Helen,

I agree with everything that has hbeen said so far.  It is especially
difficult to persuade landlords to do this type of work if they are not
required.  Unfortunately DDA would not cover this type of place unless
things like functions were held there.  From what you say it looks as though
it is just a standard common room with no access for members of the public.

Induction loops come in many and varied forms.  To accommodate several
individuals it would probably require a loop covering the whole room.  These
are not exactly cheap, portable systems can cost anything between £1000-4000
depending on the system and where you buy it.  Across the counter loops are
cheaper, but may not give the required coverage.  These cost anything
between £70-400 plus installation.  If the residents requiring such a
facility were intending to buy something themselves, then, in the event that
the landlord was unwilling to have one installed, I would suggest
considering the Crescendo 20+ which is a small unit available either with
headphones or a neck loop.  These can be used to follow the conversation and
do not have the restriction of only being available in the common room.
Residents would have their own personal loop and could use it anywhere
around the accommodation.  These units can be purchased from connevans
http://www.connevans.co.uk <http://www.connevans.co.uk>  at around £50 per
unit.

Hope this helps.

John.

John Gregory
Access Officer
Cherwell District Council
Tel. 01295 221630
Email. mailto:[log in to unmask]
<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 



		-----Original Message-----
		From:	helen kane [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
		Sent:	01 March 2005 23:45
		To:	[log in to unmask]
		Subject:	Re: [ACCESSIBUILT] Fw: DDA and sheltered
housing

		Hi Lynn,

		It does all rest on the terms of the lease/tenancy agreement
.  It may be
		cheaper to seek advice from a management surveyor than a
solicitor (but then
		I'm biased, of course).  Why does the landlord object to a
loop?

		Sadly, although residents may pay for works to a building
they have less
		right to demand works than a landlord has to impose works
upon them (with
		the exception of some critical repairs).  Service charge
clauses can be very
		ambiguous.

		In general if a residential landlord/managing agent intends
to undertake
		works in excess of a set min. amount in the block/average
per flat they are
		required to serve a formal written notice granting a minimum
consultation
		period.  Reasonable objections must be considered.  Disputes
can be taken to
		tribunal.

		At some point discussions involving some major works and
annual service
		charge budgets are likely to take place in the common room.
You may like to
		consider whether a written format notice in this case may be
considered
		discriminatory, as some cannot respond, and the lack of a
loop enhances the
		discrimination.

		If the service charge clause says the residents have to pay
for works the
		landlord and agent are likely to want a cut for organisation
and admin,
		which may be a substantial amount.  In this case it may be
much cheaper for
		the residents to club together and install their own loop,
saving
		landlord/tenant heartache and a tidy sum!  Be a bit careful,
as the common
		area may not belong to them, even collectively.  I shouldn't
say this, but
		would the landlord notice if they put a loop in?

		Good luck

		Helen
		Access Included Ltd


		&gt;From: Lynn Jeffries &lt;[log in to unmask]&gt;
		&gt;Reply-To: Accessibuilt list
&lt;[log in to unmask]&gt;
		&gt;To: [log in to unmask]
		&gt;Subject: Fw: DDA and sheltered housing
		&gt;Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 15:39:53 -0000
		&gt;
		&gt;Hi All
		&gt;
		&gt;I wondered if anyone on the list could help me with the
issues below?  I
		know sheltered housing and the DDA has been discussed at
some length on the
		list in the past but I couldn't find anything to answer
these particular
		circumstances.
		&gt;
		&gt;The communal room referred in the first scenario is used
for meetings
		(social and tenants issues).  There is no TV in the room.
		&gt;
		&gt;I'd be grateful for any guidance.
		&gt;
		&gt;many thanks
		&gt;Lynn
		&gt;
		&gt;&quot;I manage an advocacy service for older people in
York (Older
		Citizens
		&gt;Advocacy York - OCAY). I currently have two clients in
separate
		sheltered
		&gt;blocks both owned by different property companies. In
one, the residents
		&gt;have been refused a loop system in the communal room.
This room is where
		&gt;house meetings take place and discussions are held on
many matters
		including
		&gt;residents' leases. The hearing impaired are not able to
fully join in
		with
		&gt;any discussions, nor hear what is being said. Decisions
are therefore
		being
		&gt;made without their input.
		&gt;
		&gt;In the other block, there is no lift (and no space for
one, I believe)
		and
		&gt;there are people who are becoming increasingly frail and
disabled in
		first
		&gt;floor accommodation. The problem here is an obvious one
of access at the
		&gt;very least.
		&gt;
		&gt;Does the DDA have any teeth in such matters - i.e. can
the freeholders
		be
		&gt;pressured to provide a loop and a stair lift? If so
would the cost be
		passed
		&gt;on to the residents directly?&quot;
		&gt;
		&gt;
		&gt;
		&gt;
		&gt;----------End of Message----------
		&gt;
		&gt;Run by SURFACE for more information on research,
consultancy and the
		distance taught MSc. in Accessibility and Inclusive Design
programme visit:
		&gt;
		&gt;http://www.inclusive-design.it
		&gt;
		&gt;Archives for the Accessibuilt discussion list are
located at
		http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/accessibuilt.html

		----------End of Message----------

		Run by SURFACE for more information on research, consultancy
and the distance taught MSc. in Accessibility and Inclusive Design programme
visit:

		http://www.inclusive-design.it

		Archives for the Accessibuilt discussion list are located at
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/accessibuilt.html

	
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Run by SURFACE for more information on research, consultancy and the distance taught MSc. in Accessibility and Inclusive Design programme visit:

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Archives for the Accessibuilt discussion list are located at http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/accessibuilt.html