Advice about housing

Hi there everyone i need some advice.I live in a semi but due to decline in my mobility i find i am having more and more trouble using the stairs.Idealy i would love to live in a bungalow,thats where my problem starts.We wouldn,t be able to get a morgage as my husband is my full time carer.I don,t know how we could sell this house and buy a bungalow at the same time with out a mortgage.Anyone got any ideas of away round this problem,short of winning the lottery i think i,m stuck where i am.Any advice would be appreciated.

love u all xx

Hi, first thing, are you sure you wouldn’t be able to get a mortgage? The carers allowance is an income after all, what other income do you have? I don’t know the sums involved or your financial situation. Might it also be possible to go for one of these equity release schemes, you know when you pay back the value from your estate when you die, again I don’t know your ages. Would it be possible to adapt your home? Cheryl:)

Hi

Maybe it would be worth your while getting in touch with your OT to see if you can have any adaptations done to your current home. It maybe you will be entitled to a disabled facilities grant from your local authority to cover the cost.

Hope this helps

Pam.

I was in exactly the same position. I had a mortgage but wouldn’t have been able to get another. Obviously I didn’t try everywhere but the few places that I did would not count beneft as income (although they had done so previously). That just left my small pension which was not enough.

I didn’t have sufficient equity in my house to buy a bungalow outright and I couldn’t find any part buy/part rent ones. Adaptations would not solve my access problems so I applied to the council.

I got top priority due to my medical needs and only waited a few weeks. It has been a big adjustment moving out of the area that I loved but the bungalow is perfect and has made my life so much easier.

Jane

Hi mistymoo. I decided to move from a first floor flat to a ground floor flat in February 2009, as I also started to find it difficult to use the staircase. Indoors, I hold onto a four wheeled trolley (which I bought on Amazon website) when I walk indoors.

I hope the following is helpful.

  • You can use crutches to walk (or a walking stick) outdoors. Also, you can use a four wheeled walking frame. Indoors, a four wheeled trolley can be used. Contact your local council (e.g. Social Services) to ask if you can get any of these items free of charge.
  • The NHS Wheelchair Service can provide wheelchairs free of charge, and someone will visit your home address once a year to check the wheelchair. You need to be referred by your GP to the NHS Wheelchair Service.
  • For hospital appointments, some hospitals will provide transport (ambulance or car) where they pick you up and take you back home, so call the hospital or your GP to arrange this (it’s likely your mobility will be assessed with a few questions before transport is booked).
  • Occupational Therapists can arrange for grab rails to be fitted for the bath, or to give you a bath board to sit on.
  • As for essential gardening (e.g. removing weeds), if your landlord is council or housing association they should do this for you.

I never really thought about this subject untill recently,An OT came to visit me regarding doing something at my front door,as I have fell out when stepping down,theOT mentioned if we were intending staying there or moving,she said it would probably be benifical for me to move,as all new house have wider door etc for if I end up a wheelie,it has deffo gave me a fright and a lot to think about,i at the moment have a morgage ,but iam guessing I wont get a morgage,I have about £50,000 profit,so that would deffo help,ill maybe five it another year and c how I am then,then think about it seriously,although the OT did say mayne start the ball moving quickly while I am still fit enough for the move ,and not leave it too long

Hey I would say check with your mortgage company first explain to them your need have changed and you need to move. Also you could look at housing assocciations regarding part rent part buy schems…mortgaes are often based on your income and as long as you can show you can pay the mortgage they dont mind where the income comes from…other option is your local council but there is prob a long wait for bungalows and you wont be able to choose the area either. Maybe lok at a ground floor maisonete or ground floor flat…?