Hi. I'm in a dispute with a neighbour (6 doors away!) over a ramp I
have built. Thankfully other neighbours are fine with it, however,
neighbour 6 doors away is secretary of the housing association I am
part of.

I use the ramp to get, externally, from the front of my house to the
back of my house, which is 3ft higher than the front. It is wooden
decking structure (in keeping with local houses which are also wooden)
uses an angle of around 12deg and is 1500mm wide.

I use this ramp many times a day, so do friends and visitors, all able
bodied. However once or twice a month I use it to push my elderly Mum
in a wheelchair up it when she visits me. This is the main reason I
made it a ramp rather than steps.

My question is does this ramp have to fit any DDA requirement if it is
purely for personal use and only for occasional wheelchair use?

Many thanks

On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:48:04 -0700, freestyle
 wrote:

>Hi. I'm in a dispute with a neighbour (6 doors away!) over a ramp I
>have built. Thankfully other neighbours are fine with it, however,
>neighbour 6 doors away is secretary of the housing association I am
>part of.
>
>I use the ramp to get, externally, from the front of my house to the
>back of my house, which is 3ft higher than the front. It is wooden
>decking structure (in keeping with local houses which are also wooden)
>uses an angle of around 12deg and is 1500mm wide.
>
>I use this ramp many times a day, so do friends and visitors, all able
>bodied. However once or twice a month I use it to push my elderly Mum
>in a wheelchair up it when she visits me. This is the main reason I
>made it a ramp rather than steps.
>
>My question is does this ramp have to fit any DDA requirement if it is
>purely for personal use and only for occasional wheelchair use?
>
>Many thanks

I would suggest as it was made for purely personal use and isnt a
permanent fixture there are no laws covering it.
HOWEVER
Your housing association  MAY have their rules, which you should check

freestyle wrote:
> Hi. I'm in a dispute with a neighbour (6 doors away!) over a ramp I
> have built. Thankfully other neighbours are fine with it, however,
> neighbour 6 doors away is secretary of the housing association I am
> part of.
> 
> I use the ramp to get, externally, from the front of my house to the
> back of my house, which is 3ft higher than the front. It is wooden
> decking structure (in keeping with local houses which are also wooden)
> uses an angle of around 12deg and is 1500mm wide.
> 
> I use this ramp many times a day, so do friends and visitors, all able
> bodied. However once or twice a month I use it to push my elderly Mum
> in a wheelchair up it when she visits me. This is the main reason I
> made it a ramp rather than steps.
> 
> My question is does this ramp have to fit any DDA requirement if it is
> purely for personal use and only for occasional wheelchair use?
> 
IANAL but would expect the answer to be "no".

However:

What does the neighbour object to? eg the location, appearance, 
structure, safety, etc?

If the objection is on safety grounds and the ramp is not designed in 
accordance with current guidelines for ramps >2m long, could it be 
easily modified to comply? The guidelines are there for a good reason..

Although the possibility may be *extremely* remote, you have to think of 
the implications should an accident take place - particularly if you 
have been warned that the structure is unsuitable. Even if the accident 
happened to someone "visiting your property uninvited", you could still 
be sued..

-- 
Sue

> HOWEVER
> Your housing association  MAY have their rules, which you should check-

The only rule is that  a structure "should not be injurious to the
character and visual amenity of the area". It isn't and it is in
keeping with other structures in the area.

Is there anything legal to be directed to that will help me say "this
is for personal use and isn't a permanent feature". I understand
permitted development, but is there anythin saying that will help
argue that one or two assisted wheelchair movements a month would be
constituted as Not requiring to comply with DDA?

On 22 Oct, 09:24, Palindrome  wrote:
> freestyle wrote:
> > Hi. I'm in a dispute with a neighbour (6 doors away!) over a ramp I
> > have built. Thankfully other neighbours are fine with it, however,
> > neighbour 6 doors away is secretary of the housing association I am
> > part of.
>
> > I use the ramp to get, externally, from the front of my house to the
> > back of my house, which is 3ft higher than the front. It is wooden
> > decking structure (in keeping with local houses which are also wooden)
> > uses an angle of around 12deg and is 1500mm wide.
>
> > I use this ramp many times a day, so do friends and visitors, all able
> > bodied. However once or twice a month I use it to push my elderly Mum
> > in a wheelchair up it when she visits me. This is the main reason I
> > made it a ramp rather than steps.
>
> > My question is does this ramp have to fit any DDA requirement if it is
> > purely for personal use and only for occasional wheelchair use?
>
> IANAL but would expect the answer to be "no".
>
> However:
>
> What does the neighbour object to? eg the location, appearance,
> structure, safety, etc?
>
> If the objection is on safety grounds and the ramp is not designed in
> accordance with current guidelines for ramps >2m long, could it be
> easily modified to comply? The guidelines are there for a good reason..
>
> Although the possibility may be *extremely* remote, you have to think of
> the implications should an accident take place - particularly if you
> have been warned that the structure is unsuitable. Even if the accident
> happened to someone "visiting your property uninvited", you could still
> be sued..
>
> --
> Sue- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks Sue,

the ramp is wide enough (1500mm) and above 14" above ground level
there is a wall both sides, below 14" on one side only.  However I
need access to step on and off the ramp at this height and below to
move equipment around so a handrail would intrude. Would it be
unreasonable to want to keep this side open, risks accepted of
uninvited visits.?

Responding to Palindrome...
> freestyle wrote:
>> Hi. I'm in a dispute with a neighbour (6 doors away!) over a ramp I
>> have built. Thankfully other neighbours are fine with it, however,
>> neighbour 6 doors away is secretary of the housing association I am
>> part of.
>> 
>> I use the ramp to get, externally, from the front of my house to the
>> back of my house, which is 3ft higher than the front. It is wooden
>> decking structure (in keeping with local houses which are also wooden)
>> uses an angle of around 12deg and is 1500mm wide.
>> 
>> I use this ramp many times a day, so do friends and visitors, all able
>> bodied. However once or twice a month I use it to push my elderly Mum
>> in a wheelchair up it when she visits me. This is the main reason I
>> made it a ramp rather than steps.
>> 
>> My question is does this ramp have to fit any DDA requirement if it is
>> purely for personal use and only for occasional wheelchair use?
>> 
> IANAL but would expect the answer to be "no".
>
> However:
>
> What does the neighbour object to? eg the location, appearance, 
> structure, safety, etc?
>
> If the objection is on safety grounds and the ramp is not designed in 
> accordance with current guidelines for ramps >2m long, could it be 
> easily modified to comply? The guidelines are there for a good reason..
>
> Although the possibility may be *extremely* remote, you have to think of 
> the implications should an accident take place - particularly if you 
> have been warned that the structure is unsuitable. Even if the accident 
> happened to someone "visiting your property uninvited", you could still 
> be sued..
>


(UK only)Googling +wheelchair +disability +ramps +regulations +information +house
turned up a few interesting links for me.

Of possible particular interest,

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/vo040202/text/40202w25.htm
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/em2006/uksiem_20060887_en.pdf
http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/nat-dada-guidanceondisabilityphysicalaccess-pu.pdf

and not forgetting http://www.burgerman.info/dda.htm

This was 2 minutes. Spend a little more time and you should find what 
you need.

-- 
   _________________________.0.___________________________
   Everything you ever needed from a religion, plus jokes!
              http://principiadiscordia.com/
   -------------------------.|.---------------------------

freestyle wrote:
> On 22 Oct, 09:24, Palindrome  wrote:
>> freestyle wrote:
>>> Hi. I'm in a dispute with a neighbour (6 doors away!) over a ramp I
>>> have built. Thankfully other neighbours are fine with it, however,
>>> neighbour 6 doors away is secretary of the housing association I am
>>> part of.
>>> I use the ramp to get, externally, from the front of my house to the
>>> back of my house, which is 3ft higher than the front. It is wooden
>>> decking structure (in keeping with local houses which are also wooden)
>>> uses an angle of around 12deg and is 1500mm wide.
>>> I use this ramp many times a day, so do friends and visitors, all able
>>> bodied. However once or twice a month I use it to push my elderly Mum
>>> in a wheelchair up it when she visits me. This is the main reason I
>>> made it a ramp rather than steps.
>>> My question is does this ramp have to fit any DDA requirement if it is
>>> purely for personal use and only for occasional wheelchair use?
>> IANAL but would expect the answer to be "no".
>>
>> However:
>>
>> What does the neighbour object to? eg the location, appearance,
>> structure, safety, etc?
>>
>> If the objection is on safety grounds and the ramp is not designed in
>> accordance with current guidelines for ramps >2m long, could it be
>> easily modified to comply? The guidelines are there for a good reason..
>>
>> Although the possibility may be *extremely* remote, you have to think of
>> the implications should an accident take place - particularly if you
>> have been warned that the structure is unsuitable. Even if the accident
>> happened to someone "visiting your property uninvited", you could still
>> be sued..
>>
>> --
>> Sue- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
> 
> Thanks Sue,
> 
> the ramp is wide enough (1500mm) and above 14" above ground level
> there is a wall both sides, below 14" on one side only.  However I
> need access to step on and off the ramp at this height and below to
> move equipment around so a handrail would intrude. Would it be
> unreasonable to want to keep this side open, risks accepted of
> uninvited visits.?
> 
> 
Is the lack of the handrail the reason for the complaint?

Handrails can, of course, have a part that folds back onto itself (like 
a section of bar counter-top) so that it can be moved to give free 
passage when this is required. It is even possible to have the complete 
handrail uprights in sockets, so that the whole rail and uprights can be 
lifted out, when needed.

Clearly what is, or is not, reasonable depends on the actual 
circumstance. For example, if falling off the ramp ends you up in soft 
bushes or a cold frame. Often the area of most concern is at one end - 
where the wheelchair may have to be turned or stopped.


I've just this morning come back from dropping of an elderly couple 
whose path to the front door has a 2ft drop (to a lawn) on one side, 
with absolutely no barrier at all. Every single bungalow along that part 
of the road is the same. Some have concreted over the grassed area - so 
it is now a 2 ft (or more) drop to concrete..

-- 
Sue