What are my housing options as a private renter?

If you are a current private tenant it is important you DO NOT relinquish your tenancy, even if you are aware that your home will be inaccessible to you.

You don't have to be living on the streets to be homeless. You may be legally classed as homeless if you are disabled and unable to return home because your home is no longer accessible to you.

Therefore, if you are homeless and you are in a Spinal Injury Centre you should speak to your Discharge Officer/Case Manager who an assist you with making a homeless application.

If you are not at a Spinal Injury Centre and do not have the assistance of a Case Manager then you will need to contact your Local Authority to ensure they are aware of your situation.

Unfortunately, there is no legal obligation for landlords to allow you to make structural or major changes to the property but they do have a responsibility to allow you to make minor ones. Where they do allow major changes, such as changing a bathroom into a wet-room or adapting a kitchen, they also have the right to demand that when you leave you change things back to the original layout. While you can apply for funding to complete the adaptations there is no funding available to reverse these changes. So please do check before committing to any major works.

If your landlord would not agree to any adaptations, or if the property cannot be adapted, then it is important to speak with your Local Authority to get yourself and your family on to the housing list. Not everyone is eligible for social housing and your Local Authority will be able to let you know if you are.

One of the important things to remember is that while your Local Authority does not have a legal requirement to house you it does have an obligation to help you by giving you advice on finding a new home. What their obligation is will depend on your personal circumstances. The first thing they will look for is whether you have a local connection to that area. They will then look at your financial situation, taking into account your income and savings, whether you could afford to buy your own home or whether a suitable property can be found for you through private rent.

If you require minimal adaptations, for example if you require a property with minimal steps and a standard shower (rather than an entire wet-room), it is unlikely you will be eligible for social housing on this basis, or you may be given low priority as these properties can be readily found through private rent.