Landlords and Disabled Tenants

NewStartGoneWrong

I'm asking on behalf of my friend.
She is 6 months into a 24 months tenancy all rent up to date.

Since starting tenancy she has had an operation on her knee which failed and is on the waiting list for a knee replacement which doesn't look like bieng able to be done within this tenancy timeframe.

Local HAssoc has offered her a one bed ground floor flat in an over 55 small complex but she is tied into above mentioned tenancy.
She is having to sleep on the couch as she can no longer manage the quite steep stairwell in rented property which is a 2 bed terraced house.
The bathroom is downstairs but it only has a bath with shower over and she cannot get in and out the bath so is having to strip wash at the sink, this is not good as she also has arthritic wrists and one fusion on one wrist.

The entrance steps to the property are quite high and needs handgrips put on if the Landlord would agree etc.

Someone told her that the Landlord had to allow his property to be adapted to her disabled needs, Im not sure of this as she will only be there for 18 months when tenancy ends and no Landlord is going to want his normal bathroom to be adapted into a wet room type of bathroom, plus she can't afford to do it and the Landlord had tp pay for this, which Im sure is completely wrong.

If she approached the Letting Agent stating her predicament as house isn't suitable anymore due to health changes would they perhaps let her terminate the tenancy etc.

As she is of limited financial means she might be able to help with advertising the property to let etc .

She is willing to see the tenancy out but refusing this ground floor adapted flat is going to go against her when she then has to apply for similar accommodation in 18 months time..bit of a predicament.

The property should be able to relet easily do you think the Letting Agent/Landlord would be sympathetic to her position.

BitterAndTwisted

All landlords are different. But if the property will re-let easily there's no reason why the landlord wouldn't agree to the surrender as long as your friend agrees to pay any costs associated with securing a new tenant.

Icecold_2

My husband is disabled and when we went into a rental property prior to buying we were told we could make reasonable adaptations but we would have to pay to put everything back as it was at the end of our tenancy

Sorry no knowledge regarding the tenancy

pmlindyloo

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

All landlords are different. But if the property will re-let easily there's no reason why the landlord wouldn't agree to the surrender as long as your friend agrees to pay any costs associated with securing a new tenant.

I do think the best course is to speak to your landlord. There are extentuating circumstances as regards the situation and although legally she is liable to the end of the tenancy it would be a very nasty landlord who refused to allow her to surrender the property if she paid any fess incurred until it was relet.

G_M

I remember this coming up some time ago, but forget the outcome.

There is leglislation that forces businesses to make their premises suitable for disabled access, but there are exemptions....

I believe private LLs were exempt, but will dig around and check......

edit: a bit of info here, but no mention of compulsory access changes....

https://help.aviva.co.uk/risksolutions/safety-management/REF_HF1030

Ah!:

Making Adjustments to Properties
It is not a requirement for landlords to make any alterations to their properties in order to make them more easily accessible for disabled people. Nor is there anything in the Act to prevent positive action in favour of disabled people.

RAS

Is there a break clause in the conract; she might need to get advice on the exact wording.

theartfullodger

Advice here..
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/help_with_housing_costs/getting_adaptations

- on your options...