Jump to content


How Can You Bid For House Without Interent Access

Recommended Posts

A near neighbour of mine  who is isolating due to age and has no car is wanting to get her  sister a place near to her as her sister has dementia and needs some care  My neighbour cannot use the internet, nor can her sister of course. How do you go on in this instance? She has rung the council but of course recieved no help whatsoever with her problem. 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

When you say she cannot use the internet, do you mean that she doesn't know how to, or that she doesn't have access?

 

If she doesn't have access, I'm pretty sure the libraries are staying open during lockdown for exactly that reason; to help people who don't have access at home.

Edited by Pyrotequila

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Both - she is isolating  though so cannot go out. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The OP post confused me initially as  I was thinking it was on a Auction site for Buying Houses, then I realised this was to put bids in for A Council House in another area possibly.

 

Option 1: Get someone to  Loan her a Laptop.

Option 2:  Buy her Or Borrow a PAYG smart Phone

Option 3: Do it for her?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The simple fact is that you just can't bid for a property or a change of property these days, without internet access. It's appalling - and totally disenfranchises anyone who doesn't have a computer or a smartphone - or the knowledge or ability to use such new technology.  My elderly mum is 82, she is housebound and wheelchair bound and also stone deaf.  She has never owned or used  a computer and has never owned or used a simple mobile fone - let alone a smartfone. Despite all this, she is quite independent, still has most of her marbles and is still perfectly capable of making her own decisions.

 

Over 2 years ago, we tried to get her rehoused from her unmanageable 3 bedroom family home into a more suitable 1 bedroom flat, but both her Housing Association and Sheff Council told us that the only way to do this would be to register and manage the whole process "online" - or to nominate someone to do it online on her behalf.  Myself, my brothers and my sisters-in-law tried to do this for her, but were thwarted and stonewalled at every attempt.  Having started this whole rigamarole in July 2018, we finally managed to get our owd lass moved in December 2020.  Surely this can't be right? All my mum was trying to do is to give up a lovely 3 bedroom family home - with a large front and back garden - for a modest 1 bedroom old-person's flat.  I thought that the Councils and Housing Associations were supposed to be desperate for more family homes? Why do they make it so very difficult  for old and disabled people to move and to free-up these properties?  Surely they should recognise that not everyone - especially the old and disabled - is able to do this "online"? Doing it all via new technology is fine for those who are capable, but the old-fashioned alternatives, like home visits and letters in the post should surely still be an option for those without the access to the world of modern technology?

 

Oooh - sorry to ramble on - but this is a massive bugbear to me!

Edited by FIRETHORN1
typos

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I cannot help as we are both shielding too so I cannot mix and I have enough on my plate at the moment. She has a phone but struggles with that and yes there should be help for older people who need it like that. I know the internet is a wonderful thing but not for everyone who is older. 

Thank you all 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, alarmingmark said:

Totally agree with above ....age discrimination at the least ....

I agree too. This is a much bigger problem than people imagine, and it's not just old people who have the problem.

Home schooling in the pandemic has shown up how many youngsters are without adequate access to the internet.  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

they set on loads of workers at huge costs,to cover this,as a ex tara sec,SCC,set on council workers ,to work in the community to sort out problems,like this and to visit every home at least once per year,but most refused and they realised they couldnt do it,so as they are employed they said they could visit anyhome that wanted help,but expect they are furloughed at the moment.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't buy age as an issue tbh.  If Firethorn1's mum is currentl 82, she'd have been in her 50's in the 90s.  Computers were prevalent even then albeit a little on the expensive side.  But they have been in mainstream use for over 20 years.  Same with smartphones,  they've been around for about 20 years too. First generation of modern smartphone came out in 2008, she'd have been 60ish.  None of this is new technology.  In all that time, it's been incredibly obvious that this is the way everything is going, and they've done the self defeating thing of refusing to use a computer.

 

I think it's a pretty fair assumption by the council to assume that most people have access to a computer, or internet access and for the small percentage that don't, someone that can help do it with them.

They would probably need a lot of investment in people, wages all that jazz to help the small percentage of people who can't or won't be helped.

 

Not being able to afford it is another matter, but in my experience most of these families don't seem to have an issue affording their large TV's and whatever satellite subscription is popular today.
Those with larger families are definitely disadvantaged though, 3+ kids, who expects kids to have their own laptop?  Schools have a surplus that are currently not being used, they should be loaned out to people who need them.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
23 hours ago, gene said:

A near neighbour of mine  who is isolating due to age and has no car is wanting to get her  sister a place near to her as her sister has dementia and needs some care  My neighbour cannot use the internet, nor can her sister of course. How do you go on in this instance? She has rung the council but of course recieved no help whatsoever with her problem

 

When you say "of course" what do you mean? Did they refuse to help, were they unresponsive or was their advice just not understood?

 

Has you or anyone else contacted your local councillor for help? Or searched for any Covid-19 help schemes running in her area? I've set one up on Facebook for  Stannington and these are the types of issue for which we find volunteers to help.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.