Mutual exchange discrimination

laur3n

Hi,

My first post here! It’s quite a long complex story but I’ll try keep it brief.

I’m currently trying to do a Mutual exchange to a larger housing association property. I require a stair lift for my own needs and was also recommended a wet room in my current property by OT as I struggle due to mobility to always get onto the bath board and get my legs over the side of the bath on my worst days even with the help of my carer. However, my son aged 9 has complex SEN needs also and it was advised in November last year that he really needs his own bedroom to meet his needs and reduce the safeguarding risk he poses to his siblings due to violent outbursts. Therefore, I’ve been searching for a property with an extra bedroom to meet my sons needs before having the adaptations I require.

I’ve found a home as close to perfect as I think we’ll ever find who’s tenant has fallen in love with mine - and the cherry on the top is that it has 2 en-suites alongside the family bathroom so my sen son doesn’t have to lose the bath as he really struggles with showers due to his sensory needs. The en-suites have shower cubicles which are low enough for me to get into with ease and I could have a shower seat in there meaning not only can I have access to showers daily even on my worst days but the only major adaptation that would be needed is the stair lifts. Another massive positive is the local primary school which has a fantastic reputation for its Sen support is on our doorstep with the school gate being literally 3 doors up - so on my worst days I can stand on my doorstep and watch them safely to the staff on the gate to ensure they can get to school safely and eradicate the challenges of the school run!

Everything with the application was going extremely smoothly until my current housing association sent my reference across which stated I needed a wet room and stair lifts. The new housing team said this wouldn’t be possible as they don’t allow wet rooms unless on a ground floor which the property doesn’t have scope for. I explained how the shower is completely adequate and negotiated that hurdle but they stuck on the stairlifts and said unless an OT states that the property is definitely suitable for stairlifts they would reject my application.

So desperate not to lose this property I managed to pull some strings with the help of my adult social care worker and get an urgent OT assessment who also came out and met me at the new property with the lift engineer who both confirmed it was definitely possible! Amazing! Or so I thought…the OT report commented on my last OT assessment in my current home (not done by her) which recommended a wet room and therefore continued in her report to write that further down the line the need for a low level shower tray or wet room may be necessary should my mobility decline further.

So I was called yesterday to say the HA have made a decision rejected my application stating that the property isn’t suitable for me as it doesn’t have a wet room - this is without ever asking what conditions I suffer and a decision made by a manager who’s never even spoken to me, never mind taken the time to ask how my mobility affects me or if the shower tray that’s in situ would cause any issues 🤦🏼‍♀️ I was just told the property wont suit me long term…I’d love to know which magic ball she looked into or where she took her medical degree as there’s absolutely nothing anywhere in my medical history or any tests that have ever indicated I won’t be likely to walk any time soon whatsoever!

So I called to ask to speak to this manager first thing before the refusal letter was sent and was all official (I was told on the phone yesterday it would be emailed to me this afternoon) to try and put some context into the situation for her and give her the information she would require to make an informed decision, not a decision based upon an OT report from an OT who didn’t even see me stand up from the sofa let alone mobilise and is basing her report upon one from a completely different property. But I was not allowed to speak to her and was told the decision is final and I couldn’t speak to her.

I can’t help feeling this is hugely discriminative? They’re just assuming that I’m not going to be able to walk in a couple of years because I have mobility issues when they haven’t a clue what causes the issues or one single medical condition, diagnosis or prognosis?

if anyone can offer any advice I’d very gratefully receive it. I understand I can complain but I’m struggling to know where to start. If you made it this far, thank you! ☺️