Adaptation request in privately rented house

Yorkie006

Hello,
I have a question regarding adaptations when renting from a private landlord.
We've been renting our current property for almost 5 years now. My partner has got a medical problems that are getting worse with time.

At the beginning of the tenancy (5 years ago), the house was completely fine. First the contract was for 1 year, then renewed by another 2 and then another 2. Now landlord has offered another 2 year extension (but also increased our rent). The problem is the my partner's health has worsened in the last 2 years quite dramatically (he's currently in the process of applying for PIP) and the house in it's current state is not suitable anymore.

Due to my partner's joint problems, he's got trouble getting up/down the stairs (even falling a few times and going up the stair on all fours as he couldn't stand up on his own) as there is no handrail/banister for him to grab on.

Another issue is the bathroom. There is a bath with a shower over it. My partner can't use the shower (can't stand for longer periods) so has to take the bath. But he's got trouble getting out of the bath as there is nothing for him to grab onto to get up unaided. Sometimes I have to help him but it's not easy, he weights 22 stone and I only weigh 9 so it's not exactly safe for either one of us. If there was a grab handle, it would help a lot.

We did ask the landlord for a banister and a grab handle before, he said 'maybe'. When we asked again a bit later, the answer was the same At the time it wasn't such an issue (my partners' health was better then) so we didn't press it any further. But now he really needs to address this as it's making our lives quite difficult. I have a full time job so my partner needs to be able to get upstairs/downstairs on his own safely when I'm not home. The landlord's been aware of my partners health issues for years but so far has ignored our requests.

In an attempt to force his hand, we told the him that we won't renew the contract unless those 2 things are sorted. If he refuses, we'll be looking for another house. So far he hasn't replied. We don't want to live in a house that's not safe/suitable and pay more money for the privilege.

Is it reasonable to request a banister and a grab handle fitting (it's not like we're asking for a stair lift or some other major work)? If landlord refuses, is it discrimination?
Thanks for advice.

[Deleted User]

I am sure you won't mind me saying this but being 22 stone with the mobility problems you describe is really really not good. Would help him so much to pay attention to healthy eating. I'm not purely moralising.., I have arthritis and keep an eye on my weight because I know it will only make things worse if it goes up too much (as I am less active now than I used to be as well).

My father who had problems with bathing and had a bath with a shower had a wooden (plank like) seat placed on the bath (it was removable) so he could sit and have a shower. He also had grab rails fitted.

It looks like an application for an OT assessment would help. Perhaps his GP could refer him? They might talk to the LL (OT). It also might be worth speaking to social services - what conditions does he have? It also might be worth speaking to Housing. They might push the LL to make the adaptations needed as it would be far better for them to get the LL to make them than have them forced to rehouse you. I'm not saying either WILL help, but they might as different boroughs deal with things in different ways.

Yorkie006

Thanks for your reply.
Yes, his weight is an issue. Unfortunately weight gain is a side effect of the medications my partner has to take (plus, he's unable to exercise, can't even walk from the car park to the shop without a walking stick and getting out of breath). He's also under the care of a dietitian, physiotherapist, psychologist, neurologist and some other doctors I can't remember right now. He's got fibromyalgia (combined with mental health issues) so his conditions is only going to get worse with time. At some point in the future he'll be undergoing surgery to have his stomach stapled (or something similar) to try and reduce his weight. It won't be for some time though (waiting lists are quite long and he's not considered a priority/emergency case for this) and both knee/hip replacements and an operations to correct his twisted spine.
We did ask GP about getting a social worker, but apparently, they don't do referrals anymore. It's all self-referred now (we did submit an application but haven't got a reply yet).
We are unable to fit any handles etc as the contract doesn't allow it (it would involve drilling holes through bathroom tiles and we can't use the ones with suction pads as there is a possibility of them pulling the tiles off the wall and breaking them and injuring my partner in the process, they also have a lower weight limit so wouldn't be safe to use anyway due to his weight).
Can a letting agent force landlord to do the adaptation? It's a managed property but the requests were made directly to the landlord. If he refuses (or ignores) it, we could request the LA to do the adaptation (could they make the LL to do them?). Not sure that would work though... I'm pretty sure it's their job to make sure the property is safe. And in case the adaptation is not done and my partner has an accident (ie falls down the stairs and breaks a leg), could they be sued for not making the house safe? I'm not planning on suing, just wondering if the possibility of it could make them take this situation seriously.

Cheeseface

Rather than forcing adaptations, why not look for somewhere more suitable.
A handrail won’t safely support 22 stone when going up and downstairs. A bungalow would be much more suitable for your husband.

It isn’t a landlords job to understand your partner’s health needs even if they’re aware of them. If 22 stone is caused by medication and lack of mobility, then a stomach staple won’t help. A healthy diet and exercise are part of treatment plans for fibromyalgia, along with medication. Carrying 22 stone of weight will damage the joints as well as the fibromyalgia. The property is safe, just not for your partners needs. Landlords get a hard time, but you’re asking them to make costly adaptations for your benefit. Are you offering to pay for them?

GwylimT

A handrail will not safety support someone who is 22 stone, you also do not need to exercise to lose weight.

My wife is paralysed but had a bmi of 22 as she has a good diet and eats sensible portions. She is on a variety of medications, but realises that medications can only cause weight gain if you increase your food intake. It is simple physics, medication cannot allow you to break the rules of physics.

If we pretend calorie reduction doesn't work, stomach stapling/a gastric band would not work as they reduce calorie intake.

-taff

You can't force the landlord to adapt a house to suit your partner.

Look for another one, and add yourself to the local HA housing list if they have one.

seven-day-weekend

If it was my house, I would allow you to have those adaptations, the banister at my expense, the grab rail at yours.

If it was more extensive modifications, such as hoists and lifts, then no I would not allow it as it would make my house unrentable to anyone else. But if someone needed these things, they may well be eligible for adapted social housing.

I would ask the landlord again and offer to pay for the grabrail to be installed.

Margot123

In my own experience, I think you would be better looking for somewhere else to live.

Your landlord may even make all the right noises at some point but this will not make them adapt their property. The stalemate situation will go on for years, and cause terrible stress for you.

Try ringing your local Council's housing dept. If they can't offer you anything, they will signpost you to someone who can.

davidmcn

Yorkie006 wrote: »

Can a letting agent force landlord to do the adaptation?

The letting agent is the landlord's agent - the landlord tells the agent what to do, not the other way round.

G_M

There is no obligation in law that would require the landlord tto adapt the property.

The property was suitable when you moved in, and changes in a tenant's personal circumstances are not th LL's responsiblity.

You can, of course, ask, and the landlord may well take the view that investing some money in adaptations in order to keep you as tenants is a good idea, either from a moral or financial point of view.

Or he may decide the expense is not worth his while, wait and see if you give notice or not, and if you do then re-advertise the property.

The only help the letting agent might offer is to help you find somewhere else more suitable.

See also

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/discrimination-in-housing/what-are-the-different-types-of-discrimination-in-housing/discrimination-in-housing-duty-to-make-reasonable-adjustments/

Jenniefour

You won't be able to force the LL or the LA to do the adaptations. I agree with others that you're much better off looking for one storey accommodation - either a bungalow or a flat with good access e.g. lift. Your accommodation doesn't sound safe for your husband now - but that is not the fault of the LL, the property has become unsafe because of your husbands changed/worsened health conditions. I think installing a handrail is asking for trouble, to be honest, as it's unlikely to be able to reliably support your husbands weight, so I can't imagine why you're wanting to do that because it would create another safety issue for your husband. The last thing you need is for your husband to have a fall.

I think your time and energy is going to be much better spent by checking out if the local council or housing associations can offer anything suitable for your husbands needs, otherwise start looking immediately for a different property in the private rental sector. You need to be living somewhere where you don't have the worries and stress caused by your current accommodation now being so unsuited to your husbands needs and which appear to be well beyond a couple of relatively minor adaptations, even if the LL were to allow them.