Has Anyone Used Habinteg before? I need your help.

MPowell_1991

Hello everybody!

I was just wondering if anyone has used Habinteg before?

I have lived in the family home for all of the 30 years of my life and unfortunately due to circumstances out of my control i'm having to look at my housing options.

I have spoken with my local authority regarding my housing situation, however they've been less than helpful. They are talking about potentially housing myself and my pregnant wife in a hotel or B&B which wouldn't be practicable because of my needs and requirements.

They have said private rental is likely our best option for a permanent solution however we know it's not due to two factors:
- the expensive cost
- the fact that the majority of private landlords won't allow for reasonable adaptation or the installation of ceiling track hoists.

The local authority have spoken about placing us into temporary accommodation, however nothing is available currently that meets my needs and there's no telling when or if anything will become available.

My wife is currently just over 12 weeks pregnant and we're expecting our first child in the new year! (I know, exciting stuff!)

So with regards Habinteg we would like to know.

- Has anyone used it before? If so how did you find using it?
- How do we establish how much our rent will cost?
- Will my benefits be taken into consideration when paying rent?
- How do we apply for accessible home placements through Scope?
- How do we find the right accessible needs within the property that suit my requirements?
- Is there an accessible property register we must sign onto? If so, how do we do this and roughly how long are waiting lists?
- Are any property's available for viewing purposes?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you. x

Ross_Alumni

Hello @MPowell_1991

Lovely to see you posting again, and congratulations on the baby  

I have not used Habinteg before, but would be interested to hear from any others who have.

newborn

They are not nationwide. The ethos is good. They oppose ghettos. Radio 4 'My name is Sam' will tell you a lot you won't like, but forewarned is forearmed. UK has the worst livable or even accessible housing record. 
There is zero intention to change that, because developers can save a (surprisingly small) extra profit by not bothering.

If anybody concerned about disability can be bothered, the reference is a so called public consultation. Raising accessibility standards for new homes 8.Sep20
Presumably deliberately, it is virtually impossible for the public to decipher. The Equalities Impact Assessment states it is a "positive benefit" for disabled people to have nowhere to live.

(Roughly, there were 3 options about making all newbuilds possible for disabled people to live in, to redress the extreme shortfall in our national housing stock and the increasing numbers of people requiring reasonable access for reasonable lives. This was to be done by a tweak to Building Regulations. (Not planning, because developers are old hands at getting round that)   

Option a) should ALL newbuild homes be lifelong liveable, for all future residents, regardless of disability? Option b) Should at least SOME? Option c)NO future homes should be suited for disabled people.  With the  Equalities Impact Assessment stating option c) is just as good as option a) or b), the developers and policymakers went behind closed doors.   

 You might think there's some disability organisation that would raise a storm of campaigning, or demand the EHRC mounts a judicial review of the E.I.A ? Or some politician somewhere in the entire Commons or Lords who cares about disabled homelessness?  It is a matter for public finances, and local authorities were asking for it.  They have to send carers to help millions of people imprisoned in inaccessible housing, but who could perfectly well manage for themselves, if only there was somewhere with even level access, or a turning circle for wheelchairs, or a wide enough doorway, or ceiling tracks, or any simple thing which cannot be retrofitted, but would be easy and even cost-free, if building regulations meant it was designed into the scheme from the outset, for all.


There are next to no private rentals of any kind for anyone, anywhere, with UK population exploding and habitable 2nd homes left empty as assets or holiday lets or other accommodation used for students who could instead study from home, and work, so no loan or housing needed. 

Trulenska

O am with Habinteg and have been waiting for my repairs for 3 years they are not very understanding or very helpful at all. My mental health and my health condition have been very much affected by this  itbhas got to the stage I realky dont know  what else to do. I jyst want to live comfortably and happy. If I hsd a choice I wouldn't be here.  I had to leave my family and a lovely home of 23years behind to downsize due to my health and was the worst thing I've ever done. Everyday it depresses me.. this us just my experience not saying it's same for everyone. But they don't care about me and ny situation even after crying down the phone on a regular basis. 

Tori_Scope

I'm sorry to hear that @Trulenska. That sounds like a really challenging situation. 

Have you tried making a formal complaint? 

Are you receiving enough support to help you manage your mental health?

Trulenska

I have followed the complaints procedure on more than one occasion but had no response which I voiced my disappointment again last week. It has been very upsetting and now telling me they had not received anything which I know to be a false statement because I followed the  correct procedure.
I had been without hot water and heating for about 3months due to the 38yr old boiler which gave up working and Habinteg said they want to repair the fault with an expensive part which when they did it worked for one day and ended up having to change the boiler anyway but had to water or heating in winter for 3months whilst waiting it was a very upsetting stressful eben my Son even ended up moving out.
I could go on with many issues but at present am waiting for my bathroom to be tested for Asbestos which I had notified them about over and over. I am also having to fight to get that done and really all I want is to be happy and comfortable and to be able to decorate. The whole kitchen needs replacing was only last week I had a major flood when the water pipe burst and fire dept had to attend. I can't believe that all this can be allowed to go on and because I get very upset and emotional I tend not to deal with things very well i wait in the hope that things will start getting done very soon...
They really have no consideration or compassion or understanding. I'm sure they wouldn't like it if it was them.. I will he chasing them up again tomorrow.. my blood is boiling and really had enough. I really would like to put all this forward to the company director whom in the newsletters state how good they are at there repairs for tennants and how staff are better trained and would really like him to be aware of my on-going situation and how it has and still is affecting my health and mentally too. If I was to write everything from day one I'm sure people would be very shocked 

Tori_Scope

That doesn't sound good at all @Trulenska. Have you tried escalating your complaint to an external body or person? 

gov.uk have some information about this:

Follow these steps if you have a problem with your housing association home:

1. Complain to your landlord - they should have a complaints policy that you can follow.

2. Make a complaint to a ‘designated person’ (your MP, a local councillor or a tenant panel) if you can’t resolve the problem with your landlord.

3. Contact the Housing Ombudsman if you and your landlord still can’t resolve the problem.

Housing Ombudsman

info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk

Telephone: 0300 111 3000

Find out about call charges

Did you manage to chase them up today?