DFG battle

blonde_redhead1

My sister had a fall 12 months ago and has residual pain/ongoing mobility restrictions. 
She lives in owner occupied house - a steel house construction .
OT have assessed as needing level access from kitchen to the current downstairs bathroom/lobby/storage area (single story - shows on deeds as part of footprint) and full adaptation of bathroom into a wet room. 
Council visited to sign off the application and within 5 mins refused it saying steel houses can't be adapted and the current facilities do not form part of the house therefore no responsibility to adapt there. His solution was to move.
She now has a different OT and the gentleman's (?) Manager coming to reassess. 
I feel so frustrated as she has not been able to access the toilet or bath/shower for more than 12 months now. She is only in my early 50s and relies on her autistic daughter to empty the commode and help bring a bowl of water to wash twice a day when i cannot be there. 
Does anyone have any advice for me for this meeting? I am sure steel houses can be adapted - some neighbours have conservatories. 
Thanks in advance 

elsien

I think a conservatory is probably different because it’s something that is shoved on the outside. Because your question is specifically around whether the property can be safely adapted due to its construction, I would suggest reposting this on the housing bit of the forum. There are some people there who are very up to speed on building regulations etc. 

With regards to your sisters care and support needs, if she doesn’t want to rely on you and her daughter, she can request a care act assessment from the local authority which could then put carers in if her needs were sufficient and that was what she wanted. There may be a cost implication depending on her finances.

mrcol1000

I had a problem with being told I need something by an OT and the council surveyor saying it wasn't possible to make the adaption and I needed to move.

I got a private company to quote to do the adaption and they said it wasn't straightforward but there was no reason it couldn't happen. I presented this to the council and they asked their contractor if it was possible who said it'd be no problem.

The council contractor did it  but I needed a private company to say it was possible to get the council to actually ask them instead of deciding it wasn't. 

Also I used to work for years in various council departments and getting your MP to contact the council can often push them to do whatever you want them to do, that would have been my next step if they still had said no. 

blonde_redhead1

mrcol1000 said:

I had a problem with being told I need something by an OT and the council surveyor saying it wasn't possible to make the adaption and I needed to move.

I got a private company to quote to do the adaption and they said it wasn't straightforward but there was no reason it couldn't happen. I presented this to the council and they asked their contractor if it was possible who said it'd be no problem.

The council contractor did it  but I needed a private company to say it was possible to get the council to actually ask them instead of deciding it wasn't. 

Also I used to work for years in various council departments and getting your MP to contact the council can often push them to do whatever you want them to do, that would have been my next step if they still had said no. 

Thankyou,  perfect idea.