Elderly man's ramp request rejected despite fall that left him on ground for hours

An elderly man’s request for a ramp was rejected because he lives in a park home despite a fall that left him lying on the ground for hours.

James Sneddon, who lives in Glendevon Residential Park, in Perthshire, spent two hours on the ground before his neighbour Greg helped him.

“Sometimes when I go down and lose my balance, I go right down and I can’t get back up, Greg comes and picks me up,” the 82-year-old told STV News.

Mr Sneddon requested a ramp from the Perth and Kinross Council but has been told under the Housing Act he doesn’t qualify for support to adapt his home.

James Sneddon, who lives in Glendevon Residential Park, was left lying on the ground for two hours after a recent fall. STV News

Perth and Kinross Council said there was no scope for them to award discretionary grants under current legislation.

“There’s a lot of people disabled without a wheelchair – they forget that. This wheelchair is an excuse so they don’t need to spend money,” Mr Sneddon said.

Park home residents feel discriminated against as current rules exempt mobile homes and lodges from funding for vital adaptations like ramps and wet rooms.

Lynn Cameron said she can’t get access to help because she lives in her mobile home in Marlee Gardens, near Blairgowrie.

“We’d have wider doors for the wheelchair to get through, because some of them are quite narrow and you’re barely making it through,” she told STV News.

“We would certainly have had a ramp, no problem.”

Lynn Cameron said because she lives in a mobile home she can't get help. — Lynn Cameron said because she lives in a mobile home she can’t get help. STV News

Park homes are a growing part of Scotland’s housing stock with more than 8,000 people living in them across the country.

Because of that, there are calls for an increase in the rights and protections for people who make these houses their homes.

The issue has made its way to Holyrood and is forming part of a debate around the housing bill.

Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said park home residents are being treated as “second-class citizens”.

“Compared to people buying a brick and mortar home, park home residents don’t have the same protections,” he said.

“There’s no doubt that park home residents are being ripped off, we’ve got numerous examples across Scotland of some unscrupulous site developers who are doing everything they can to extract money from people, many of whom are quite elderly and vulnerable.”

He said beyond the new housing bill there is a lot more work to be done when it comes to protecting park home residents.

In a letter seen by STV News, the housing minister has requested council leaders consider supporting adaptations, where feasible.

The Scottish Government also said local authorities have a duty to ensure the needs of disabled residents are met, whatever their housing circumstances.

Housing minister Paul McLennan said: “The Scottish Government is committed to making sure that those living in mobile homes on sites licensed for permanent residents have appropriate rights and protections, and I have written to Local Authorities to draw attention to issues raised in a recent members debate.

“As well as housing legislation, all local authorities have a duty under legislation to ensure that the needs of disabled or chronically ill residents, whatever their housing circumstances, are met.

“We plan to undertake a review of the current housing adaptations system, which will make recommendations on how best to improve and streamline the system and better target resources. Issues relating to adaptations to park and mobile homes will also be considered as part of this review.”

The Scottish Confederation of Park Home Residents Associations (SCOPHRA) is a voluntary group, which has been working to help and provide support to residents who live in park or mobile homes.

Gordon Morrison, the chair of SCOPHRA told STV News he is disappointed by the way residents are being treated by local authorities.

He told STV News, “We understand there’s limited funds within all the councils. All we’re asking is that we are treated the same as everyone else. We pay our council tax. We have our homes the same as everyone else.”

“Just because it’s termed a “park home”, that is when the council say they can’t do anything for us. Because the old legislation in the Housing Bill highlights that they don’t have to help.”

“The concern I have with the letter the housing minister sent is that it says councils should “consider” helping. As soon as the council think there’s an easy option, what we’ve seen is, that easy option is taken and they don’t help.”

Perth and Kinross Council said it understood how “frustrating” the situation is.

A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “We understand how important it is for people to be able live independently in their homes where possible.

“If clients need major work done – such as installing ramps or wet rooms – Occupational Therapy can provide advice on securing charitable funding, if they are unable to access grant funding. They may also be eligible for further financial assistance through social work budgets.

“Private homeowners or tenants who require adaptations to their property can also apply for support through the Care and Repair Scheme which is managed by Caledonia Housing Association and funded by Perth and Kinross Council.

“However, under the terms of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 grants can only be awarded to permanent structures so, unfortunately, even when residents have permission to stay in a park home all year round they are not eligible for this funding.

“We appreciate how frustrating this situation is for homeowners but there is no scope for us to award discretionary grants under current legislation.”