Cannot bend down to reach power sockets - can I have them higher?

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blacknite

I suffered a heart attack two years and thankfully I'm 85% better, however, apart from being a diabetic, I am on quite a lot of medication, I cannot bend and have swollen feet.  I was moved by the Council because my accommodation at time was 3 flights of stairs (no lift).  However I'm gratefully moved into a grd floor flat with a wet room installed early this year etc.  The electricians came to add more sockets in the flat as  I had to use extensions everywhere (health and safety). As the sockets are above the skirting board I cannot bend to get to them, and have to wait in the past if I have any visitors to help me out.  I asked if I could have to sockets higher for various and obvious reasons and was told that to do this, they would have to re-wire the whole building which is a 3 floor building.  It's useless trying to contact my council to discuss because they never seem to give you to correct answer or their staff talking down to you as if you haven't a brain.  Is this the law, or is there a way that I can have the sockets higher, even if it's only the new ones instead of going back to using extension leads?  It's really frustrating.  Your advice would be most welcomed and appreciated.  Kind regards

abstractLucas

May I ask when the new sockets were put in? I was under the impression they were usually put higher than that these days, particularly if the user (as in you) has any mobility/health problems!  I don't really understand why putting in higher sockets for you would have any implications for any other flats!  Who was it that told you this?  An electrician on the day who had his eye on the clock perhaps?
Is it a council owned flat, or a private landlord?  Have you tried talking to the adult social care team of the council (bear with me!) - they would have an occupational therapist who could visit you at the flat and might either have a nifty technical/equipment solution (that hopefully wouldn't involve lots of extension leads!) or else maybe talk to the housing department on your behalf, explaining your needs and their suggested solution.
My issue here would be that if it is a council owned flat, and they (as in the council) have accepted that they have a duty to provide you with housing (which they have done if it's a council flat) then that housing has to be appropriate and meet your specific needs.  Your needs includes your need for safe access to electric sockets, positioned in a way that does not put you at any risk.  This is where a council OT is handy, because while the housing people might give you the run around, it's more difficult for them to ignore their own OT!
Just thought of something else but will come back to you later - children seem to think it's tea time!
Lucas