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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Council refusing to let us adapt our house

84 replies

cantsleep · 15/10/2013 20:25

We have a small 3 bed council house. Seperate bathroom and toilet both minute and difficult to use, there is literally only room for the bath in there it is tiny.

Downstairs we have a living room and kitchen which is same size, a small utility area by back door.

I asked the council could we move the kitchen area to the right hand side where the utility area and back door are, freeing up so much space that we could then have another small room downstairs. They said no.

I also asked could the bathroom and toilet be knocked through to make a larger bathroom, they said no again but the surveyor who came to the house said we could change the bathroom door to open outward s rather than inwards even though for health and safety reasons we shouldn't really As it could be opened, hit somebody and make them fall down the stairs.

I am really cross that the council are so unhelpful. Even to the point that we asked for the 3 small steps to the door be levelled out and to have a slope instead and they said no and gave us 2 stupid ramps which didn't even fit so are useless to us and even if they did its a shared entrance so they could t be left there which would mean us constantly putting them down, going out, picking them up etc etc.

We really need a bigger bathroom and are in desperate need of an extra room due to health issues and I feel the council are being very nasty saying no to our requests.

AIBU to be so annoyed, I feel like going to see them and not leaving till they agree.

OP posts:
FortyDoorsToNowhere · 15/10/2013 20:29

Is there a medical reason for the adaptation.

If not you are the tenant and it's not your house, so yabu.

MrsGaryKielhofner · 15/10/2013 20:30

There are fairly strict rules around ramping (gradients, turning circles, barriers etc) that are part of building regs so the council can't ignore them. They cannot easily make changes to a shared entrance either.

Had you had an Occupational Therapy assessement regarding your needs?

pizzaqueen · 15/10/2013 20:30

I think you are being slightly unreasonable. The house does not belong to you, it is the council's, therefore they should have final say on any modifications. If you were private renting you wouldn't be able to change anything either. Presumably you knew the layout of the house before you moved in?

pizzaqueen · 15/10/2013 20:32

do you habe disabilities that mean you require an adapted property? If so you need to be assessed and put on the waiting list for a suitable property.

Original poster
cantsleep · 15/10/2013 20:33

Yes it is for health issues mainly as we need an extra bedroom for dd1 who is having severe difficulties with stairs/exhaustion.

The bathroom is so tiny we cannot bath the dcs easily and they have health problems. Need steps to front door levelled for dcs buggies etc.

The council just don't seem to care, reluctantly said we could change bathroom door that was it as currently opens in but if one of dcs goes in and is ill/falls they would be trapped its so tiny.

OP posts:
Original poster
cantsleep · 15/10/2013 20:34

Yes, it was the OT who gave the ramps (she measured but they don't fit nod cannot be left in place anyway). She gave us a bath lard as well as arranged for the survey our to come round.

OP posts:
pizzaqueen · 15/10/2013 20:37

I think they may be refusing your downstairs plans as it would be against building regs to have a room straight off the kitchen like that? forgive me if I have misunderstood the layout.

Sounds like they've offered a solution with the bathroom upstairs as a compromise you are not willing to make.

Didn't you realise the layout of the house was unsuitable for your needs before you moved in?

Who do you propose carries the work? And pays for it?

Original poster
cantsleep · 15/10/2013 20:37

W moved in 5 years ago so were aware of layout but not the dcs health issues at that point (on.y had 2 dcs then but had more and their health has deteriorated). We had no idea it would get this difficult.

Desperately need a bigger safer bathroom and an extra room.

We are on the swap scheme but twice a swap as come to nothing so looks like we are stuck here but need the house adapting.

OP posts:
DangerRabbit · 15/10/2013 20:38

Have you tried going on homeswapper or other council house swap sites to try to find more suitable accommodation?

FortyDoorsToNowhere · 15/10/2013 20:39

I would get the OT out to do an assessment of your home and what needs modification for DC. The OT will put the recommendation to the council and if funding is available it has to be done.

sonlypuppyfat · 15/10/2013 20:40

I grew up in a council house with a separate bath and toilet. We found it fine. The council have to keep it so it will suit most people

bringbackopalfruits · 15/10/2013 20:40

It may be that the ramp at the front can't be safely built within the correct gradient (at least 1:12, ideally 1:20). That's often why portable ramps are given. Why can't you use them? The other issue is that bedrooms have to be of a specific size. If you can't adapt downstairs within these rules, then the council can't agree it. What has the OT recommended re: bathing your DC's? And I can't remember if you said if you had a downstairs loo or not. Is a stairlift not an option? (You may have guessed I'm an OT, but not a social services one Smile)

Original poster
cantsleep · 15/10/2013 20:40

We had seen there is a grant available through the council for adaptations for disabled people.

The changing bathroom door is not a compromise as we still have a tiny tiny bathroom, it has a bath in it and is tiny, so small that when I was pregnant I kept getting stuck turning to open the door.

OP posts:
Kundry · 15/10/2013 20:42

It's not your house though is it, it's the councils.

If you rented privately the landlord would most likely just say no.

If you owned your own property you would have to pay for it yourself or pay for a house move. No house swaps available at all. And you would still be subject to building regs which may be a no anyway.

When you look at it like that, it's great that the council even contemplated it.

pizzaqueen · 15/10/2013 20:42

You can't have a bedroom downstairs straight off the kitchen it simply isn't allowed anymore. Is that what you're asking for?

The bathroom sounds inconvenient. Ask for an assessment and if it's deemed you need adaptions you will be given them or put on a list for a suitable property.

Binkyridesagain · 15/10/2013 20:43

YOu need to get OT out again, explain to them what the council has said and the reasons they have given, the OT hopefully will back you up.

It sounds to me though that you need to move to a house that has the area to either make adaptions or build an extension to meet your needs.

Do not expect this to be a quick process no matter which way it goes, I have waited 4 years to have my extension built and I still have no permenant safe wheelchair access for my DD and no sign of it appearing in the near future and I'm paying 40% of the costs.

MrsGaryKielhofner · 15/10/2013 20:43

The ramps can't be permanent as it is a shared entrance. The OT has to defer to the surveyor from the council as it is their property and budget and they have the building technical knowledge. There are lots of stringent criteria to meet around adaptations.

Often, if someone's needs can't be met in their existing home then they have to think about moving somewhere which does have the potential to be adapted. Has this been discussed with you?

Blu · 15/10/2013 20:44

It might be worth posting on the special needs board because there will be plenty of people there with experience of pushing for access needs, and know what your rights are and who to talk to.

Good luck.

Binkyridesagain · 15/10/2013 20:44

Pizza you can have a bedroom off a kitchen, I have one that has just been built, there are however regulations that must be followed.

Original poster
cantsleep · 15/10/2013 20:45

We don't have a downstairs loo. It is a nightmare for dd1.

If the ramps fitted it would be hugely difficult to carry them out, put them on steps, get all dcs out then pick up ramps again off the steps etc, I have some health issues too so its hard. Would love no steps to worry about.

The council said bathroom could not be knocked through because a pipe (soil one I think) is between bathroom and toilet.
I was thinking if kitchen was moved that a partition wall could be put I. To create an extra room downstairs, hard to explain if you haven't been here though!

OP posts:
RandomMess · 15/10/2013 20:48

Could you have a stair lift put in for dd?

Original poster
cantsleep · 15/10/2013 20:49

If I couldn't have a bedroom by the kitchen could the front room be used as a bedroom and the new room as a living area?

Sometimes we have to carry dcs up they are in pain. No flats big enough ever seem to come up on homeswapper but I will keep looking. Nealy got saws for bigger houses but both fell through. I was hoping that adapting might be the answer to our problems.

OP posts:
Original poster
cantsleep · 15/10/2013 20:50

I will contact OT again and ask about a stair lift.

OP posts:
Original poster
cantsleep · 15/10/2013 20:51

Swaps not saws

OP posts:
Binkyridesagain · 15/10/2013 20:51

Has the council given you reasons for why they will not carry out the adaptions?