News

**MSE Wendy** · 31-08-2007, 11:48 AM

This thread is to discuss the HOME section
of the Grant Grabbing article.

To discuss or ask a question - click reply

To discuss the other sections please use these threads:
EDUCATION
INDIVIDUALS
ORGANISATIONS

MothballsWallet · 05-09-2007, 7:25 PM

I've just asked for more info through the EnergySavingTrust website - let's see if they send it this time... (I asked for some before a few months ago and it never arrived.)

Slightly OT perhaps, but their "commit to reduce by 20%" section's a bit confusing - it talks about "preventing climate change" - I thought the climate scientists and environmental evangelists were saying that climate change was happening now.

roodkid · 12-09-2007, 1:25 PM

A word of caution:

It pays to do your homework before applying for home improvement grants, esp under the sustainable/eco-friendly banner. At present the maximum amount you can reclaim across all technologies is a paltry £2500 per home. The sting is double-edged; eco technology does not come cheap...at the moment.

Secondly, you can only qualify for the grant if you used a BRE certified supplier AND installer. I am a property developer and I know a lot of these technologies are easy to install (DIY level), some are more difficult, but not beyond the capabilities of most competent builders. I can save well in excess of £2500 just by using my own local builder. The more technologies you are putting in place, the greater the savings.

It therefore pays to get some proper quotes locally to compare with the approved 'big boys' before rushing out to install the latest rainwater harvesting system or solar collectors et al. It's the labour costs that'll sting you!

Tobyjug · 24-10-2007, 11:08 AM

My son lives on his own in a council house on a run down estate. He works hard but is on a low income. He has asked the council for help with the cost of a fence. He has no security or privacy and the kids on the street run riot on his garden. As you can guess the council will not help him, is there a grant out there that would help pay for fencing.

autismmum · 24-10-2007, 12:31 PM

each council usually is afiliated to the safer neighbourhood thing, in our area the environmental health and housing section of the council do have a duty of care to its tennants to provide the security of fences,
if he contacts the council again and mentions the LOCAL GOVERNMENT OMBUDSMAN and threatens to complain ( the councils watchdog) he will definetly get somewhere!!
so try enviro health housing dept,
then ask for council leaders name ( he wont get through)
then leave a message that he will now contact local gov ombuds,
and its easy to complain to them on the web,
they will then contact the council... hey presto he will have a fence !! please try it

Tobyjug · 25-10-2007, 4:33 PM

Thanks autismum
Tried council and they say their policy is to repair fencing only, they do not provide or erect fencing and the Ombudsman cannot enforce a policy that does not exist.

smokenfluff · 06-11-2007, 9:06 AM

Hi, I'm new to this website and forum. Eeeeek!!!
Is there anyone out there who can offer me some advice for a friend of mine. Shes a recently divorced mum to 5 children aged bettween 13 - 21 years. Her ex-husband never made any repairs to the house in the 13 years they lived there. The courts made sure husband carried on paying the mortgage until the children are 16/18 and in work. Then it will be sold. Ive helped her apply for a warm front grant to repair/replace central heating and shes also applying to her local council for repairs to the house. Her electric bill is currently £47 per week!!! Obviously the house needs re-wiring as to have to many appliances running at once causes the fuses to blow. The house really is in a dire state. Broken doors to the rooms and the kitchen is hanging by a thread. What else can she apply for on the council grant form. Has anyone else gone through a similar situation. Id really appreciate any help or advice.
Many thanks for reading.

feesh · 16-11-2007, 1:12 PM

I've just found out about a couple of grants from our LA (Dacorum Borough Council) which I was knocked sideways by! I wasn't expecting to be eligible for any grants as I have worked for a Council before and I work in the energy efficiency/renewables field and thought I knew about all of them!

Basically, Mr Feesh rang the Conservation Officer to check what sort of windows would be acceptable at the back of our house (we need our rear sash windows double glazing and we live in a Conservation Area).

The Conservation Officer said that grants were available for up to 20% of the cost of such works.

He sent through an info pack which arrived last night, and the grant is applicable to anything which helps to preserve the condition of the building, or restore/improve the outward appearance. It specifically mentions damp courses, which is one of the things we are also planning on getting done.

It is mainly aimed at listed buildings, but according to the Conservation Officer our measly and VERY ordinary little 2-up 2-down terrace will be eligible (I got the impression they were itching to give the money away before the end of their financial year).

We were about to fork out £3k on new windows and just under £1k on the damp problem, and we suddenly find we can claim 20% back from the Council! What a result! And we can use whichever supplier we want - we just have to send in 2 competitive quotes as proof that we shopped around.

ironwolf · 26-11-2007, 7:10 PM

Hi there. With regards to help with energy arrears (ie gas/elec debt) it is a little known fact that you can make an application through severn trent's trust fund(provided you pay them for water bills) to pay off gas/elec debt if you are not with a gas/elec supplier who offers a specific trust fund

hope this is useful

nikki.paul · 06-12-2007, 12:34 AM

Hi hope I have posted this in the right place.

I have a son who suffers from bladder problems and wets the bed at least 3 times a night. He currently receives middle rate care DLA. We own our own home and both me and my husband work full time. Is there any grant I may be able to get to help me install central heating as winter it is very unpleasant for my son. We have just saved up and got our windows done and it would take us at least another 3 years to save for central heating. I have had warm front round but because my son does not hold a tenancy agreement and we work we only qualify for £2000 and they have told us it would cost £6000 to install ( No I do not live in a castle just a three bed house)So would still have to find £4000.
I can not take out a loan as I have only just managed to get out of thousands of pounds worth of debt (With a lot of help from this website) and am classed as a bad risk, leaving me open to only the shark credit companies. (And that lesson has been well and truly learnt.

Thanks
Nikki

Marga · 12-01-2008, 10:44 AM

CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHETHER THERE ARE GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR ESSENTIAL HOUSE REPAIRS?
I HAVE JUST MADE A CLAIM FOR JOB SEEKERS ALLOWANCE - PREVIOUSLY I HAVE BEEN A FULL-TIME CARER FOR QUITE A WHILE - LIVING OFF A SMALL AMOUNT OF SAVINGS ETC., BUT NOT CLAIMING ANYTHING IN BENEFITS - RIGHT UP TO THE START OF THIS YEAR WHEN I PUT IN FOR JOB SEEKERS.

I DON'T HAVE ANY SAVINGS ETC., BUT NEED TO GET SOME ESSENTIAL REPAIRS DONE TO MY PROPERTY. THERE SEEMS TO BE A LEAK IN THE ROOF SOMEWHERE - POSSIBLY MISSING SLATES? DURING THE RECENT RAINY / SEVERE WEATHER THIS HAS RESULTED IN PART OF THE CEILING COMING DOWN IN THE KITCHEN. IT HAS PROBABLY BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE AND HAS ALSO AFFECTED THE WOODEN WINDOW FRAMES.

I AM NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE BECAUSE THE INSURANCE PEOPLE WOULD NOT COVER ME WHEN I APPLIED AS THE ROOF WAS NOT SOUND - SO IT IS A BIG PROBLEM. ANY IDEAS FROM ANYONE OUT THERE WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR READING THIS.

nannylol · 16-01-2008, 2:16 PM

hi i am registered disabled and have trouble parking my car outside my home due to volume of cars in my road, i have asked the council about dropping my Kerb so i can park in my driveway, they have told me it will cost approx £1.000 as i am on benefits this is way beyond what i can afford can anyone tell me if there is an Organisation or grant available to help me with these costs please i would be grateful for any advice given thankyou

Chris Evas · 16-01-2008, 3:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marga

CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHETHER THERE ARE GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR ESSENTIAL HOUSE REPAIRS?
I HAVE JUST MADE A CLAIM FOR JOB SEEKERS ALLOWANCE - PREVIOUSLY I HAVE BEEN A FULL-TIME CARER FOR QUITE A WHILE - LIVING OFF A SMALL AMOUNT OF SAVINGS ETC., BUT NOT CLAIMING ANYTHING IN BENEFITS - RIGHT UP TO THE START OF THIS YEAR WHEN I PUT IN FOR JOB SEEKERS.

I DON'T HAVE ANY SAVINGS ETC., BUT NEED TO GET SOME ESSENTIAL REPAIRS DONE TO MY PROPERTY. THERE SEEMS TO BE A LEAK IN THE ROOF SOMEWHERE - POSSIBLY MISSING SLATES? DURING THE RECENT RAINY / SEVERE WEATHER THIS HAS RESULTED IN PART OF THE CEILING COMING DOWN IN THE KITCHEN. IT HAS PROBABLY BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE AND HAS ALSO AFFECTED THE WOODEN WINDOW FRAMES.

I AM NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE BECAUSE THE INSURANCE PEOPLE WOULD NOT COVER ME WHEN I APPLIED AS THE ROOF WAS NOT SOUND - SO IT IS A BIG PROBLEM. ANY IDEAS FROM ANYONE OUT THERE WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR READING THIS.

Hi,
I dont know what part of the country you live in, but I suggest you ring your local council, explain the situation you are in and ASK what help is available to you. The cost of a phone call could give you peace of mind. Best of Luck

andrew_xlb · 23-01-2008, 8:26 AM

Hi there,

I own a house in the South West, that my parents live in (and contribute towards the mortgage). I live up around London, but want to get some work done on my property.

My dad is disabled, and currently there is no downstairs bathroom - I would like to install a WC and sink in an existing utility room - and heard about these HIA grants/loans.

Only problem is, I also heard that they are means-tested..? Does anyone know what my best bet would be regarding the grant application in that case? Should my Dad contact the council and say we all live there? Because in that situation, I am pretty sure they will consider my income into the calculations, assuming I need no assistance in paying for the work..

If he were to say he rents the property, I was advised the council reply saying it is the landlord's responsibility to make the property accessible, etc...either way I think I am going to have to just pay it myself arent i??!

bluerose1086 · 12-03-2008, 12:32 PM

hi i dont know if this is in correct place but we have applied and been accepted on a warm front grant and had a central heating firm give us a quote for £3000 meaning we had to pay extra contriution to grant of £700. so because we cant afford this and our heating system has been condemed (over 30 years old) we went back to warmfront and complained warm front then sent out another local firm and there quote was only £2200 so because this is within the grant amount we can now have a new central heating sysytem very soon
so be warned it seems that there are companies used by warm front ( and possibily many other grant suppliers) that are out to make more money out of us hard working poor families

sexysam · 12-03-2008, 9:23 PM

You can have the work done by some private contractors who will do it much cheaper than the council.Its just that it has to meet council standard. Even if you did it privately, it would be very unlikely that the Council will ever notice unless some one informs them

Sugarfree Babe · 13-03-2008, 3:14 AM

Last year I needed rendering to be replaced on my house as damp was getting in. I received a "Minor Repairs Grant" from the council. They can give up to £3k under this scheme but they do not cover the cost of repainting. I am severely disabled and on income support. I am not sure if these are criteria for the grant. I had a disabled facilities grant to remove my bath and put in a level access shower and a special type of loo. Again, they won't cover the cost of painting or redecorating. When I was fit, I used to do all that myself. I am awaiting a grant to remove and replace my defunct storage heaters. This is likely to mean most of my rooms will need redecorating. does anyone know where I can get a grant for this. My days of wielding a paintbrush are well and truly over and my savings were exhausted years ago. The thought of looking at torn and missing wallpaper for the indefinite future is pretty depressing. Any suggestions?

connan13 · 16-03-2008, 9:49 AM

'I have a son who suffers from bladder problems and wets the bed at least 3 times a night. He currently receives middle rate care DLA. '

Hi Nicky,
with a child entitled to DLA you can apply for a grant from this charity: www.familyfundtrust.org.uk .
good luck.
Marielle

autismmum · 16-03-2008, 11:45 AM

speak to your local ocupational therapy team, they can access grants for you also.

pacer007 · 17-03-2008, 9:59 PM

We are in the process of having an adaptation for our disabled daughter. It consists of a specialist bathroom with a wash/dry toilet, a bath that lifts up and a hoist. We also have had some doorways widened, a new front door with a low threshold and a ramp up to the door. It sounds fine so far.

This work is funded by the local council and is being managed by a company called “In Touch”. The put the job out to tender and builders were chosen to do the job.

My problem is that the quality of the work is poor and a number of building regulations have been ignored. I feel that the chap that is running the job just wants to get it finished as quick as he can no matter what. He just wants the £3,000 commission that will be paid for running the job.

My question. Is there an independent body that could come and look at the work to see that it complies with what it should? I am hoping that when the council come to sign the job off, the faults will be picked up. But, I know the builder dose a lot of this sort of work in the area. So he must get away with doing a shoddy job.

Some points at fault are:

The handrail alongside the ramp dose not compile with part M building regs.
No point of electrical isolation for the toilet.
No bonding of pipes in the bathroom
I could go on.

Thanks,

Pete.