Garden in council propperty is a mess.

bekk0_2

Hi i have moved into my first council propperty (Bungalow). I am a wheelchair user and the back garden is in a terrible state I can only get into the corner of it in my wheelchair from the side entrance to the garden. The council will not do anything about it. What are my options ? i just want a garden i can use it is no good to me as it is just a messive eyes sore.

adouglasmhor

Pay someone to clear it up.
Contact a charity group to clear it up.

formaldehyde_perfume

There are a lot of small charities or volunteer groups that will come out and do your garden, I know in my area there is a poster in the local CAB office for things like gardening and light housework, and come to think of it there are some in the mental health centre too; there is also something called care and repair which has a handy-man service as well as plumbers, electricians etc so would probably do gardens as well.

It's a matter of knowing how/where to look. My occupational therapist was great about putting me in touch with people that could help like that, and social services may have a list.

WestonDave

A charity or local volunteer might do some of the routine maintenance work for you, but I suspect in terms of making it more accessible etc, your hopes range somewhere between slim and none. There simply isn't the funding around for major garden overhauls - certainly not within council funding as its not within their duties - provide a decent house yes, garden - well that comes as a free bonus but not much more unless you sort it yourself. It might be that if you can find someone (maybe a student studying garden design that wants something for their portfolio) and between you, you can source some materials from places like freecycle, you could get it done, but its going to be you putting in the work (albeit obviously not the physical labour) to make the project happen.

mouseymousey99

Perhaps you could contact Community Payback. I know there are some rules ie the chap/s have to be visable and their has to be a genuine need. It does a lot of good stuff in my area and the 'payback' goes both ways, some of the people on the scheme have gone on to gardening courses etc. Don't rule out doing some gardening yourself too, very good for you. I can't manage digging and all the stuff I used to do, so I have a few pots of flowers and herbs.

fadetogrey

possibly wrong in thinking this but as a rented property the council must be responsible for ensuring the property is safe and to my mind that should also include anywhere the occupier has access including the garden.At the very least a person in a wheelchair should be able to access their own garden.Im also thinking of due care as if someone such as a window cleaner etc were to come into that garden and suffer an accident because of the state its in the council as the owner would be liable.

Richie-from-the-Boro

fadetogrey wrote: »

possibly wrong in thinking this but as a rented property the council must be responsible for ensuring the property is safe and to my mind that should also include anywhere the occupier has access including the garden.At the very least a person in a wheelchair should be able to access their own garden.I'm also thinking of due care as if someone such as a window cleaner etc were to come into that garden and suffer an accident because of the state its in the council as the owner would be liable.

It's more than very likely that the landlord is not responsible / accountable, and in the [ I've never hear of it ] unlikely event that they were, it would be in the terms of the rental / lease agreement which the O/P will have signed. However the tenant would be responsible for anyone they invite on to [ LL insurance ] the premises such as a window cleaner. other areas would also have been signed for and agreed by the O/P at the outset and set out in the lease, such as :

- subletting
- alteration & improvements
- damages
- dangerous animals
- etc

The options for the O/P including all those suggested above would be that if they are in receipt of DLA, that money can be used for any purpose, including sorting out the garden.

It is also the case that if the garden is overrun to the point where neighbours report it to the environmental health department an order can be placed on tenant per his / her lease that within a reasonable time frame the garden is made presentable. If it is not made good the council will undertake the work and charge the tenant and exorbitant price. This will put the newly won tenancy at risk of being revoked.

There is a massive shortfall of wheelchair / disabled friendly rented properties nationally. It is sad that the O/P should have to use the DLA income for this purpose rather than a much more favourable one, but if it solves the garden problem and avoids issues with rental agreement compliance then perhaps that's what needs to be done.

If the O/P is not in receipt of DLA then all of the above applies other than the fact that they don't have the benefit of DLA income, but must still themselves, clear up the garden for the reasons mentioned.

Anubis_2

The tenant is responsible for the garden, always has been, unless something has changed, but I doubt it. You will need to pay or find a voluntary organisation to tidy it up. You're lucky that it is only the garden. It is the same with fencing around the garden, if there is none there and you want some you have to pay, or if it needs repairing you have to pay.

SailorSam

I worked as a volunteer with VS and i met one old lady who's garden was overgrown and house run down, it had got so bad that the local scallies made a bee line to her to make it worse.
I spoke to the local Police on her behalf and the Sergeant got a group of trainee cadets out to clear things up. He put it down as crime prevention.

Richie-from-the-Boro

SailorSam wrote: »

I worked as a volunteer with VS and i met one old lady who's garden was overgrown and house run down, it had got so bad that the local scallies made a bee line to her to make it worse.
I spoke to the local Police on her behalf and the Sergeant got a group of trainee cadets out to clear things up. He put it down as crime prevention.

Nice one

Mrs_Arcanum

The garden should be in a fit state for the new resident to manage when they move in. Try Occ Health who may be able to stick a rocket up the HA to get the work done.