Adapt your home - Council Leaseholders
Often, home adaptations are required, including improving disabled access into the property, installing a stair lift and/or a bathroom conversion. If you qualify, a grant will be made available to contribute to the costs of adapting your home.
What will Basildon Building Consultancy do for you?
The Basildon building consultancy is an agency affiliated with Basildon building control service, who help people seeking home adaptation grants.
After you contact the team, the consultancy will:
- Consult with your Occupational Therapist as to your needs
- Arrange home visits to measure for alteration work.
- Prepare plans and specifications.
- Help you fill in the necessary forms for grant applications.
- Get estimates from selected experienced builders and supervise works.
- Work with Environmental Health Officer, Grants Officer, Landlords etc.
- Make any necessary applications for Building Regulations and Town Planning.
- Carry out a title check on the property through our Legal Dept and Land Registry.
- Prepare other paperwork and arrange for the payment of the builders.
Applications usually take about 6 to 8 weeks to process depending on how complicated the work is.
What you can do to help?
If you have special needs please let the surveyor know. For example if you have hearing loss we can bring a portable hearing aid with us.
If a member of your family is to be the contact point please let us know their name and telephone number.
Builders usually work between 8.00am to 6.00pm. It is important to let the surveyor know if you have particular problems with these hours, for example, if you cannot answer the door until a nurse has been.
Always try to keep any appointments that have been arranged or let us know in advance if alternative arrangements must be made.
Builders, Guarantees and Payments Advice
The builders will move heavy or difficult items and put down dust sheets as appropriate.
The builder should give you guarantees for any bathroom shower equipment installed. Keep the guarantee safe in case you should need it in the future. If you do not get the guarantee from the builder phone the HELPLINE: (01268 207895 ) and let us know.
If a grant is awarded for a stair lift please keep the invoices sent to you and call the HELPLINE: (01268 207895 ) to arrange for collection.
If you have been assessed to pay something towards the work, have the finance arranged. The builder will need your contribution very soon after work commences. Make cheques out direct to the builder. Ask for a receipt.
The builder may ask you to sign a form declaring the works are for a disabled person. This is required by HM Revenues and Customs in order that the works can be exempted from VAT, it does NOT mean you have any VAT to pay.
Keep the Basildon Building Consultancy surveyor's card handy, if there are any queries during the project do not hesitate to call 01268 207895 for advice.
If you are not satisfied with the standard of service you have received from the Consultancy please contact Phil Jones at Basildon Building Control.
This information is available in leaflet form in languages other than English and in other formats such as audio tape.