Issue - meetings

Briefing on Adapted Accommodation

Meeting: 02/08/2021 - Customer Services Scrutiny Committee (Item 6)

6 Briefing on Adapted Accommodation pdf icon PDF 397 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Committee considered a report which provided information regarding Council owned adapted accommodation in the District.

 

Following approaches by applicants seeking family units, in April 2021, Executive received a report regarding the supply, management and allocation of Council owned adapted accommodation.  Executive agreed that Scrutiny review the process and prepare recommendations to further support families with needs for adapted properties.  The Executive report was attached as Appendix 1 and Committee was asked to note that the report referred to 41 x 2 bedroom bungalows when in fact 6 of these were flats.

 

The Council liaised with Derbyshire County Council’s (DCC) Occupational Therapists to ensure the right adaptations were provided in a person’s home.  However, some work could be so significant that it could potentially mean the property should be considered as ‘fully adapted’, which meant the categorisation on the housing system would need to change.

 

Examples of significant adaptations which the Council regularly undertook were;

 

·         Wetroom

·         Ceiling Track Hoist (CTH)

·         Closomat toilet (wash dry toilet)

·         Through floor lift

·         Adapted kitchen

 

It was important to note that although a property was categorised by Housing as disabled adapted for management of allocation purposes – it didn’t mean the property was exempt from Right to Buy and could be legally challenged if an application was refused.  The relevant section was part 7 of Schedule 5 to the Housing Act 1985 and stated;

 

“The right to buy does not arise if the dwelling-house has features which are     substantially different from those of ordinary dwelling-houses and are designed to make it suitable for occupation by physically disabled persons, and

 

(a) it is one of a group of dwelling-houses which it is the practice of the landlord to let for occupation by physically disabled persons, and

(b) a social service or special facilities are provided in close proximity to the group of dwelling-houses wholly or partly for the purpose of assisting those persons.”

 

Housing officers had recently commenced a piece of work to agree a set of principles that reflected practice in terms of what ‘significant adaptions’ meant, and to look at what decision making processes should follow if a property was no longer considered ‘general needs’ adapted stock.  This was important as it would mean that a significant or fully adapted property would most likely be exempt from Right to Buy legislation but also the way in which disabled housing stock was allocated.

 

The Council continually looked for fully adapted properties to keep families together and had purchased some properties from ‘Keepmoat Homes’.  However, the number of fully adapted properties the Council should have required balancing with ‘need’ and also taking into consideration Right to Buy legislation.

 

Due to a limited budget for adapted properties, a working group had been set up to better manage stock and referrals – this would also help reduce the waiting list for these type of properties.  For example, a wet room was a significant change to a house but not so much a bungalow.  A through floor lift was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6