New bathrooms and kitchens have been fitted in hundreds of council homes across Brighton and Hove.
And the council has offered tenants a choice of style and colour scheme, customising the makeovers.
Brighton and Hove City Council has also painted 450 homes and fitted low-maintenance uPVC gutters and fascias.
The council said: “Residents chose from a range of options to customise their makeovers such as a choice of kitchen worktops and cupboard doors.
“Kitchens and bathrooms also now include full redecoration of walls and ceilings.”
It said that its six-month-old housing contract with Mears would save the council millions of pounds, adding: “Not only is the local economy benefiting with 10 new local staff employed and 10 apprentices taken on board, but the environment is being protected with 100 per cent of waste recycled.
“This is being achieved through waste to power biomass generation, non-combustible waste recycled and clean waste used to power 10,000 homes with green energy.
“Sheltered housing residents at Jasmine Court (in Carden Avenue, Patcham) are seeing a revamp with communal bathing facilities replaced by private shower rooms or bathrooms in all flats.
“These include new lower-level walk-in tiled showers fitted.
“Communal kitchens have also been fitted into Sanders House, Jasmine Court and Muriel House so that older residents can cater for their increasingly busy social lives’ comfortably.”
Sanders House and Muriel House are both in Ingram Crescent West in Hove.
The council added: “Tenants themselves applied for funds for this initiative through the Estate Development Fund.
“Newly painted homes in Portslade, among 450 that have been decorated, will be inspected annually to ensure they withstand weathering under the guarantee from paint manufacturer Dulux.
“For the first time tenants have a choice of four colours for new front doors as part of the front door replacement programme, which also includes options for a low-level spy hole for wheelchair users.
“Tenants have also been urged to look out for a Decent Homes Survey letter that requests a home inspection because they may qualify for a new kitchen or bathroom.
“Central heating installations are also being upgraded.”
Councillor Maria Caulfield, the council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “The first six months of this partnership has seen wide-ranging improvements made to tenants’ homes.
“Not only are hundreds of our tenants seeing new bathrooms and kitchens fitted but they are also having an unprecedented say about how they are improved.
“It’s important that we refurbish homes but its also important that tenants get to choose the kitchen worktop they want and whether it’s a new white, red, blue or green front door fitted.”
I would love to know why i havnt been offered anew kitchen or bathroom? i live in Mile Oak and have been in this house for 30 years! never had the concil do very much 2 it. i am on DLA and its impossible replace kitchen myself. i know several people who have been tenants for a short while and have had both itchen and bathroom replaced. just seems very unfair to me!
Hello my toilet is so old and my kitchen cupboards are old we need a survey done as i have been here for 8 years these have never been replaced also we would like a refurbishment thank you my wife is disabled and my daughter is disabled aswell regards
a.franklin