[ryan08/06/88]

Hi there,

Wasn't sure on the appropriate section so am posting in here...

I have a few questions...

Firstly I was due to have my present (council) bungalow adapted after a 3 year wait however I was going to move to another area so decided not to go ahead with the works. However, there has now been a change of plan and I will be staying in my present property in the long term so would like the work to go ahead...

The issue is that my "community OT" (who has been utterly useless the whole 3 years) isn't very keen on me as I have tended to speak my mind about how I was treated having to live in substandard conditions etc. And she was quite abrupt and rude when she found out I had decided not to go ahead with the work. I understand a lot of work went into the whole thing and see where she's coming from but a part of me felt the frustration she experienced was nothing compared to that she had caused me...

Is it unreasonable for me to get in touch and say that I now want the work to go ahead? Is there any way I can bypass this woman as we really don't see eye to eye...I get on with most people and would say I am easy to get on with but for some reason she took a dislike to me...maybe because I was young when I first met her and she didn't respect my opinions...

Other than that I am considering renting privately and finding somewhere suitable that way...but how would this work with regards to housing benefit?

I'm a full time student so in receipt of DLA/Income support/Housing benefit.

What are my options? I don't really want to be waiting another year or potentially longer for adaptations again hence considering the renting privately option but only if housing benefit will actually cover it.

Many thanks!

Ryan

[ajcookie]

Hi Ryan

I can't offer any real advice on the OT situation. However, I rent a private flat and receive housing benefit. All you have to do is contact your local council office that deals with housing benefit and tell them you're renting privately. They'll send out someone to assess the property to make sure you are paying a fair rate of rental compared to surrounding properties. If they agree that the rent is fair, they will award your housing benefit to suit, it can be paid direct to your landlord or via your own account.

Best of luck.

[andypool]

Im still waiting on the list to get a bungalow, the council here is poo