Will the council charge me?

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MarkGeordie

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I had a needs assessment a while back and was assessed as needing a bath lift.

It cracked down the side after a while and because previous emails had taken so long to be responded to, I sent a letter in the post.

No response, so I had the lift disposed of so I could use the bath still but with help because otherwise it would be unsafe to use.

I ask because I would like another one but think they will say you should have kept the old one but no one contacted me and I needed to use the bath obviously.
 
Short answer from me is, I don't actually have a clue even what our council does so I submit, you will have to ask yours!
 
MarkGeordie said:
I had a needs assessment a while back and was assessed as needing a bath lift.

It cracked down the side after a while and because previous emails had taken so long to be responded to, I sent a letter in the post.

No response, so I had the lift disposed of so I could use the bath still but with help because otherwise it would be unsafe to use.

I ask because I would like another one but think they will say you should have kept the old one but no one contacted me and I needed to use the bath obviously.
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I don't suppose you thought to take a picture so you could show it was broken. But you will need to contact them.
 
Unfortunately not but I did take photocopies off the letters I sent them.

I have sent them an email, will follow up with a call.

If they decide to charge me I will just have to pay.
 
Must admit it has me worried because maybe I should not have just disposed of it, but they just refused to communicate with me and I live in a small flat so had no way of storing it and can’t of left it out anywhere as been partially sighted it would have been a trip hazard and I needed it out the bath so I could actually have a bath.

I’m not sure if it’s classed as my property though when they give me it.

If not, could they report me to the police for disposing of their property? If they class it as theirs.
 
Hi,
I really doubt that you will need to pay for the bath lift or police involved. I assess and order low cost equipment like bath lifts, grab rails, toilet frames etc as part of my job as community advice worker, (not for council). Can you contact your local council or social care to find out who runs equipment service and contact them by phone and explain the situation.
Our equipment service, which is funded by council but run by different organisation, puts stickers and contact details for bath lifts on the instructions when installing devices.
Yes you are supposed to keep equipment as on loan, and our equipment service collects large items. But they are rarely cleaned and reused and often just chucked out.
Don’t worry about it, it will likely be ok and I know it varies in different areas.
If you want to private message me with your town/county, I might be able to help you locate your equipment service.
 
MarkGeordie said:
Must admit it has me worried because maybe I should not have just disposed of it, but they just refused to communicate with me and I live in a small flat so had no way of storing it and can’t of left it out anywhere as been partially sighted it would have been a trip hazard and I needed it out the bath so I could actually have a bath.

I’m not sure if it’s classed as my property though when they give me it.

If not, could they report me to the police for disposing of their property? If they class it as theirs.
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Hi , My mother was lent so much equipment by different council departments in her older years.

Sadly when she died I tried to return to equipment with no luck. Much of the contact details on the equipment was out of date.Departments had merged / no longer existed.

What I did as you appeared to have done by writing to them tell them they can come and collect equipment giving them a date and time when available.If not collected items would be disposed off.Silence !
 
MarkGeordie said:
I sent letters in May and then June, then disposed of it in early July.
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Near enough six months.
They will probably think they have already collected it, or forgotten entirely about it.
I'd just chase a new one, and not mention the old one again
 
Sorry to hear you have been caused so much worry by this @MarkGeordie

I think your best bet is to call them up again and try to get the wheels in motion for a replacement.
 
Yes, I’ve had some really good advice and especially from Jade through private message.

I am going to contact them tomorrow morning and see what is said.
 
Just wanted to let you all know I was very impressed with the council yesterday.

I was able to speak to the duty OT who said because I’d already been assessed as needing the bath lift she would get another one sent to me and not to worry about the other one as there would be no charge.

I was so relieved and my anxiety lowered after that.
 
MarkGeordie said:
Just wanted to let you all know I was very impressed with the council yesterday.

I was able to speak to the duty OT who said because I’d already been assessed as needing the bath lift she would get another one sent to me and not to worry about the other one as there would be no charge.

I was so relieved and my anxiety lowered after that.
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That's brilliant, sometimes you imagine the worst but the best is actually the case.
We hung fire on an extension because my other half assumed it would cause issues with the sewer but in actual fact the way the extension was built actually protected the sewer so was a win win situation.
 
Leadinglights said:
That's brilliant, sometimes you imagine the worst but the best is actually the case.
We hung fire on an extension because my other half assumed it would cause issues with the sewer but in actual fact the way the extension was built actually protected the sewer so was a win win situation.
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Yeah that saying does make sense, I think we have a habit of instantly thinking the worst. Glad all worked out well for you too.
 
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