The safe gardening team provide practical advice to keep everyone safe in the garden.
Gardening for pensioners
STAYING INDEPENDENT
Looking after your home
"I want to know what help is available to me to manage my home."
Home and garden maintenance
Keeping a well maintained home can be difficult if you have a disability, or as you get older. But it is important that your home is kept in good shape as it’ll help you stay healthy and also reduce the risk of accidents.
Repairs to council homes
If you live in a council home in the East Riding of Yorkshire, you may be able to get help from the council through their repairs service. Your tenancy agreement sets out which repairs you are responsible for, but typically the council wlll help with repairs related to plumbing, electrics and roof maintenance.
You can find out more and request a repair on the East Riding of Yorkshire Council website.
Hiring a tradesperson
You could hire a tradesperson to carry out any repairs needed to your home. The best way to find someone is usually through a recommendation from a family member or a friend. However, here are some websites that you can search for local tradespeople to quote for the work:
Our checklist for hiring a tradesperson
Here are some things you can do to make sure you find the right tradesperson for you:
Ask the tradesperson for customer references, or read their online reviews, to make sure you are confident they can do the work.
Always ask for a quote before anyone does any work for you. We recommend that you ask for at least 3 quotes from separate tradespeople so you can make sure you are paying a fair price.
Make sure that they have the relevant qualifications. Check if they are part of any national trade schemes.
Choose tradespeople with local experience. This can be really valuable as they’ll have access to a local network of suppliers and labour. They can also make recommendations for other work that needs doing which is outside of their remit.
Help with the cost of home adaptations
If you need to make some changes to your home to improve your independence, you may be able to get some help with funding.
Help with your garden
We may be able to help you maintain your garden if you meet certain conditions. Please answer the following questions to check if you qualify: