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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

social housing

15 replies

paragirl1981 · 21/04/2014 11:35

I am disabled and at the moment live in a 4 bed rented house, I am struggling with the stairs and as it looks like my condition is becoming worse I was looking into asking the council to rehouse me into adapted accommodation (a bungalow)

My dh works and I get ESA and DLA and I was wondering if they would be able to do this. We would be paying the rent and not claiming HB. Obviously the rent for a council bungalow is under 1/2 what we are paying now and the decrease in rent would allow us to pay off our debts and save for a deposit to buy somewhere.
Am I being Unreasonable thinking of doing this?

OP posts:

MammaTJ · 21/04/2014 11:45

No, but don't hold your breath.

Getting a home through the council in the first place is hard, getting a disable adapted bungalow is impossible.

I get the financial impications but they really are like gold dust.

Could you have your current home adapted to make it more suitable, stannah stair lift for example?

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 21/04/2014 11:46

No, not unreasonable to apply at all, but adapted bungalows are like hen's teeth & it may take several years before you are offered one.

I used to work in community care, and visited lots of people with disabilities who were effectively living in one room of a 3 bed house, whilst waiting for either a little bungalow or a ground floor adapted flat.

I assume your current house is a private rental? If not, you may well get priority for having a desirable family property to swap.

StrawberryGashes · 21/04/2014 11:46

Why do you think you're being unreasonable? If your private landlord is unwilling to adapt the house for you then your local council can help you be rehomed somewhere more suitable. Housing benefit has nothing to do with it.

MojitoMadness · 21/04/2014 11:47

Could you register with homeswapper? It's for council and HA swaps. I've been on there for a year looking for a different area now, there are loads of people crying out for 4 bedroom houses.

StrawberryGashes · 21/04/2014 11:48

I agree with others about waiting a while though unfortunately. I am in social housing and have been waiting for the council to adapt the house for my disabled son for quite a while but theyve still not got round to it.

ICanSeeTheSun · 21/04/2014 11:53

Nothing wrong with applying, but it could take years to get.

weatherall · 21/04/2014 11:58

Everyone over 16 has the right to apply for a council house.

The application will not take into account your financial positi

weatherall · 21/04/2014 12:00

Sorry!

Position.

However you may not get enough points to make it to the top of the list for years, if at all, if indeed they have any suitable properties.

Original poster

paragirl1981 · 21/04/2014 12:48

It's a private rented house but the landlord isn't happy about doing any adaptations to it, so I'm not able to put in a stair lift or even change the en suite to a wet room.
It's very expensive and at the moment not suitable, it is a beautiful house but I recently saw a 3 bed adapted bungalow in the same area for £98 a week.

OP posts:

WooWooOwl · 21/04/2014 12:52

Of course you're not being unreasonable. Everyone is allowed to apply for a council home, whether you meet the criteria to get one is a different thing though.

Stripyhoglets · 21/04/2014 13:37

Yes apply, you needing an adapted home and being in private rented which you can't adapt, is likely to get you a fair bit of priority for a home. Find your councils lettings policy on its website and have a good read of the criteria. If your condition is likely to worsen then it would be the best move to try and get into social housing.

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 21/04/2014 13:43

You can apply, but in my area you would probably still be Band C. You might get band B if you are lucky.
In my area there is a 'priority for positively contributing applicants' that your DH would qualify for but I don't know if it's universal.

longjane · 21/04/2014 13:45

shelter is good place to go to for advice.

MunchMunch · 21/04/2014 13:50

My df is disabled and i phoned adult social services in our area, who sent an occupational therapist,they are arranging for him to have an electric wheelchair, an amazing armchair that reclines and also stands him up out of the chair. Unfortunately he is too big for a stair lift (ok weight wise buthip to knee measurements were too big for our stairs) so we will be having the outhouse converted into a double bedroom with ensuite wetroom. There will be other adaptions like a ramp doors widened etc and luckily this will be paid for by a grant as I'm his carer as well as looking after 3 dc so don't work. We were asked if we would consider moving to an adapted property as, say for e.g, the waiting list is 1 year for a house we would basically go near the top but i don't want to move again.

could you phone social services and get an occupational therapist to help?

specialsubject · 21/04/2014 14:06

wet rooms are major expenses and (I think) useless in the UK. Walk in shower would make sense for you but again, major expense.Can see your landlord's point really - the adaptations that would suit you could well put off future tenants.

basically you need to move. As you rent this is not the major hassle it is with buying. Have a look round for a rental bungalow, adapted or not - you may even strike lucky with a place that has adaptations already.

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