Delays to adaptation work in HE home is making life ‘unbearable’,
Sinn Fein Councillor Caoimhe McKnight and Lewis and Sandra McClenaghan outside their Leafair Park home.
Cllr Mc Knight said: “I have had a number of people contact my office who have been referred to the Housing Executive by Occupational Health Therapists for home adaptions on Health grounds.
“These tenants have been assessed, given a start date for the adaptation to their home and have now been informed that it is not proceeding.
“This is an unacceptable and frustrating position for individuals who have been assessed as having health conditions that require home adaptation and in expectation that it would be carried out in the time-frame indicated.
“It takes 15 months from referral to assessment and another nine months before the work commences, Sinn Féin does not believe that it is the local housing Executive in the city that is at fault but top level management and the Department who are responsible for this unacceptable delay.
“These are not works that individuals just decided they would like, it is remedial work required to address health difficulties experienced with every day living activities around the home.
“Housing adaptations are tailored to meet the individual needs of each particular applicant and are generally classified into two main categories:
* Major work such as providing an extension, ground floor toilet or installing a lift
* Minor work such as fitting a handrail, ramp or shower.
“Even minor work projects take over 2 years to complete so any postponement of already assessed and approved works will be an intolerable situation for people already suffering a variety of health complications.
“I am therefore calling on the Department of Communities to state when these adaptations will recommence and assure those tenants affected by this decision that any delay will be minimum,” she added.
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