Helping a tenant who has had a stroke?

Helping a tenant who has had a stroke?

0:03 AM, 3rd April 2024, About a month ago 6

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Hello, I have had a great tenant for the last 16 years, always paid on time, he kept the place reasonable tidy, always phoned if there was a leaking tap etc and I would repair it within a couple of days.

I have not hiked his rent massively, just the odd £10 or £20 over the years as he had a messy divorce and was skint when he first arrived, so it is probably 40-50% below the market rate.

Unfortunately, he has had a massive stroke paralysing half his body and he is currently in hospital, bed bound. He will need a minimum of 4 care visits a day if he comes out.

The rented property is an upper floor split level Victorian flat.

Are there adaptations I need to do by law for him or do I just wait for a social services/fire service report?

Thank you,

S


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Comments

Reluctant Landlord

10:12 AM, 3rd April 2024, About a month ago

do nothing at the moment await contact from social services (if you get anything at all) or perhaps a relative. If he is paying the rent then all is well.

You do not legally obliged to do anything in regard to adaptions. They can be requested by the tenant but you don't need to say yes and if its a flat you may need freeholder permission anyway.

Sounds bad but it may be the flat is going to be unsuitable for his longer term needs it might need to consider giving it up? There are a million scenarios, but at the end of the day you may have to come to an agreement with him going forward in light of his stroke and new circumstances that benefits you both. I'd try and establish if he has a next of kin in the interim to see if you can open a communication channel if its going to be difficult with him directly.

Blodwyn

13:56 PM, 3rd April 2024, About a month ago

Reluctant Landlord offers sound advice for immediate action.

It may be that the Hospital won't let him go home if the first thing he will do is fall over and go back? His family circumstances will decide the issue?

Ann

15:03 PM, 3rd April 2024, About a month ago

I'd certainly do nothing until you have a lot more information regarding any hospital discharge / return home. It's very much dependent on the severity and recuperation from the stroke. My Father was discharged after 7 days in hospital as, they assessed, the physical impact was minimal. An Occupational Therapist did a home assessment in terms of any needs or adaptations. However, an acquaintance had a more severe stroke recently and has just been transferred to a rehabilitation unit, after 8 weeks in hospital. The timeline for being there is unknown, it is dependent on rehab/physio progress but months rather than weeks is the guess.
I'd say it's impossible to know at this stage if your property will require any adaptations or if it will even be suitable, in the long term.
All you can do is ensure you have communication with a representative of your tenant, get regular updates on progress and that they or someone will be arranging to continue to pay the rent.
Another consideration, if the property will be empty for a longer period, you may need to contact your insurers.

GlanACC

17:35 PM, 3rd April 2024, About a month ago

Private landlords do not have to pay for adaptations to a property, and can in most cases object. I know of landlords that allowed stairlifts and modified baths to be installed - however they had to be removed (at the landlords cost) when the tenants eventually went into a home. Myself, I had a deaf chap in my property and he said I had a legal duty to install a special doorbell that flashed a light in the lounge. As he was deaf I wrote a letter to him as the modification wasn't vast saying he could install it at his own expense. Needless to say he didn't.

Cider Drinker

19:50 PM, 3rd April 2024, About a month ago

Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 03/04/2024 - 17:35
I think there is such a thing as ‘reasonable adjustment’.

A few quid for a flashing doorbell sounds reasonable to me. A stairlift costing £thousands less so.

In any event, waiting to see what is requested must be the way to go. Then, assess the resonableness.

GlanACC

21:15 PM, 3rd April 2024, About a month ago

Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 03/04/2024 - 19:50
Actually, it was about £400 .. the doorbell had to powered and wires drilled through the frame. Meant a whole new electrical circuit needed installing as no nearby power was available

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