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Housing issue

jayt46
jayt46 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
I dont know weather you can advise i have ptsd and bordline personality disorder due to historacal abuse 
I live in a housing asscociation flat with storage heaters and they cost me a fortune i have applied for local authority housing but is taking ages woukd a note from my doctor help 

Comments

  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @jayt46 What have you applied for? Different heaters? House move? Extra money? 



    Scope
    Senior online community officer
  • jayt46
    jayt46 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    I have applied for a move but im not a prioty as i already have a house and they wont change heating  and i already get esa and pip thankyou for your help
  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
    It always surprises me that low cost housing tends to have the most expensive ways to heat them.

    I found some information that may help you.

    Money Saving Expert - info on storage heaters

    How to best use storage heaters.

    Understanding storage heaters

    Scope
    Senior online community officer
  • jayt46
    jayt46 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
  • WheelyRachel
    WheelyRachel Community member Posts: 64 Courageous
    A doctors or specialist letter to the housing may well give you more priority. So yes I would do so. It helped me years ago.
  • maisie55
    maisie55 Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    Hi there jayt46, depending on how long you've lived at your present address, council or housing association. If it's been more than 12months you can go on the rehousing register/exchange register, get a housing reference number and once your on there you can start looking for property exchanges that would be ok for you. There is always someone looking for exchanges. Hope you find this helpful. 
  • Debbie_Alumni
    Debbie_Alumni Community member Posts: 932 Pioneering
    Hi @jayt46,

    All of the above suggestions from others are worth pursuing including mutual exchange. Do see our Fuel bills pages too. 

    However, I think it's also worth exploring a Disabled Facilities Grant 

    You could get a grant from your council if you’re disabled and need to make changes to your home, for example to:

    • widen doors and install ramps
    • improve access to rooms and facilities - eg stairlifts or a downstairs bathroom
    • provide a heating system suitable for your needs
    • adapt heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use
    Contact your local Council for further advice about a grant. Let us know how you get on with this too as it will be really helpful for others.

    In terms of whether your housing association would move you or whether you could access council housing, you would need to check their housing allocations policy to see who they give preference to. In terms of a letter from your GP, this would be helpful if the problems with your ability to heat the property are impacting detrimentally on your health. It is possible to build a case that it's unreasonable to continue occupying your current home but the housing department will probably want to see that all options have been explored first. They may only help if there is a life threatening risk to your health.

    Aside from the problems heating the property, are there any other reasons you need to move? 

    Best of luck

Brightness