I'm looking for a 2 bed, wheelchair-friendly bungalow, and don't know where turn?

Chez24
Chez24 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
edited October 2020 in Housing and independent living
Thank you for letting me join.  I have various medical conditions including MCS multiple chemical sensitivity. Major struggle finding another place to rent as landlord needs his disabled bungalow back. Been looking for over 16 months and don't know where else to turn. If anyone knows of a 2 bedroom bungalow, with a wet room and wheelchair friendly, and detached property with gas central heating in Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, or Cornwall then please let me know. Thank you.

Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Hi and welcome on board 
    Sorry you are having trouble finding a new place 

    I'm not from the area have you looked on gumtree as they advertise rental properties 
  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,122 Championing
    Hi @Chez24

    Good Evening and Welcome it's great to meet you today. 

    Yes we have got some info on housing below for you. 

    https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/getting-more-suitable-accommodation-moving-house/

    @steve51
  • Chez24
    Chez24 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    Hi janer1967, yes gumtree i have.  I have advertised on it over 5 times but got timewasters and rude phonecalls. I keep coming up against baths with overhead showers, woodburners, no space in the bathroom for a wheelchair, kitchen no room to move around, steps outside are not a problem which can be adapted. I have written to Housing Minister, PM and contacted various Councils who can not help as i have no family and can not help due to my MCS. I can't even move into a field as i need electricity for wheelchair and my friend has sleep apnoea. Have excellent references and not in rent arrears but on HB and PIP and despite it being illegal, we have been refused 3 places, although they will never say why. I am nearly at the end of my tether.

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    I know what you mean I am too in a wheelchair and took me over year to get somewhere

    I got bungalow from housing association a new build I gave bath and use bath lift 

    Lots landlords wint take tenants in benefits 

    I don't really have any suggestions apart from maybe contact shelter 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    Hi and welcome,

    I'm sorry to hear of the issues you're having finding somewhere suitable. Although i will say that bungalows in general are extremely difficult to find and there's not many of them available. It's also even more difficult because you're a benefit claimant and many landlords will refuse us, sadly.

    I know they're not supposed to refuse us but they just remove the "no DSS" from the advert and then give a stupid reason why they won't accept us, often avoiding "we don't accept DSS" Been in this situation myself many times over the years and each time it just gets even more difficult.

    Have you thought about something other than a bungalow, maybe a ground floor flat? You may have a better chance of finding a landlord that accepts DSS and there's very likely more flats available than bungalows.

    The only other thing i can think of is referring yourself for a needs assessment from your local council and then tell them your reasons. Maybe they can give you a recommendation for social housing? Although it's not guaranteed and you're not homeless, despite your landlord needing their house back. Although moving to a different local council for social housing could be a problem unless you have a local connection to the area.

    Other than that i don't have anything else to advise you with but i wish you good luck with your search and hopefully you'll find a landlord with something suitable soon.

  • roberttaylor570
    roberttaylor570 Community member Posts: 574 Empowering
    Welcome to the Community/Family @Chez24

    I see others are helping already.

    Take a look around and join in the discussions and games.  The Coffee Lounge is a great place to start.
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    edited September 2020
    Hi @Chez24 and welcome to the community :) How are you today? 
  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Scope Posts: 10,511 Championing
    Great to have you with us @Chez24. :)
  • Chez24
    Chez24 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    edited November 2020
    Just an update, Judge gave us an extra 9 days.. council MAY help with temporary place, depends on whether we can cope with the paint smells new smells etc due to our MCS multiple chemical sensitivity.  Or a motorhome but that depends on if it has a chemical toilet or not. It seems if i was a druggy or an alcoholic i would get a place to live? Those who have suffered domestic abuse is totally different but seriously. We may have to live in a tent if the place has a garden. Not even told that. If not, anyone who also has MCS know of a place that has a garden in Dorset?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    I don't have any other advice for you but please don't judge others because no one knows what goes on behind closed doors. It's extremely difficult to be housed by any social landlord regardless of anyone's circumstances, even those with children are not always housed. If a social landlord can help then it's highly likely temporary housing and in some cases it could even be a hotel or B&B.

    I hope you do find something suitable. Good luck.
  • Littleapril55
    Littleapril55 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    Hello I hope you have found somewhere I too have mcs and its really hard trying to keep safe from everyday chemicals. Housing associations are not great at understanding sometimes I feel it would be easier if I could own my own home then I could limit the amount of issues from them. Private renting seems hard as with been on benefits and what happens when they want to sell the property at some point. where do we go to.        
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    Welcome to the community and thanks for sharing your experience @Littleapril55, it certainly can be a hard issue to navigate. 
  • Rachel10876
    Rachel10876 Scope Member Posts: 79 Contributor
    @Chez24
    sorry to hear this .
    If you don’t mind me asking are you in Privately rented or is it a council house or a housing Association bungalow  ? 
  • ShirleyW
    ShirleyW Community member Posts: 353 Empowering
    @Chez24
    You mentioned that it might be possible for you to be rehomed in a motorhome but that you were worried about whether it would have a chemical toilet or not.

    I assume that you meant that your condition would not cope with a chemical toilet?

    Do you mean a static caravan that is permanently fixed on one site?  If yes then these are normally plumbed into the main sewage system or septic tank.  So their toilet would be the same as one in any normal house.

    Or do you mean a motorhome with an engine and steering which can be driven from site to site?  Motorhomes as such are very rarely wheelchair friendly unless they have been adapted.  Even then they have very little room to move about in.  On the plus side you can convert a chemical toilet in one to a Soggi system which doesn't use any chemicals, just a filter system. 

    Another note on Motorhomes which can be driven about - they need someone to physically take the toilet cassette out and take it to the disposal point every couple of days for emptying.  Also the water tank needs to be refilled regularly and the waste tanks need to be emptied. 

    I can't imagine that anyone who needs a wheelchair and has other disabilities could manage in motorhome for very long without a great deal of physical help from someone.   Whereas a static caravan maybe a much better solution for you if the wheelchair fits through the doors.




  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    This is an old thread and the OP hasn't been active since Nov 2020.
  • Chez24
    Chez24 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    Littleapril55 said:
    Hello I hope you have found somewhere I too have mcs and its really hard trying to keep safe from everyday chemicals. Housing associations are not great at understanding sometimes I feel it would be easier if I could own my own home then I could limit the amount of issues from them. Private renting seems hard as with been on benefits and what happens when they want to sell the property at some point. where do we go to.        
    Thank you for your message. Unfortunately we were evicted in January 2022 and have been staying at a hotel at our expense as a different Council will not pay housing benefit towards it. We have been living on the credit cards and paying it back as soon as PIP ESA gets put into bank. We have one more week and will have to sleep and die on the streets. we had been looking for 3 years. We have now given up on finding a rented property and so finding a motorhome is our priority now and a miracle.
  • Chez24
    Chez24 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    We are homeless penniless and had over 20 medical appointments and have had to call 3 ambulances for asthma attacks, falls and no we are not alcoholics or drug users.

  • ShirleyW
    ShirleyW Community member Posts: 353 Empowering
    I'm so sorry to hear this @Chez24

    Have you been in touch with Shelter at all or your local MP?  Maybe they can help you.

    As I said above an actual motorhome would probably not be suitable but anything would be better than being on the streets.

    Are you near any holiday parks where you could rent a static caravan long term?  
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,443 Championing
    I've sent you an email about this @Chez24 :) 

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