeing the form instead of the log-in screen, you can do this by either using a different browser (for example if you used Internet Explorer originally you could use Google Chrome) or by clearing your browsing history.
8: I’m having problems uploading drawings / photos etc?
The form will only accept the following file types – jpg, gif, png, pdf. Please make sure the files you are trying to upload are in these formats. If you still encounter problems, please contact us on enquiries@bvt.org.uk
9: I have finished my application, but it won’t let me submit it?
Please check you have filled in all of the required fields. The form also requires you to submit photos or plans with your application form. For applications such as a satellite dish, a photograph of the rear of your property, for example, would be sufficient to submit.
10: Do I have to apply to BVT and the local authority if I want to make a home alteration?
It will depend on the type of alteration you are planning and the area you live in. Before starting any alteration work, it’s important you understand the permissions needed from us and your local council and this can be found in the Design Guide for your area in Birmingham or Telford.
11: Do I need an architect?
You do not have to engage an architect, but you may find it useful to have assistance from a professional for some alterations.
12: What if I don’t get permission from BVT?
In the event that your application is refused, you may submit a new application that includes our suggested amendments. You can also appeal the decision as per the appeal process for the area that you live in. Details can be found in the Design Guide for your area. We always suggest that you contact our estate officer/s before submitting an application so that they can offer you advice and support to ensure your proposed alteration meets the guidance in our Design Guides.
13: I have been given first stage approval but I need to make some revisions to my application, what do I do?
As you have already submitted your application you will need to submit further details about the changes that you would like to make, including uploading any new or amended drawings and your approved application number. You can do this by going to our Apply to Make an Alteration to Your Home now page. Please be aware that you will be charged a fee for any revisions.