Ask the Experts

Questions and Answers

Q I’m 46 years old, suffer from cerebral palsy and need a wheelchair permanently. I live in an adapted bungalow converted into four flats, with staff to help 24/7. At the moment I’m in dispute with the service provider who runs the homes. I want the freedom to go where I want (with the help of the staff), such as to a lap dancing club or on holiday in Amsterdam, but the provider has enforced a rule that I can be taken to the club or on holiday but can’t be given any further assistance. Because I need help all the time, this effectively means I can’t go. The staff have even been told that they can’t help me on their days off, on penalty of being dismissed or moved to another home. The staff all say they’d support me. Is the service provider acting properly?
Shaun Waddington

Simon Parritt replies: It would seem, on the face of it, that your service provider hasn’t taken into account the rights and entitlements of either you or indeed the staff. Since they accept that you can be supported in going to a lap dancing club, and on holiday, it seems illogical and unreasonable for them to insist that staff are barred from helping you with your support needs once there. Often in these circumstances, there are competing rights. The rights of you as an adult disabled person to choose what you want to do and the rights of those who are employed to support you in making those choices possible. But if the staff, or at least some of them, have no moral or ethical problem in supporting your choices, I see no conflict in this case. Given that the activities you wish to partake in are legal, I can’t see what grounds there are for objecting. If you were employing your own PAs and they were willing to assist you,
there’d be no issue. I suggest you ask the service provider to write to you formally, giving a full explanation of its stance and the basis on which it’s putting restrictions on you and the staff who wish to support you in what you want to do.

Q I’m a tetraplegic and my wife, who has back problems, is my carer. We’d like to have two height-adjustable beds side by side but we’ve been told by our occupational therapists that this isn’t possible. Can you advise?
Stephen Wood

Kate Sheehan replies: It’s possible to get two height-adjustable beds and place them side by side. There’s a company called Bakare (www.bakare.co.uk) that supplies a bed called the Volker 3080, which is sold as a single or a double. Singles can be adapted so that they can be placed side by side, and both will be independently adjustable to meet each person’s needs, but they can also be pushed apart (they have hidden castors in the feet) for cleaning purposes.

Q I have an accessible bungalow up for sale. Can I get advice on how to sell it?
Name supplied

Agnes Fletcher replies: There are lots of sources of advice on selling a home, whether you want to do it yourself or go through an estate agent. First, get three valuations from estate agents and see if they understand the premium involved in offering not just a bungalow (always popular, particularly for older people) but one with accessible features.

If you want to go it alone, there are several websites where you can try to sell your property online:
• mypropertyforsale.co.uk
• thatstheoneforme.co.uk
• houseweb.co.uk
• propertysitereview.co.uk
Another site, the Little House Company (thelittlehousecompany.co.uk) offers a “specialist accessibility” category, allowing adapted homes to be marketed directly to buyers looking for access features. This lets you retain the investment you may have made in the property to make it accessible.

You can also get information and sell your property on the Accessible Property Register (accessible-property.org.uk), set up in 2003 by two wheelchair users and a third partner. The Register specialises in accessible and adapted properties. Don’t forget that you need to produce a home information pack: see homeinformationpacks.gov.uk
Some general tips:
• Tidy the garden; paint window sills and front door; make sure the house name or number is visible.
• Ensure the view through the front windows appeals.
• Keep rooms tidy (people sometimes peer in before deciding to make an appointment).
• Declutter (even put stuff in storage), get someone to take kids and pets out during viewings, and neutralise animal smells.
• Finish any DIY projects.
• If you’re struggling to make a sale, consider replacing kitchen cupboard doors and drawer fronts or installing new taps or a new shower screen in the bathroom. Putting out colourful towels can also make a difference.
• Remove or tone down personal elements like family photos: viewers need to imagine themselves living there, not you.
• Clean and dust, add some flowers, open windows, and even put on a pot of coffee.

Lastly, ask estate agents about sales trends in your area. What impact has the recession had?

Should you sell now or wait? Christmas is traditionally the worst time to market your property, Spring the best. If you can, sell your home before buying another one. That way, you'll be able to act more swiftly when you find somewhere else to buy and agents will like you more.

THE EXPERTS

We have experts who can answer questions in many areas that matter to us.
Sexual & Personal issues: Simon Parritt, a counselling psychologist who has studied psychosexual therapy, was the only disabled director of the Association to Aid the Sexual and Personal Relationships of People with a Disability (SPOD).
Legal Matters: Douglas Joy, senior solicitor at the Disability Law Service, and his colleagues give advice on disability and the law.
Benefits and Debt issues: The Citizens Advice Bureau puts its expertise at our disposal to help you.
Technology and Internet: Léonie Watson from digital consultancy Nomensa is here to get you connected and keep you up and running.
Specialist or Adaptive Equipment: John Mandrak, for nearly 25 years a disability journalist and consultant, gives advice on the Disabled Living Foundation’s helpline.
Travel: Andy Wright is managing director of Accessible Travel, a specialist tour operator providing holidays for people with mobility impairments, and has huge experience in the travel trade.
Money management: David Clarke has spent 14 years in banking and has worked for three leading financial service providers. He is now a senior partner with Clydesdale Bank and his wealth of experience is all yours.
Access & the Environment: Agnes Fletcher is a disability trainer and consultant who can find solutions to access problems.
Property: Kate Sheehan is an independent occupational therapist with 20 years’ experience and a passionate interest in housing solutions for disabled people.
Motoring & Transport: Helen Smith of Mobilise steps outside her Disability Now column to answer your questions on car matters.