Published 7 November 2026 · Last updated 10 November 2026
Quick answer: You can adapt a rented home, but how depends on who your landlord is. Council and housing association tenants usually ask the landlord, who arranges the work after an assessment. Private tenants need the landlord’s consent, and the law in England, Wales and Scotland says it must not be refused unreasonably. Tenants can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant, but the council will normally want the landlord’s signed certificate first.
Last checked: 7 November 2026. What we checked: the Equality Act 2010 (sections 36, 37 and 190 and Schedule 4), Housing Act 1985 section 97, Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 sections 21 and 22, and Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 section 52 on legislation.gov.uk; GOV.UK DFG guidance; Citizens Advice (England, Wales and Scotland); nidirect and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
Who this is for: disabled tenants, and the family members helping them, who need a change such as grab rails, a ramp, a level-access shower, a stairlift or wider doors.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Whether a change is suitable should come from an occupational therapist (OT) or council assessment. If a landlord refuses and you are thinking of acting, get advice first.
Start with who your landlord is
| Your landlord | Who usually arranges the work | Who usually pays |
|---|---|---|
| Council | The council as landlord, after an OT assessment | The council’s housing budget (in England, the Housing Revenue Account) |
| Housing association | The housing association, after an OT assessment | The association, sometimes with a DFG or, in Wales and Scotland, separate government funding |
| Private landlord | You or your landlord, with the landlord’s written consent | A DFG if you qualify, the landlord, or you |
| Northern Ireland Housing Executive or housing association | The landlord, after an OT assessment for major work | The landlord |
Council tenants
In England, GOV.UK’s guidance for councils says council tenants can apply for a DFG like anyone else, but councils with a housing revenue account should normally pay for their own tenants’ adaptations from that account. In practice you ask the council’s housing department, it arranges an OT assessment, and the work goes ahead as a landlord job.
Secure council tenants in England and Wales also have a separate legal protection. Section 97 of the Housing Act 1985 says a secure tenant needs written consent for improvements, and that consent must not be unreasonably withheld. If it is, it counts as given.
In Wales, GOV.WALES tells tenants of councils, housing associations and private landlords to contact their landlord first.
Housing association tenants
Housing association tenants can get a DFG. GOV.UK’s delivery guidance for councils in England recommends that the landlord, not the tenant, makes most of these applications. When a landlord applies, the means test does not apply, and the landlord confirms permission for the work at the same time.
In Wales, housing associations pay for medium and large adaptations through the Physical Adaptations Grant, which they now manage themselves, according to Senedd Research. In Scotland, housing association adaptations are funded by the Scottish Government outside the council grant system. In Northern Ireland, nidirect says minor adaptations such as rails are available from your social landlord without an OT assessment, and major adaptations need an OT, who sends recommendations to the landlord.
Private tenants: consent and the Disabled Facilities Grant
Applying for a DFG as a tenant (England and Wales)
GOV.UK says the applicant for a DFG can be the owner, a tenant or a landlord. A tenant’s application must come with:
- a tenant’s certificate, confirming the disabled person intends to live there as their only or main home for the grant period (usually five years, or less if their health requires it)
- an owner’s certificate from the landlord, unless the council decides it would be unreasonable to ask for one
That second point comes from section 22 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. A DFG application from a landlord is not means tested, but the council may ask that the home is offered to another disabled tenant if you move out within five years.
Do not start work before the grant is approved. GOV.UK warns you might not get a grant if you do. Our complete guide to the Disabled Facilities Grant covers the means test and the rest of the process.
Can a private landlord refuse?
There are two separate legal routes, and it helps to know which you are using.
Route 1: permission to make an improvement yourself (section 190, Equality Act 2010). This covers England, Wales and Scotland. It applies where your tenancy already lets you make improvements with the landlord’s consent, and the change is likely to help the disabled person use the home. Under section 190:
- if you ask in writing and the landlord refuses, they must give a written reason
- if they neither agree nor refuse within a reasonable time, consent counts as unreasonably withheld
- an unreasonable condition also counts as unreasonable refusal
- consent that is unreasonably withheld is treated as given
- it is for the landlord to show they acted reasonably
Section 190 does not cover Rent Act protected or statutory tenancies, secure tenancies, or (since December 2022) secure contracts with a Welsh council landlord. Those tenants rely on other law, such as section 97 above.
Route 2: reasonable adjustments (sections 20 and 36 and Schedule 4, Equality Act 2010). This makes landlords change policies, practices and tenancy terms, and provide auxiliary aids, when a disabled tenant asks. It has a firm limit. Schedule 4 says it is never reasonable to require a landlord to remove or alter a physical feature. Citizens Advice gives structural work, removing walls, widening doorways and permanent ramps as examples of what a landlord cannot be made to do under this route.
Some changes are not treated as physical features, so you can ask the landlord to make them: replacing signs, taps or door handles, adapting a doorbell or entry system, and changing the colour of walls or doors. If your tenancy bans alterations and that ban stops you making a change you need, the landlord should change the term, but only as far as necessary.
Citizens Advice says the landlord should meet the cost of reasonable adjustments and should not pass it on through the rent or service charge.
Shared areas: the common parts gap
If you need a ramp at the communal entrance or a rail in a shared stairwell, the law differs by nation.
- England and Wales: the duty on landlords to make reasonable adjustments to common parts (section 36(1)(d) and Schedule 4, paragraphs 5 to 7) had not been brought into force when we checked on 7 November 2026. legislation.gov.uk marks those paragraphs as prospective. The government consulted in 2022 and, as of our check, its consultation page still says a response will follow. Citizens Advice confirms the duty does not currently cover whoever is responsible for common parts.
- Scotland: a separate scheme has been in force since 21 February 2020 under the Relevant Adjustments to Common Parts (Disabled Persons) (Scotland) Regulations 2020. A disabled tenant or owner can make changes to common parts if a majority of the owners agree. Owners have 28 days to reply, and no reply counts as a refusal. You arrange and pay for the work, though a council grant may help. Either side can appeal to the sheriff court.
Scotland: the right to adapt
Private tenants in Scotland have an extra right under section 52 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. You can carry out work needed to make the home suitable for a disabled person who lives there, with the landlord’s consent, which must not be unreasonably withheld. The landlord has one month to decide. If they refuse or set conditions, they must give reasons and explain how to appeal. If they say nothing within a month, it counts as a refusal, which you can then challenge. A tenancy agreement cannot take this right away. Section 52 does not apply to Scottish secure tenancies (council and housing association tenants), who go to their landlord.
Care and Repair services in Scotland help private tenants who are over 60 or disabled, according to mygov.scot.
Northern Ireland
The Equality Act 2010 does not extend to Northern Ireland. Disability discrimination law there is separate. The explanatory note to the Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 says the Order deals with consent to improvements where a tenancy allows them with the landlord’s consent, and adds reasonable adjustment duties that a disabled tenant can rely on where a lease bans improvements. It also gives the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland a role in advice and conciliation, so contact the Commission if a landlord refuses. For funding, private tenants and landlords can both apply for a DFG through the Housing Executive after a Health and Social Care Trust OT recommends the work.
Putting things back at the end of the tenancy
The law does not set a general rule that a tenant must remove an adaptation when they leave. It is usually a condition of consent. Citizens Advice says that when you ask for consent you should explain how you will restore the property, and that a landlord may attach reasonable conditions, such as approving the builder or requiring reinstatement. Breaking a reasonable condition counts as a breach of your tenancy under section 190. In Scotland, owners agreeing to common parts changes can ask for reinstatement when you move out or sell.
Some adaptations are easy to reverse (a stairlift or a removable ramp). Others are not (a wet room or a widened doorway). Ask early whether the landlord would like the change left in place. For stairlifts in particular, including who owns the lift and what happens when you leave, see our guide to stairlifts in rented, council and housing association homes.
Security of tenure in England
From 1 May 2026, GOV.UK says private tenants in England can no longer be evicted using the “no fault” section 21 process, and most tenancies are now periodic with no end date. That matters for adaptations: a tenant without a fixed end date may find it easier to sign the DFG tenant’s certificate, which asks about the next five years.
What to put in writing
Ask informally first, then follow up in writing. Your letter or email should cover:
- who the disabled person is, and that they live there (or will) as their main home
- what the change is, where it goes and who will fit it, attaching the OT’s recommendation if you have one
- who is paying (yourself, a DFG, or a request for the landlord to pay)
- how and when it would be removed or made good, if the landlord wants that
- the law you are relying on: section 190 of the Equality Act 2010 for an improvement, sections 20, 36 and Schedule 4 for reasonable adjustments, or section 52 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 in Scotland
- a date for a reply; Citizens Advice suggests asking for a response within 7 to 14 days
Keep a note of every call, and copies of every letter. If you think the landlord has failed to make a reasonable adjustment, Citizens Advice says a claim usually has to start within six months less one day.
Common adaptations and the route most likely to apply
| Change | Physical feature? | Likely route for a private tenant |
|---|---|---|
| Lever taps, door handles, entry system | No (Schedule 4) | Ask the landlord as a reasonable adjustment |
| Grab rails fixed to walls | Yes | Consent (section 190 or section 52); council may fit small items free |
| Removable or threshold ramp | Depends on fixing | Consent; see our ramp length calculator |
| Level-access shower or wet room | Yes | Consent plus a DFG with the landlord’s certificate |
| Stairlift | Yes | Consent plus a DFG; see the stairlift tenancy guide |
| Door widening | Yes | Consent plus a DFG |
| Communal ramp | Common parts | Scotland: majority owner consent. England and Wales: no duty in force |
Smaller items, such as rails and bath boards, are often provided free by the council or NHS after an assessment, whatever your tenure. Our guide to getting equipment free from your council or the NHS explains how, and our guide to grab rails and handrails covers where to fit them. If you hire an installer yourself, check the company in our directory and read other tenants’ and owners’ reviews first.
What to do next
- Ask for an OT or council assessment so you know exactly what is needed.
- If you rent from a council or housing association, ask the landlord to arrange the work.
- If you rent privately, ask the landlord for written consent, using the checklist above.
- If you need a DFG, ask the landlord to sign the owner’s certificate, or ask the council whether it will waive it.
- Agree in writing what happens to the adaptation when you leave.
- If consent is refused or ignored, get advice from Citizens Advice before you act.
- Use our funding finder to look for other help with costs.
Frequently asked questions
Can my landlord say no to a stairlift?
They can refuse, but in England, Wales and Scotland the refusal must be reasonable if your tenancy allows improvements with consent (section 190 of the Equality Act) or, in Scotland, under the right to adapt in section 52 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. A landlord cannot be forced to fit one themselves as a reasonable adjustment, because it alters a physical feature. Our stairlift tenancy guide has the stairlift detail.
Does my landlord have to pay for adaptations?
Not for structural changes. Under the Equality Act a private landlord must pay for reasonable adjustments such as changing a term, providing an auxiliary aid, or swapping taps and door handles, but is never required to alter physical features. Council and housing association landlords usually fund adaptations for their own tenants. Private tenants can apply for a DFG.
Can I get a Disabled Facilities Grant if I rent privately?
Yes, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England and Wales the council will need a tenant’s certificate confirming the disabled person plans to live there for the grant period, and usually an owner’s certificate from the landlord. The landlord can also apply instead, and landlord applications are not means tested. In Scotland, ask the council about help under its Scheme of Assistance.
Will I have to take the adaptation out when I move?
Only if that was a condition of the landlord’s consent, or the tenancy says so. Landlords can attach reasonable conditions, including reinstatement. Agree this in writing before work starts. Some landlords prefer to keep a level-access shower or ramp in place, and DFG-funded homes may be kept for another disabled tenant.
What if my landlord just ignores my request?
Under section 190 of the Equality Act, failing to decide within a reasonable time counts as unreasonably withholding consent, and consent that is unreasonably withheld is treated as given. In Scotland, silence for a month under section 52 counts as a refusal, which you can challenge. Get advice before going ahead, because acting without clear consent can put your tenancy at risk.
Can I get a ramp put in at the shared entrance to my flats?
In Scotland, yes, if a majority of the owners of the common parts agree under the 2020 regulations. You would normally pay, though a council grant may help. In England and Wales, the landlord’s duty to adjust common parts has not been brought into force, so you depend on the landlord or freeholder agreeing. A DFG can cover common parts work in some cases.
Sources
- Equality Act 2010, section 190: Improvements to let dwelling houses – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Equality Act 2010, section 36: Leasehold and commonhold premises and common parts – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Equality Act 2010, section 37: Adjustments to common parts in Scotland – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Equality Act 2010, Schedule 4: Premises: reasonable adjustments – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Housing Act 1985, section 97: Tenant’s improvements require consent – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 21 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, section 22 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, section 52: Right to adapt rented houses – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- The Relevant Adjustments to Common Parts (Disabled Persons) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, explanatory note to Article 16 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Disabled Facilities Grants: Eligibility – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Disabled Facilities Grants: What you’ll get – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Disabled Facilities Grants: How to apply – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) delivery: Guidance for local authorities in England – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Improving disabled people’s access to let residential premises: reasonable adjustments to common parts, a new duty – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Renters’ Rights Act overview for tenants – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Asking for adjustments to help with your disability (England) – Citizens Advice, accessed 7 November 2026
- Asking for adjustments to help with your disability (Wales) – Citizens Advice, accessed 7 November 2026
- Making changes to a rented home (adaptations) – Citizens Advice Scotland, accessed 7 November 2026
- Adapting common parts for your disability – Citizens Advice Scotland, accessed 7 November 2026
- Adapt your home if you are disabled or an older person: How to apply – Welsh Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- Home aids and adaptations: a guide for constituents – Senedd Research, accessed 7 November 2026
- Adaptations, aids and equipment: advice note, section 6 – Scottish Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- Home repair help for older or disabled people – mygov.scot, accessed 7 November 2026
- Adapting your home – nidirect, accessed 7 November 2026
- Disabled Facilities Grants – nidirect, accessed 7 November 2026
Published 7 November 2026 · Last updated 10 November 2026