Can I use the Adaptations Agency to get the work done?

The law says that once you have been offered a Disabled Facilities Grant you must get the adaptations completed within 12 months.

In Bradford the Council offers clients the option of using the Adaptations Agency to organise and manage the works for you.

The Adaptations Agency means that Housing Technical Officers will take charge of everything that needs to be done to get your adaptation done, such as draw up full plans and specifications, get all the permissions and certification that is needed, arranging contractors to do the work and supervising the work while it is being done.

There is a charge for using the Adaptations Agency which is 15% of the cost of the work being done (plus VAT). However, this charge can be included in the Disabled Facilities Grant which means that in most cases you will not need to pay anything for this.

Feedback from clients who have used the agency is that:

• clients generally get the adaptations that they need much quicker than people who do the work themselves
• a high proportion of people using the service are satisfied with the service they receive – over the last three years 92% of people who used Bradford Council’s Agency Service for their Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) adaptation were satisfied with the contractors work and 87% were satisfied with the Agency contractor overall.

Can I arrange the work myself?

If you do not use the Adaptations Agency you will need to arrange everything yourself. You will need to send us quotes for carrying out the adaptations along with supporting documentation which includes things like architects plans, schedules, specifications, costings and Planning and Building Regulations permissions.

If all the paperwork is in order we will confirm how much your Disabled Facilities Grant will be in an approval letter. Once you have had this approval you will then have 12 months to complete the adaptations. You will be responsible for making sure that the work is completed on time and in line with the agreed scheme. The Housing Technical Officer will revisit once the work has been completed to check that it is satisfactory before the final payment is made to the contractor.

Even small adaptation schemes may involve several different professions and need different permissions. Find out more about Planning and Building Control.