Mutual Exchange

Mossy28

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can help on the situation my mum and grandad are in.

My grandad rents a bungalow from a housing association and my mum rents a flat from the council. They are trying to do a mutual exchange and have sent all of the relevant forms in.

Today she received a phone call saying that the exchange had been refused because my mum's flat doesn't have a walk in shower that they think my grandad would need.

He doesn't currently need a walk in shower but he is in ill health and would potentially need one in the future but he will be staying with my mum at his bungalow with the walk in shower when it gets to that point anyways.

When I've looked at the grounds for refusal on exchanges, the only thing I can see is if the property is ALREADY adapted and a disabled person won't be moving in, not that the property isn't adapted and might need to be in the future.

Sorry for the long post but just not sure where to go from here, thank you in advance for any help 

HampshireH

Was the current property adapted for him? Or allocated to him specifically considering his needs for an adapted property

Is your mother disabled?

What they can refuse on is allowing someone without a need for a wet room to move into a property with one. As you say. The bungalow would fall into this category if your mother doesn't require adaptations.

Perhaps they have worded it poorly. Who was her phone call from?

AdrianC

Sorry, he's going to be swapping from bungalow to flat, but still living at the bungalow...?

So, basically, your mother's moving into the bungalow with him, and her flat will be empty?
Why does the flat tenancy need to continue, then, let alone be changed to your grandfather's name? 

Monsternextdoor

Does the flat already have a walk in shower ? 

Why are they exchanging properties anyway is it due to mobility issues etc.

Mossy28

HampshireH said:

Was the current property adapted for him? Or allocated to him specifically considering his needs for an adapted property

Is your mother disabled?

What they can refuse on is allowing someone without a need for a wet room to move into a property with one. As you say. The bungalow would fall into this category if your mother doesn't require adaptations.

Perhaps they have worded it poorly. Who was her phone call from?

Hi, thank you for your reply!

It was adapted for my Grandma who is no longer with us.

My mum is disabled and has adaptations in her flat to help her get in the bath but not a wet room.

Her phone call was from the housing associaton so I'm hoping she gets a letter to confirm so I can see the details more clearly.

Mossy28

AdrianC said:

Sorry, he's going to be swapping from bungalow to flat, but still living at the bungalow...?

So, basically, your mother's moving into the bungalow with him, and her flat will be empty?
Why does the flat tenancy need to continue, then, let alone be changed to your grandfather's name? 

Hi,

So I'll try and cut a long story short haha.

My grandad has been staying with my mum for the last year because of covid - they just felt safer. 

After some trouble with neighbours at my mum's they enquired to see if my mum could be put on the tenancy at my grandad's and for them both to live together there.

This isn't possible but the council and housing association said the best way for this to happen would be for them to do a mutual exchange then give the flat up after my Grandad passes away (unfortunately he is terminally ill) 

I hope that makes sense, thank you for your reply!

Mossy28

Monsternextdoor said:

Does the flat already have a walk in shower ? 

Why are they exchanging properties anyway is it due to mobility issues etc.

Hi,

The flat doesn't have a walk in shower but it has adaptations to help my mum get in and out of the bath (rails on the wall etc)

Please see my reply to AdrianC for the reason for exchange

HampshireH

Mossy28 said:

AdrianC said:

Sorry, he's going to be swapping from bungalow to flat, but still living at the bungalow...?

So, basically, your mother's moving into the bungalow with him, and her flat will be empty?
Why does the flat tenancy need to continue, then, let alone be changed to your grandfather's name? 

Hi,

So I'll try and cut a long story short haha.

My grandad has been staying with my mum for the last year because of covid - they just felt safer. 

After some trouble with neighbours at my mum's they enquired to see if my mum could be put on the tenancy at my grandad's and for them both to live together there.

This isn't possible but the council and housing association said the best way for this to happen would be for them to do a mutual exchange then give the flat up after my Grandad passes away (unfortunately he is terminally ill) 

I hope that makes sense, thank you for your reply!

This makes perfect sense and is often advised.

However it seems odd they would advise this then decline the application