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| Young disabled people failed by estate agents and property websites | Young disabled people failed by estate agents and property websites |
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| Estate agents and housing websites are preventing young, disabled people from moving home and living independently because they fail to understand their situation or provide crucial information about accessible property, a new report has warned. | Estate agents and housing websites are preventing young, disabled people from moving home and living independently because they fail to understand their situation or provide crucial information about accessible property, a new report has warned. |
| The study accuses agents of exacerbating the property crisis by being "oblivious" to the practical issues around disabled living – in some cases even taking wheelchair-users to view properties that are up flights of steps. | The study accuses agents of exacerbating the property crisis by being "oblivious" to the practical issues around disabled living – in some cases even taking wheelchair-users to view properties that are up flights of steps. |
| The findings are based on the experiences of 200 disabled young people who related their dealings with estate and letting agents, local authorities and private landlords. They found that many had little or no understanding of accessible property, failing to list relevant features such as step-free access on their websites and not understanding the need for essential facilities such as fully accessible bathrooms. | The findings are based on the experiences of 200 disabled young people who related their dealings with estate and letting agents, local authorities and private landlords. They found that many had little or no understanding of accessible property, failing to list relevant features such as step-free access on their websites and not understanding the need for essential facilities such as fully accessible bathrooms. |
| The study, Locked Out, which will be published in parliament at a meeting of the all-party parliamentary group for young disabled people, has been drawn up by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's group of Trailblazers – a 400-strong group of disabled 18-30-year-olds that campaigns on key issues affecting disabled people. | The study, Locked Out, which will be published in parliament at a meeting of the all-party parliamentary group for young disabled people, has been drawn up by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's group of Trailblazers – a 400-strong group of disabled 18-30-year-olds that campaigns on key issues affecting disabled people. |
| Many said they had been forced to search through thousands of properties individually, as leading property and home share websites failed to offer a search shortcut for finding accessible accommodation. | Many said they had been forced to search through thousands of properties individually, as leading property and home share websites failed to offer a search shortcut for finding accessible accommodation. |
| One site offers searches as specific as "waterfront" and "contemporary", for example, but nothing to help find accessible accommodation. Wheelchair-users must, as a matter of course, physically view properties in order to establish whether they are able to get through the front door. | One site offers searches as specific as "waterfront" and "contemporary", for example, but nothing to help find accessible accommodation. Wheelchair-users must, as a matter of course, physically view properties in order to establish whether they are able to get through the front door. |
| Nine out of 10 young disabled people said they were as keen to get property as able-bodied peers, and 94% said that more information on websites about access would improve the experiences of disabled people looking for accommodation. But the report found that 85% of the young disabled people surveyed were not confident that access advice given by estate agents, local authorities and other housing providers was accurate, while 70% said they found it difficult to identify accommodation that would be accessible to them because estate agents had poor knowledge of adapted properties in their area. | Nine out of 10 young disabled people said they were as keen to get property as able-bodied peers, and 94% said that more information on websites about access would improve the experiences of disabled people looking for accommodation. But the report found that 85% of the young disabled people surveyed were not confident that access advice given by estate agents, local authorities and other housing providers was accurate, while 70% said they found it difficult to identify accommodation that would be accessible to them because estate agents had poor knowledge of adapted properties in their area. |
| The research also reveals that the number of properties listed by agents on the national Accessible Property Register, set up in 2003, remain low. A Trailblazer who used the site to search for rental accommodation in Greater London found just one property listed. | The research also reveals that the number of properties listed by agents on the national Accessible Property Register, set up in 2003, remain low. A Trailblazer who used the site to search for rental accommodation in Greater London found just one property listed. |
| The group is now calling on agents to recognise the disabled market, to advertise accessible features and to work with disability groups to improve employees' knowledge of disabled homeseekers' needs. Under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act, businesses need to make "reasonable adjustments" to meet the needs of their disabled customers but this is open to interpretation. | The group is now calling on agents to recognise the disabled market, to advertise accessible features and to work with disability groups to improve employees' knowledge of disabled homeseekers' needs. Under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act, businesses need to make "reasonable adjustments" to meet the needs of their disabled customers but this is open to interpretation. |
| Trailblazers reported waits of up to six years for accessible local authority accommodation to become available. | Trailblazers reported waits of up to six years for accessible local authority accommodation to become available. |
| Wheelchair-user Carrie-Ann Lightley, 25, from Kendal, was told she would have to wait "until someone passes away" for a property to become free. She said: "I wanted to move in with my partner – now my husband – Darren, and we needed to find a property to buy that would be suitable for both of us. I was living with my parents and was regarded as a low priority." | Wheelchair-user Carrie-Ann Lightley, 25, from Kendal, was told she would have to wait "until someone passes away" for a property to become free. She said: "I wanted to move in with my partner – now my husband – Darren, and we needed to find a property to buy that would be suitable for both of us. I was living with my parents and was regarded as a low priority." |
| Bobby Ancil, project manager of Trailblazers, said: "It seems the UK property industry is truly in the dark ages when it comes to catering for disabled homeseekers. Our investigation exposed estate and lettings agents, as well as property websites, who appeared completely oblivious to this market. The public sector is faring little better. Local authorities are being given hundreds of millions of pounds each year towards grants to adapt existing homes, while they fail to set quotas to ensure demand for accessible properties is eased by new developments." | Bobby Ancil, project manager of Trailblazers, said: "It seems the UK property industry is truly in the dark ages when it comes to catering for disabled homeseekers. Our investigation exposed estate and lettings agents, as well as property websites, who appeared completely oblivious to this market. The public sector is faring little better. Local authorities are being given hundreds of millions of pounds each year towards grants to adapt existing homes, while they fail to set quotas to ensure demand for accessible properties is eased by new developments." |
| He said it was important that young disabled people were able – like their non-disabled peers – to hunt for suitable rental accommodation to move out of the family home while studying, when setting up their careers, or when moving in with friends or partners. | He said it was important that young disabled people were able – like their non-disabled peers – to hunt for suitable rental accommodation to move out of the family home while studying, when setting up their careers, or when moving in with friends or partners. |
| "The need to develop financial security and get on the property ladder is no different. If the situation is ever to improve we need the private sector to understand accessible homes and how to market them and for the public sector to allocate fairly and increase stock," he said. | "The need to develop financial security and get on the property ladder is no different. If the situation is ever to improve we need the private sector to understand accessible homes and how to market them and for the public sector to allocate fairly and increase stock," he said. |
| Case study | Case study |
| Social worker Hannah-Lou Blackall was forced to live in bed-and-breakfast accommodation attached to a Hull conference centre for over a year at a cost of £800 a month because she could find nowhere else suitable. She had been unable to find a wheelchair-accessible home to rent after moving to Hull to start her career in social work, despite registering with numerous agents. | Social worker Hannah-Lou Blackall was forced to live in bed-and-breakfast accommodation attached to a Hull conference centre for over a year at a cost of £800 a month because she could find nowhere else suitable. She had been unable to find a wheelchair-accessible home to rent after moving to Hull to start her career in social work, despite registering with numerous agents. |
| The 26-year-old, who needs to get around her home in a wheelchair, explains: "It was very frustrating trying to track down a property near Hull that would actually work for me. I was signed up to every single estate agent, but none of them seemed to understand what an accessible property was. | The 26-year-old, who needs to get around her home in a wheelchair, explains: "It was very frustrating trying to track down a property near Hull that would actually work for me. I was signed up to every single estate agent, but none of them seemed to understand what an accessible property was. |
| "One agent really wanted to help and contacted me excitedly after finding a bathroom with an accessible shower. The bathroom turned out to be on the second storey of a house with no lift. | "One agent really wanted to help and contacted me excitedly after finding a bathroom with an accessible shower. The bathroom turned out to be on the second storey of a house with no lift. |
| "In the end I was stuck living in a conference centre full of business people all week and being forced to make the trip home every weekend. I was able to rent somewhere for a further year but I couldn't start establishing a life for myself there and eventually decided to move back home to Norfolk." | "In the end I was stuck living in a conference centre full of business people all week and being forced to make the trip home every weekend. I was able to rent somewhere for a further year but I couldn't start establishing a life for myself there and eventually decided to move back home to Norfolk." |
| Hannah-Lou is now doing agency work while she considers her next career move, and blames lack of understanding rather than misguided intentions: "On the whole people tried to be helpful but I just don't think they knew enough about what being disabled actually means. For example, I needed a two-bedroom flat in order to accommodate my personal carer. And the bathroom has to be fully accessible. Understandably, landlords are reluctant to adapt their properties because they fear it will put other renters off." | Hannah-Lou is now doing agency work while she considers her next career move, and blames lack of understanding rather than misguided intentions: "On the whole people tried to be helpful but I just don't think they knew enough about what being disabled actually means. For example, I needed a two-bedroom flat in order to accommodate my personal carer. And the bathroom has to be fully accessible. Understandably, landlords are reluctant to adapt their properties because they fear it will put other renters off." |
| But she thinks agencies are missing a big opportunity: "The rental market really doesn't seem to realise that young disabled people now live and work independently. There is a big potential market out there if they take the right approach to catering for disabled customers. It is not unreasonable to have to move for a job, but it is not made easy for us." | But she thinks agencies are missing a big opportunity: "The rental market really doesn't seem to realise that young disabled people now live and work independently. There is a big potential market out there if they take the right approach to catering for disabled customers. It is not unreasonable to have to move for a job, but it is not made easy for us." |
| Top mortgages | Top mortgages |
| Chelsea Building Society | Chelsea Building Society |
| Yorkshire BS | |
| Nationwide | Nationwide |
| Provided by London & Country for the Guardian | Provided by London & Country for the Guardian |