National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011 - 2016

for significant modifications attached to a lease contract as this would hinder supply. In thecase of properties which are not adequately accessible for people with certain disabilities,consideration should be given to how adaptation work can be funded and to the possibleprovision of incentives for landlords to adapt properties. For example, this could includeconsideration of a reduction in the ‘discount’ rate 20 where landlords are willing to undertakeadaptation work themselves. This would be contingent on the financial viability of suchoptions.5.14 Subject to the issues referred to above, leasing offers the following potential benefitsfor people with disabilities.• Increased availability of one and two bedroom units – this may be particularlysuitable for single people with disabilities, who require smaller properties.• For many people with disabilities, having access to local health and care services,including personal, social and community supports is vital to enable them to live asindependently as possible. Accommodation provided by the leasing initiative has thepotential to provide greater choice of location, and may facilitate those who wish tolive near their families or other community networks.• Leasing will provide additional units at this time when there has been a reduction innumbers of properties constructed and acquired by housing authorities. This willallow the housing needs of more households to be met, including people withdisabilities, than would be the case if provision of social housing depended solely oncapital funding. This could especially be the case with ‘build to lease’ stylearrangements whereby a private developer or approved housing body may constructunits with the express intention of making them available for inclusion under theleasing initiative.• Leased units are more likely to be newer, of high quality and comply with Part M ofthe Building Regulations, thus ensuring visitability for people with disabilities.• Longer term contracts provided under the leasing scheme, leases of up to 20 years,and guaranteed availability of accommodation for the duration of a contract, willprovide greater security of tenure. This is particularly important for people withdisabilities where their care and social support services and community networks areestablished locally.20A discount of at least 20% below market is sought when negotiating with a landlord on lease payments. This isbased on a discount for voids of 8% and a discount of 12% in respect of the management and maintenanceelements.51