Hi everyone, just looking for a bit of advice please. Sorry for the long post.
Im in a large one bedroom adapted property for a wheelchair user through a housing association. I didn’t need a wheelchair adapted property but I did need a wet room which it has, plus a ground floor or lift. I’ve now had a baby and ideally my baby should not be in my room as I suffer frequent chest infections as I have a lung disease (likely respiratory tract colonised with Staph) and I use a nebuliser. Because of the nebuliser my baby is being exposed to droplets which can be carrying bacteria’s as I suffer a lot of chest infections that are caused by bacteria that they can catch. My baby also coughs alot and is very chesty.
Ive applied back to the council to ask if I can go back on the list for a 2 bedroom due to medical reasons because my baby is at risk from my conditions. I’ve sent all my letter evidence confirming my diagnosis of lung disease etc. I also receive PIP for these medical issues. Their waiting list I believe for looking at applications is 10-12 weeks and I only applied 6 weeks ago so I’m still waiting at the moment.
With regards to my flat I do not really need a wheelchair property and I told them this when I moved in, but they said at that time it was the only one they had come up with a wet room and if I didn’t accept I’d be waiting a long time for another to come up and they were happy to offer it to me based on my OT assessment. I was stuck in a private rental with stairs and a bath that I couldn’t really use so I accepted their offer.
So, my dilemma is now that if they turn me down for a 2 bedroom for medical reasons, could I request to give up my adapted property for a two bedroom and go on the list that way?
I know that they’re high up on the banding in my council and if you’re giving up an adapted property, you’re prioritised.
I would still need a ground floor or a lift, plus a walk in shower or a bathroom that OT can adapt for me. My flat has all lowered sinks , cooker , switches, wide doors etc for a wheelchair user that I do not need.
I just wondered if I inform them I don’t need thus particular wheelchair adapted flat that they’ll try and force me into a normal one bedroom?
They can’t put me anywhere with a bath or stairs.
But obviously for health reasons and the safety of my child I need to move really to a two bed.
I’m currently sleeping in the living room as I’m worried for my child, I haven’t told the council this as I feel like they’ll say we can stay in that situation, however I have an open plan so my son is still being exposed and I can’t just keep him in his bedroom constantly because the front room is exposure.
I need a room solely to do my nebulising in that my child isn’t going to be exposed to and I can close the door but also still be able to use my living room and not be confined to one room all the time. I am trying to get a swap, but seems no one wants to come into a one bed adapter or they do need an adapted they don’t want the area etc.
Thanks for your time if you’ve read this.