Scotland Question (though all views welcome :-)): Experience of councils and housing adaptations please

[SookieD]

We've already had housing OT out from council for an initial chat. She's coming back on Friday to do the formal assessment of DS's needs. (he is 3, quad CP)

She basically indicated that they probably wouldn't pay to adapt our house because it would be too expensive to do. I've read the information on the current law in Scotland and although it sets out standards and amounts payable etc, it also gives the council a veto to do whatever they want. We are lucky to live in a big house but it is split-level. DS has ground floor bedroom and en-suite but ensuite not big enough for chair access etc. Main problem though is access to our main living space, kitchen etc which is up 5 steps.

OT mentioned that sometimes the council will pay you to move, rather than adapt - anyone know anything about this?

Any other comments welcome!

Do you have any idea of the likely cost and how far in excess it is of what they would be willing to pay ? You could argue it is unreasonable to use veto if costs not astronomically above 'average'

I don't know because until they've done the assessment they won't say exactly what can even be considered, but she was saying that some kind of lift would be required to my living areas and while that it is perfectly possible, it can be very expensive.

We live in South Lanarkshire and had adaptations done last summer. We had ramped access built to the front of the house into his own room and wet room (built into what was our family room, with another ramp from the room into the rest of downstairs. His bedroom was previously upstairs. In the end we had to do a lot of shouting and falling out to get the adaptations done, it took 2 years. Eventually wrting to the head of social work, with letters from all the professions stating they were puting him at risk by us having to carry him upstairs.

They firstly offered us a stair climber but it was deemed unsafe for him when we had a demo of it. They then did offer us a lift, but in the end decided the adaptations were the best and cheapest to do, and I think wanted rid of us hassling them all the time!!

Not sure if they differ if the house is owned or rented.

Good luck and let me know if I can offer any more help.

Do you own or rent? Funnily enough, I got sent the new SH guides about funding adaptations at work today. I think they're still at the consultation stage, but I can post a link if you give me some more details.

Oh, and if you rent, is it private, HA or council?

Hi, we own the house.

Bit of a tricky situation cos if we have to move we're worried we wouldn't be able to sell just now - at least couldn't afford to lose money. On the other hand, if they do adaptations I think you have to agree not to sell for five years - if one of us had to give up work (which let's face it is difficult to predict) then we would have to sell. We just don't know what to do!

OK, I'll PM you the new draft guidance about major adaptations - it specifically mentions putting in a lift - but I'm not sure that it's in the public domain yet, so please don't hand it out.