Housing for disabled peopled
Very few properties for people with a disability become available for letting each year. It’s important that these properties are offered to people who really need them.
To help ensure this happens, properties which have adaptations for disabilities or mobility needs will be clearly labelled. You’ll need to read the advert carefully to decide whether the adaptations will suit your household needs.
How will properties be labelled?
Bedfordshire Homefinder uses a system of mobility codes (MOB codes) for adapted or accessible properties.
- MOB 1: fully adapted throughout for a wheelchair user;
- MOB 2: some rooms have wheelchair access
- MOB 3: there is wheelchair access into the property and there are no internal steps
- MOB 4: there is step-free access into the property and no internal steps , or there may be a stairlift>
- MOB 5: there are minimal steps outside and inside the property (up to 4 steps) and there may be a stairlift
What other information will be available?
Properties are often advertised before the outgoing tenant has left and may have had different adaptations added over time. We won’t always have full information at the time of advertising and we may not be able to apply a MOB code.
If you think a property might be right for your household’s mobility needs, you can contact the landlord to ask any questions you may have. If you have an occupational therapist (OT) you could also discuss potential properties with them.
In the main advert we will include details where we have them, such as:
- number of steps in the property
- number of steps to front door
- whether there is ramped access for a wheelchair
- whether there are wide doorways for a wheelchair
- bathroom facilities – level access shower or a wetroom
- internal lifts / stair lift
- door / window openers
- adapted kitchen
How can I apply for housing and how will you assess whether I need an adapted property?
If you haven’t already done so, you will need to apply to join the council’s housing register.See below for links to council websites for more information. If you're accepted you'll be given a 'band priority' on the register which takes into account your medical needs.
We'll need evidence of your mobility needs from a qualified medical practitioner and/or an occupational therapist. If you're aware that you need a property with adaptations it is advisable to request an OT assessment at an early stage, by speaking to your council’s housing register team. Your application may also be allocated a MOB code to make it easier to judge whether a particular property may be suitable.
If your needs are very specific this may not be appropriate – you should search for properties that have some of the characteristics you need and then ask for more information about further adaptation. Please remember it is not always possible to adapt a property for wheelchair use, depending on the internal layout and whether funding is available for major adaptations.
Bidding for properties
Once you are registered for rehousing you can search available properties each week. Adverts are open for bidding from Thursday to Tuesday each week. You can bid for up to three properties while bidding is open and place your bids in order of preference.<.p>
For more information see information leaflet: How to bid
What happens when bidding has closed?
When the bidding closes, all properties are shortlisted and, normally, the applicant in the highest priority band and with the longest waiting time will be offered the property. But if the property has adaptations for someone with a disability, we’ll prioritise people needing the adaptations over those bidders who don’t.
If there’s more than one bidder needing an adapted property, the applicant with the highest priority may be offered it, but we’ll also look at ‘best match’ and may offer to the applicant whose needs best meet the adaptations.
Further information
If you need further information about the process, please contact your council housing register team. Go to the contact us page for details.