Property/DIY
Has anyone ever got their council/housing association to agree to house extension? If so how and who paid?
Howdydoody · 10/09/2007 13:40
7 of us in 2 double bed, one single bedroomed house. Ds2 is disabled and we dont want to move. Just wondered if anyone has experience of extending a council or HA house.
TIA
Howdydoody · 10/09/2007 13:51
Trouble is he doesnt really have any to warrant needing more space (it's more that there are so many of us in a tight space!) - he has epilepsy and it's the worry of moving that makes us want to stay here, incase it brings seizures on again. Though I suppose OT could write a letter to that effect couldnt they? Hadnt thought of that. Thanks
nutcracker · 10/09/2007 19:48
A friend of mine lived in a 3 bed council house with 2 teenage boys and a 9 yr old daughter.
Her eldest son is autistic, and so she told the council he needed his own room and they built them a single story extension, no arguments, and they did it quite quickly too.
Howdydoody · 10/09/2007 19:57
We would be prepared to pay a little as if we moved it would cost prob couple of thousand if we think decorating/carpets etc.
Not heard of disabled facility grant Tottie. Is it based on means test do you know? Will research it now.
Thanks Nutcracker, that's really encouraging to know it does happen as i havent heard anyone have it before
PillockOfTheCommunity · 10/09/2007 20:05
my dad had neighbours with one girl and one boy, he was on incapacity benefit (a problem with walking long distances, unless to the pub , and he's since been done for fraud) and the HA paid for an extension to the 2 bed bungalow they were in rather than move them to a bigger property.
Howdydoody · 10/09/2007 20:18
The disabled grants can be up to £25k and not means tested if for a disabled child.
Thanks Pixiefish and Pillock for your info - am feeling even more encouraged. it's hard to know how to phrase things, though as ds often needs someone sleeping with him/checking on him I reckon that would be fair reason for an extra room?
ShinyHappySchmooo · 10/09/2007 21:19
Yes! Yes!!
It got offered to us in early January (house they are going to extend), cue a very excited thread from me on here with lots of lovely Mners posting happily because they know something of the hassle we have had getting that far and the desperate need we have for an extended house (need disabled facilites for 7 yr old DS.. will search threads in a minute)
Told we would be in by Spring!!
We are still waiting. House is "ours" (they are even letting us store half our stuff in it; things we have bought over (all that!) time that we will need to make the new house as DS-friendly as poss) but they STILL haven't bloody well started on it!!
We have a provisional date of next Monday (17th) as a start date for the build. It should only take 6 - 8 weeks for the work to be done.. but of course it won't..!
We are trying to remain positive that we will be in this year. We are practically camping out now and DS1 sleeps on DD's bedroom floor now (DS2 makes life too unbearable for DS1 to sleep in there with him anymore).
But yes.. we are moving.. the HA are funding this.. it is possible (depending on need) and it can be done. But we have been through a lot to get this far.
What HA is it, if you don't mind saying? (s'ok if you do..)
Howdydoody · 10/09/2007 21:42
Thanks Tottie, the gov website had some good info so am gona get onto council tomorrow.
Elasticbandstand - did you have a council/HA house or private house to extend? Just wondering if it makes a difference. Did they give you reasons why you had to pay?
S-H-S, that must be so hard knowing the house is yours. I know when we were waiting for this house to be allocated to us we were living in a touring caravan for 2/3 months and it seemed to be years. Hope you get good news soon
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