Housing Association transfer advice

[Lele85]

I’m looking for advice. I’m a housing association tenant and I’m really struggling with space in my current two bedroom property.

I live in a two bedroom, 4th floor property. I have 3 children ages 11,9 and 1. I’m single parent and also have my 89 year old grandma living with me.

My 1 year old sleeps with me and my older two were sharing a room before my grandma came to live with me. My 11 and 9 year old are now sharing the sofa and I feel that it’s really affecting them. My grandma has mobility issues, partial sight and other health issues and has a frame and commode in the kids old bedroom which is now her bedroom.

I suffer from mental health with phycotic episodes if I become very stressed. I try my best to care for my grandma and be her companion. I’m having anxiety regarding my grandmas mobility and us living on the 4th floor. In 2017 there was a fire in my building (before my grandma lived with me) the lift was out of order and I had to run down 4 flights of stairs with my 2 children. Now I have a 1 year old and my grandma I’m anxious about something like this happening again.

I applied for a transfer with my housing association but they refused priority on medical grounds which gives me band c. I have realised moving probably will never happen but I cannot continue like this for the children. When the baby gets older they could share my bedroom and we sleep on the sofa but at the moment he is too young.

I’m wandering if my grandma could access housing on her own, it’s a real worry for me having her here in the case of something happening and there is no where else for her to go.

Any advice would be helpful? Thank you

That sounds tough. Where was your grandma living before she moved in with you? Could she live on her own?

My grandma was living in this country for her working life but after she retired she moved to live with her Sister, in her country of birth. She came back here due to health issues 2 years ago with the intention of going back. However her sister who has dementia has deteriorated and is in a care home. My grandma has also deteriorated as when she arrived she shared the children’s bedroom but since we all caught covid back in December, she was lucky that survive hospitalisation but is significantly weakened now. Her memory is also worsening. She cannot live independently but I wandered if she could get supported housing? Maybe close to me where I could still check on her. The housing have not offered this option or any option at all and I don’t know what to do.

She is a British citizen and she cannot return to her country of birth as there is no one else there other than her sister who is now really ill.

Contact Shelter England (I'm assuming you are in England) and Citizens Advice for help and advice.

It sounds as though a care needs assessment for your grandma would be a good place to start, particularly if she’s showing signs of memory loss - get in touch with adult social services. From that, they can establish how her needs could be best met and whether she’d be eligible for sheltered housing: most councils have very strict eligibility criteria for social housing which usually includes being resident in the borough for a certain number of years, but will sometimes waive this when it comes to the housing of elderly and disabled people.

I’ve tried to contact shelter but keep getting cut off or no web ad users available... I will keep trying.

I thought about social services but was worried due to my mental health and kids sharing a sofa, I didn’t want my children to be taken away.

Thank you for all of the advice

A care needs assessment and occupational therapist recommendation could also support a housing transfer for you to a more suitable property, if you wanted to continue living with and providing care for your grandma.

Additionally, do you have a housing officer? The HA has an obligation to ensure that it has individual fire evacuation plans for buildings, and those plans must include provision for how residents with limited mobility should evacuate. Speak to your housing officer about this, knowing that a plan is in place and what it is will help with peace of mind.

@ComtesseDeSpair

Thank you. I hadn’t thought about asking about a proper fire evacuation for reduced mobility. I tend to let anxiety rule me... thank you for your really thoughtful advice.

I will try to find out about an occupational therapist recommendation, my grandma was seen by one. Thanks

To make your living situation more pleasant could you see if you could get a triple bunk? Either a triple in height or a single over a double bed? Pop that in one of the bedrooms, your Grandma has the other bed and you save up for a decent sofa bed in the living room.

Also why don't you practise fire drills with your children? Discuss fire safety. Always have a key in a safe place. Pair the 11 year and 9 year old up for the drills, leaving you to care for the 1 year old. The fire evacuation plan should help you plan for your Grandma.

I'm sure the doors will be heavy fire doors and if you talk about things like putting towels at the base you can come up with practical solutions.

Make sure your smoke detectors are working. Don't use candles, there's lots you can do to feel in control.