Access ramp.

[TheLion]

Hello. My stepmother is disabled and uses a wheelchair to get around. About a year ago my father asked the Housing Association (Guiness Trust) if they could have a ramp built at the entrance to their block of flats to make access easier. Their flat and all of the bottom floor flats are adapted for wheelchair users (lower light switches, wider doors etc.).

 

The reply they got back was, "that they could not have one built, even if they paid for it and/or my father built it. The said cost of maintenance would be too much, and other tenants may slip on it. Also, new security doors are going to be fitted at some time in the future and access would be even more diffucult for my stepmother, so the best option is to go on the register and transfer".

 

As you can understand they were not happy. This week in the post they received confirmation that the security doors are going to be put in soon. My father phoned the office and asked once again about a ramp and they have now told him to put it in writing.

 

What sort of legislation is there with regard to having an access ramp and can the Associaton put in doors that will make access even more restricted?

[EYEBALLS01]

Been doing a bit of digging around on this and Section 1 part 3 may help.

 

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/PSD/42_housing_ded.pdf

[TheLion]

Fantastic. Going to get a letter off to the Housing Association within the next week and see if this can be rectified. Thanks for the help.

[EYEBALLS01]

That`s ok. Good luck.

[EYEBALLS01]

Any luck yet?

[TheLion]

There has been some progress. I spoke to a gentleman from the local Social Services and he has taken details of the situation. He has been in contact with my stepmother about sending someone to have a look, sounds like it will take awhile to get sorted...atleast the ball is rolling.