My Flat is unsuitable for My Aututism

JamieLeeSAMPLE

Hi so a basic overview i live in small and the guy upstairs is very nosiy to the point i cant use my living room. (Due to my nosie sensitivity)There very little sound proofing to the point i can hear the guy snoring on a night.i asked  my housing provider for sound proofing which got rejected due to the cost. The housing officer is sending a nosie complant letter when i asked about moving i got i would only be given another flat in similar condition they have bungalows however you have to be over 50 to get one (which i beleave would better suit my aututism) has any had any similar situations 

OverlyAnxious

I'm in a similar situation.

For a while, the flat below mine was empty, but even before that the tenant was often away.  A new tenant moved in a couple of months ago and there's a lot of noise every day now.  I'm not coping with it or getting used to it.  I also need to move due to physical issues with stairs.

My local housing association do allow the odd bungalow to under 55's, but I'm not a priority for them, and there's so much demand that the only chance I'd have for moving is to another block of flats which wouldn't suit me physically or socially.  The HA haven't been any help.  They just say I should keep checking the website.  I've been checking for over 18 months now.

I don't have any solutions for you, but would urge you to try and find some way to cope where you are as a bungalow move would be very unlikely in your (and my) position.

newborn

sorry the noise is a worry for you. It would be interesting to know what noise reduction the HA were pricing for, because even some fairly cheap methods would help, for instance thick underlay and carpet upstairs.  But while you look for another flat with quiet neighbours, or a flat on a top floor, could you make life a little better with noise cancelling earphones? And/or, can you move your bed to a more quiet position further away from the snoring neighbour?  

JamieLeeSAMPLE

Sadly he is so loud it doesnt matter what room my bed is in i have living in there for about 3 years with issuses untill he moved in hes also got personality disorder which is why i  suspect he is loud i wonder if the housing association knew this could be an issue when they moved him in

OverlyAnxious

newborn said:

...or a flat on a top floor... 

This is a good idea in theory.  However, I live on the top floor and all my noise comes up from downstairs.  More so than 'sideways' through the joining wall. 

I don't think top floor is necessarily quieter than ground floor for people with oversensitive hearing.

Jimm_Scope

Hi @JamieLeeSAMPLE! 

This sounds like a really difficult situation to be in. Not being able to properly use your own home, or not feeling comfortable enough to get a good sleep.

I had a possibly similar experience when I was sharing a flat with 2 other people, one of whom was the landlord, things got quite bad and even just stepping out of my room into the communal spaces was anxiety-attack inducing. Just didn't feel comfortable in what was meant to be my home.

 Do you have anyone supporting you when communicating with the housing association?

Scope also has an advice page on this topic, as well as links to other charities that specialise in housing such as Shelter. Finding accessible housing | Disability charity Scope UK

An Occupational Therapist can do a survey to provide evidence if your home is not suitable, or if adaptations can be made to make it suitable. Has the Housing Association provided this at all?

JamieLeeSAMPLE

Jimm_Scope said:

Hi @JamieLeeSAMPLE! 

This sounds like a really difficult situation to be in. Not being able to properly use your own home, or not feeling comfortable enough to get a good sleep.

I had a possibly similar experience when I was sharing a flat with 2 other people, one of whom was the landlord, things got quite bad and even just stepping out of my room into the communal spaces was anxiety-attack inducing. Just didn't feel comfortable in what was meant to be my home.

 Do you have anyone supporting you when communicating with the housing association?

Scope also has an advice page on this topic, as well as links to other charities that specialise in housing such as Shelter. Finding accessible housing | Disability charity Scope UK

An Occupational Therapist can do a survey to provide evidence if your home is not suitable, or if adaptations can be made to make it suitable. Has the Housing Association provided this at all?

No sadly all they have done is posted a warning letter to the guy upstairs they rejected my request for sound proofing on the grounds it would cost too much i suspect when they give him the flat thry didnt take into account how a neghbour with a loud voice would effect me. I ve been to a solicitor today who advised i get a second occupational therapist review i ve also had my soucal worker contact my housing advisor  i kind of feel trapped in a bad situation that effecting both my mental and pyshical health 

JamieLeeSAMPLE

Ok update i ve been told as i dont have a physical disability i cant get ot review however my neghbour is refusing to accommodate me a even threatning to report me for singing. It had a major toll on my mental health and the crisis team has had to be called

Hannah_Alumni

@JamieLeeSAMPLE I hope the mental health team are able to help support. I'd also encourage you to reach out to Citizens Advice when you are in a better place for additional housing support. They can even help with the neighbour whether you want to make a complaint or if they complain about you. 

JamieLeeSAMPLE

Thank you i know neghbour has mental health issuses and not sure he playing on that to justfi the nosie or if its genuine  but driven me out my flat and i am now on my sisters sofa but she cant keep me there fot too long

Agnia

Hi @JamieLeeSAMPLE i wish you all the best and that you can find another a better place to live 
i have a very noisy neighbour upstairs and neighbour who lives next to me , it’s really affecting my mental and psychical health and makes me really unwell 
i just wish that people could respect each other but in this building where i live they don’t 

Jimm_Scope

I will look into it more but I'm curious why they specifically say "physical disability"? I don't believe there's any reason that to do a review it must be a physical disability? Under the Equality Act as far as I am aware there should be reasonable accommodations made for any disability.

I will try to get back to you on that as soon as I can.

JamieLeeSAMPLE

Thanks when i ve spoken the guy about waking me up at 6 he says he got insomia and he doesnt know how to turn it down he also turn saying if report him he will complian about my singing which only few a hour atmost compared to the 12 hours i have to put with screeming and putting his tv  i mentioned i ve using the nosie app  to measure how bad it is and he got very angry saying would sue if used that without his permission. I am starting to think hes been trying to  psycologicly intemdate me by make me paranoid while does what he want hes even sceemed once at for recording my singing  at 7pm

Jimm_Scope

It sounds like your interactions with him have become antagonistic. Is it possible that any future conversations you perhaps have someone there to support you and be there for you? 

While using the noise level app would be good for evidence of the issue to the council, I can understand why he got angry at it. People don't like feeling they are being watched/recorded/listened to. 

Have you asked the council why they cannot have a review of the property done for non-physical disabilities?

JamieLeeSAMPLE

Well thinking when spoke to him in the past hes prased it to make feel me  gulty for having the nevre to disrupt him i going to go to my housing association tomorrow as my mental health has deteated and crisis team have been called a few times

Jimm_Scope

Hey @JamieLeeSAMPLE, I've sent you a private message with some questions about your situation. 

Please do keep letting us know here if there is anything else regarding this situation that you're looking for information or advice about.

JamieLeeSAMPLE

Ok so update the housing association said theres nothing they can do as the nosie doesnt excessed the nosie levels disipote me explaining that i am nosie sensitive i ve got a letter stating that my mental health has worsened since the guy moved in and will have to bid on other  property 

Jimm_Scope

Did you ever reach out to Citizen's Advice @JamieLeeSAMPLE? They will be able to provide advice with the housing situation and also in regards to your neighbour. Or if you choose to try moving they can help advise you on that as well. The following link has several options on how to contact them, including finding your local Citizen's Advice Bureau. Contact us - Citizens Advice

JamieLeeSAMPLE

I have letter stating my mental health is at risk but my soical housing told to apply online and bid

OverlyAnxious

I've never found Citizens Advice to offer any helpful advice.  Just another signposting service in my experience.

Looks like you're still in exactly the same position as myself, checking the housing list online every week in the hope that something suitable turns up eventually.   

JamieLeeSAMPLE

Ok so update i ve managed to help some help with applying online and i ve to to do medical questionnaire tomorrow. This morning the housing association erected scaffolding outside my bedroom window without telling dispite the fact told them i had Autisum not if  have washed there hands and not bothering to even tell me things like this or its just common practice to not tell someone with Autisum they working outside my window