Service charges H/A flat

Allena28

Hi its a bit of a long issue to discuss, but a friend has been offered a ground floor H/A flat in a small community, he is aged 60, physically well and mentally but has the beginnings of emphysema. He is not happy with the property which is warden, careline etc controlled in a small culdesac in a village 10  miles from a town out in the countryside with a small village shop and a pub, he will not know anyone, and does not drink alchohol so he will not even be able to go out to mix locally, the rent is around £480 a month, but there are service charges amounting to nearly another £200 a month, and he said even if the rent is paid by universal credit, he does not know if these service charges can be paid through universal credit, or would they come out of his own money from universal credit.?
He said he does not want to live in a ground floor flat with communal grounds and pay for all the extra service charges as he is not disabled physically ie limbs, so moving to a place like this is not where he feels he should go or be happy to move to.
He also says that as he has been given notice from his property he is in, he has been offered this and though accepts he has been lucky to be offered a H/A flat so quickly, its not where he wants to be in the deep countryside or in a care/communal warden controlled flat, and has only just turned 60 and feels like the place would benefit more disababled persons of an older age.
He does not know if he rejects this property that he could be told he will not be offered anything else in a preferable area and not a warden controlled property again. He would prefer a bungalow, even though over 55 years old people are in the catagory of being placed in retirement properties he said he would be content with that, and have his own garden and no service charges.
Would he be able to ask for this option without losing the opportunity of being allocated a property if he turns down the flat?
Worse scenario is having to accept the flat with service charges of nearly £200 he would have to pay, and if so, can he have these charges paid for by universal credit or some other benefit.? Any help would be appreciated thank you. 

poppy123456

For the service charges it will depend on exactly what they are for. Some services charges can be covered through housing element of UC and some can't. See link. https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/council_housing_association/service_charges

Did he actually make a bid himeself on this property or was it just offered to him?

Luchia

I know each council works differently but they no longer offer Bungalows to the elderly(55+) here, They are allocated to younger disabled people/couples as a priority and elderly are offered ground floor flats and assisted living communities.

JessieJ

AFAIK & from my own experience, the service charges can/will be paid with UC, but not the insurance part, he would have to pay that.

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @Allena28

Welcome to the community! I see Poppy has shared the link to Shelter. I would advise speaking to Citizen's Advice too, to see if there is any more support for your friend