Landlords, disabled tenants and adaptations

If you are disabled under the Equality Act, you have the right to portable support aids or temporary adaptations when you are renting. These are called 'auxiliary aids'.

The law says that your landlord does not have to let you:

• remove or alter a physical feature
• change shared areas, such as hallways and entrances in a block of flats

You can still ask for adaptations even if you are not entitled to them by law. 

Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010 (GOV.UK) 

Auxiliary aids

These are temporary adaptations or portable support aids. This is something that is not a physical or structural change to your home.

The Equality Act says that you have the right to an auxiliary aid if all the following apply:

• you are disabled as defined in the Equality Act
• the auxiliary aid would stop you being at a ‘substantial disadvantage’ in your home

Removing or altering physical features

As a private tenant, you do not have a legal right to remove or alter physical features. But your landlord may allow adaptations that remove or change part of your home if:

• they want you to stay as their tenant 
• the work will add value to the property

Even if you do not have the legal right to an adaptation, you can still ask.

Your landlord may be more likely to agree if they know that they do not have to pay. For example, if you can get a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) from your local council.

Disabled Facilities Grants

Private renting: your rights and responsibilities (GOV.UK)

The Equality Act states that any service provider must make reasonable adjustments so disabled people can use their services, if they are asked. This includes private landlords, housing associations and local councils.

It says that landlords must make reasonable adjustments, including:

• how they communicate with you or
• how they adapt a physical feature 

Landlord responsibilities for improvements in your home (Shelter)

Asking for reasonable adjustments

The process for getting adaptations will depend on your:

• needs
• home and
• local council

The first step is to contact your local council. 

Find your local council (GOV.UK)

Getting home adaptations

The council will usually ask you to get an assessment from an occupational therapist (OT).

When you have had an assessment, the OT will write a report recommending the best adaptations for you. This is evidence for the council and your landlord about the adaptations you need.

Home adaptations and occupational therapist assessments

You can apply for funding from the local council.

Disability grants for home adaptations

Depending on your landlord, you might speak directly to them or through a letting agency.

You can ask them for permission:

• when you start thinking about adaptations or
• after you have your OT report 

It can be helpful to have the report from the OT assessment, so you know exactly what adaptations you need.

Ask in a letter or email. Keep copies of any communication between you and the landlord. 

What to include in your request 

When you write to your landlord, it can help to say:

• you are disabled under the Equality Act
• how your condition affects you
• how living in the property affects your condition
• you have been assessed by a professional who has recommended adaptations to your home
• you can apply for funding from the local council
• the adaptations could increase the value of the property

You can also send them the OT’s report with their recommendations. 

Letter templates

Citizens Advice has example letters for asking for adaptations.

Asking for adaptations to help with your disability (Citizens Advice)

If your landlord refuses to let you make changes to the structure or physical features, you can:

• challenge your landlord's decision
• ask your OT about other ways to meet your needs without adaptations
• find somewhere new to live

If your landlord refuses to make adaptations, or does not respond to your request, you can challenge them.

Talk to your landlord

Start by making an informal challenge to your landlord’s decision. This could be through a:

• phone call
• video meeting
• email
• in person meeting

Ask your landlord to explain why they refused to allow adaptations. Explain again that you:

• are disabled under the Equality Act
• have been assessed by a professional who says you need the adaptations to be able to live in your home

You can get free advice and support from:

• Citizens Advice
• your local Shelter office
• an independent advocate

You might also be able to get advice from your occupational therapist.

Keep records

Keep copies of any emails or letters you send.

You can also:

• take notes during a meeting or
• ask someone else to take notes for you 

It is good to get everything in writing. It can be helpful if you need to talk to the local council.

Get help from your council 

If you are unhappy with your landlord’s response, contact your local council. Ask to speak to the private renting team.

You do not have to tell your landlord that you are planning to report them to the council’s private renting team.

Depending on your local council, the team might contact your landlord. They will help you make your case about needing adaptations.

Find your local council (GOV.UK) 

Challenging a decision due to discrimination

The law says that if you are classified as disabled under the Equality Act, you are entitled to reasonable adjustments. But there is no fixed definition of what is reasonable. It depends on what you need and how expensive or hard the adjustment would be for the landlord.

If your landlord does not give you permission to make adaptations, it could be discrimination.

You can get free advice on housing discrimination from:

• the Equality Advisory and Support Service
• Citizens Advice

If your landlord uses a letting agency, you might have to communicate through them.

If the letting agency does not respond to your request for adaptations, you can make a complaint. They must publish details of how to make a complaint on their website.

If you are unhappy with their response, you can use a redress scheme to resolve the dispute.

Letting agent redress schemes (Shelter)

If you have used a redress scheme but are still unhappy with your landlord’s response, you can get legal advice to make a formal complaint.

Some solicitors may offer free advice.

Check if you can get legal aid (GOV.UK)

Finding free or affordable legal help (Citizens Advice)

Find your local Law Centre

You may also be able to get legal support through your:

• home insurance if you have legal cover
• union membership
• charity membership

No win, no fee solicitors may also be an option.

But you may have to pay for legal advice.

Find a lawyer 

The Law Society website has a tool where you can search for different types of lawyers near you. 

You can also refine the results based on access to their building including whether they:

• have induction loops
• provide British Sign Language interpreters
• have step-free access
• accept Legal Aid

Find a solicitor on The Law Society website

If you cannot get help from a lawyer

You can still get information and support from:

• the Scope helpline
• Citizens Advice

If your landlord refuses adaptations, your local council can help you find somewhere new to live.

Applying for accessible council and housing association homes

Your local council may offer you a home if all the following apply:

• your local council agrees that you need adaptations that are structural or would change physical features
• your landlord refuses to allow the adaptations
• you cannot find somewhere new to live or a landlord who will allow the adaptations

This can take a long time. Contact your local council as soon as possible.

Find your local council (GOV.UK)

Homeless help from the council (Shelter)

A housing advocate can give you support to communicate with your council, housing association or landlord.

This might be when you want to:

• challenge a decision
• make a complaint about your treatment 

They can go with you to meetings to support you to express your views. They do not make decisions for you but can give you information about your options.

Advocates are:

• free to use
• trained professionals or volunteers
• independent of councils and housing associations

Get help from an advocate

You can also ask a family member or friend to be your advocate. 

Being an advocate for a disabled friend or family member 

You can find local advocacy services from:

• your local council
• your local Citizens Advice
• Disability Rights UK

Talk to people with similar experiences and get advice and support from our online community.