No points for over 60 sheltered housing....
Hello! I am 64 and recently applied for sheltered retirement bungalow. I have some health issues but don't have a doctor's letter as yet. I am still going through process of elimination with tests etc. My main issue was that my landlady has talked about selling my private rented flat for over 2 years. Finally at the beginning of this year (Jan 2025) I went to the council and they helped me fill out the form. I stated my current accomodation situation although at that time my landlady had not put the property on the market although it had been stated even around the end of last year (Dec 2024) she was about to do so. I explained my current health issues like struggle to shower as I have to climb in and out of the bath. I also live alone with no help. My accommodation is a very old building (125 yrs old). It was the old mill workers terraced houses and these buildings have not been well maintained so when it rains or especially heavy rain and strong winds (which are frequent here on the Fife coast) my flat gets damp. This affects my chest as I am prone to bacterial pneumonia.
I received my assesment letter today saying I have been awarded zero points. My landlady sent a reference as requested but I think being asked for a reference made her realise that she could very likely loose a good, long-term and loyal tenant (10 years) and she is not ready to sell up just yet. She contacted me saying "not to panic as she likely won't sell for another 2 - 3 years". That's not what she's been saying for the past couple of years. It was always the threat of rent increases and selling up. In view of this I think she's told the housing register that my being evicted due to her selling is not happening. That's thrown me through a loop as I want to leave here for various reasons. However, with no letters from my doctor/medical evidence and no imminent eviction/homelessness I'm not only not a priority but I'm likely not going to get anywhere in the points system unless something drastic happens. Also, I don't know what happens to my application now. Is there any way I can get some points?. I desperately want to move to a more conducive area/accommodation but I can't see a way forward now. I honestly thought my problem would be paying to move and buying white goods possibly in a year or two but at this rate I won't even get a chance to move into a sheltered retirement bungalow.
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I went through this with my brother a couple of years ago, also based in Scotland. He applied to quite a few HAs, along with council provider. The ones who awarded the most points were the ones local to me as I (and other extended family who also live locally to me i.e. where we grew up) can provide him with some day-to-day support. His GP, Dentist, Physio, CMHT etc. are also based locally to me/extended family.
The ones further away only awarded him health points - no imminent eviction, no local connection, agencies or support etc.
In terms of what happens with the application, I can only speak to my brother's experience. The HAs all wrote to him a year later asking if he wished to remain on their list. He'd been rehoused by then and we'd forgotten to cancel the applications - except for the ones where they'd called to make an offer to him after he'd already relocated.
So, I guess the procedure is they retain your application for a year and check back to see if the applicant wants to close their application?
Remaining on the list would allow you the opportunity to update your circumstances (as we did with our brother) whilst the application is live, rather than starting from scratch again. This is relevant to you as you are awaiting results of tests/investigations that may warrant some medical points?
If you only have one sheltered housing complex in mind, you are obviously severely restricting your opportunity to relocate.
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Thanks for your response @Girl_No1 . Unfortunately I don't have any family/local connections in Fife. All my amenities ie: doctor, dentist etc is where I've lived for 10 years My siblings live outside London. My children live on the west coast of Scotland and my parents in Aberdeen. If anything they need my help as they are both mid 80s with health issues. I'm in Central Fife so my preference would be north/north east fife so I'm a little closer to Aberdeen.
I am registered with various housing association via Fife Council. I didn't know they did that but I'm on all their lists.
Thanks for the info in regards to my application. Hopefully I can update any circumstances over the coming months
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Apparently our Council also used to network with individual HA's too. They stopped that just before we made application which meant multiple applications to multiple HAs.
I've just remembered our GP practice also has a Links Officer who was extremely helpful regarding our brother's applications. She referred us to Housing Options who were able to provide great information/resources too.
Perhaps they could help you? Here's the link, they are based in Edinburgh but operate across Scotland:
Good luck x
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You should get an Occupational Therapy assessment via your local council. The report about how your current home is unsuitable should get you some points.
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