You use a wheelchair, or you live with a long-term health condition — and you’re looking for a rented home. Renting with a Disability can be challenging: the listings all say “no pets” (you have an assistance dog), the only affordable flat has steps up to the front door, and you’re wondering whether you can ask for a grab rail in the bathroom without the landlord showing you the door.
You can ask — and the law is firmly on your side. Under the Equality Act 2010, landlords must make reasonable adjustments for disabled tenants, must not apply blanket policies that disadvantage you, and must not unreasonably refuse consent for disability-related adaptations. This guide explains your rights in plain language: what your landlord must do, what they don’t have to do, how Disabled Facilities Grants work for tenants, and exactly what to do if you’re refused — with the law as it stands in 2026.

Quick Answer: If you’re disabled and renting in England, Wales or Scotland, your landlord must make reasonable adjustments when you ask: changing policies that disadvantage you (like “no pets” for an assistance dog), providing auxiliary aids, and not unreasonably refusing consent for physical adaptations such as grab rails or ramps. They don’t have to pay for structural alterations themselves — funding usually comes from a Disabled Facilities Grant (up to £30,000 in England, £36,000 in Wales), which tenants can apply for. Refusing a reasonable request without good reason is discrimination, and you can challenge it through complaints, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, or the county court.

What counts as a disability under the Equality Act 2010?

You don’t need to be registered disabled or receive disability benefits to be protected. Under the Equality Act 2010, you’re disabled if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. “Long-term” generally means it has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.

That covers a wide range: mobility impairments, visual and hearing impairments, neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, HIV, cancer, severe mental health conditions, autism, and many chronic illnesses. What’s protected is the effect on your daily life, not the label — so don’t assume you’re excluded because your condition is invisible or episodic.

To be protected, you need…	In practice
A physical or mental impairment	Includes chronic illness, sensory impairment, neurodivergence, mental ill health
Substantial adverse effect	More than minor — affects things like walking, climbing stairs, washing, cooking, leaving the house
Long-term	Lasted 12+ months, likely to last 12+ months, or lifelong
No registration needed	You don’t need a Blue Badge, PIP award or council registration to have rights

Your landlord’s three duties: the reasonable-adjustments duty explained

Section 20 of the Equality Act 2010 puts landlords under a duty to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled person is put at a substantial disadvantage. In a letting context, that duty has three parts:

Duty	What it means	Example	Who pays
Change a provision, criterion or practice	Alter a rule, policy or term that disadvantages you	Amending a “no pets” term to allow an assistance dog; accepting rent by a different method if online banking is a barrier	Your landlord
Provide an auxiliary aid	Supply equipment that removes the disadvantage	Tap turners, a temporary grab rail, a vibrating doorbell, documents in large print or Braille	Your landlord
Not unreasonably refuse consent to alterations	Allow disability-related physical changes to the property	Letting you install grab rails, a ramp or a stairlift (usually funded by a grant, not the landlord)	Usually you or a grant — the landlord’s duty is to say yes unless refusal is reasonable

Two points matter enormously. First, the duty is triggered when you ask — your landlord doesn’t have to guess what you need, so put requests in writing (there’s a template structure later in this guide). Second, for adjustments to policies and auxiliary aids, there is no justification defence: if the adjustment is reasonable, the landlord must make it. As Shelter’s legal guidance puts it, a landlord cannot justify failing to make a reasonable adjustment that relates to your enjoyment of the premises.

What “reasonable” actually means in practice

“Reasonable” isn’t defined by a fixed list — it depends on the circumstances. But the factors courts and advisers weigh are consistent:

• How effective the adjustment would be at removing your disadvantage
• How practical it is — a portable ramp is more obviously reasonable than rebuilding a staircase
• The cost relative to the landlord’s resources (a large housing association is expected to absorb more than a landlord with one flat)
• The disruption to the building and other residents
• Health and safety implications

What a landlord cannot treat as a good reason: personal dislike of change, a blanket “we don’t do that” policy, or assumptions about your disability. A refusal with no explanation, or one based on the disability itself, is likely to be discrimination.

Realistic expectations: asking for lever taps instead of twist taps, a shower seat, or permission to fit grab rails is firmly in reasonable territory. Asking your landlord to rebuild the bathroom or install a through-floor lift at their own expense is not — that’s where grants and the consent process (below) come in.

What your landlord does NOT have to do

Honesty matters here, because overclaiming your rights backfires. The Equality Act does not generally require a private landlord to:

• Pay for or carry out structural alterations themselves. The usual shape of the law is: you ask, funding comes from elsewhere (a Disabled Facilities Grant), and your landlord must not unreasonably refuse consent.
• Alter common parts of the building. Hallways, staircases and shared entrances are the freeholder’s or management company’s responsibility, not your landlord’s — and the duty on common parts works differently (see the section below).
• Provide an adjustment that is genuinely unreasonable — for example, works that are structurally impossible, would seriously harm the building, or cost far more than any reasonable landlord could bear.
• Anticipate needs you haven’t raised. The duty bites when you (or someone on your behalf) make the request.

Your landlord must…	Your landlord doesn’t have to…
Change policies that disadvantage you, at their cost	Fund major structural alterations themselves
Provide auxiliary aids where reasonable, at their cost	Alter or pay for changes to common parts
Not unreasonably refuse consent for adaptations	Agree to works that are structurally impossible or genuinely unreasonable
Consider each request on its merits	Guess what you need before you ask

Assistance dogs: stronger rights than any “no pets” clause

This is the clearest-cut area of the law. An assistance dog — a guide dog, hearing dog, or other accredited assistance dog — is not a pet in this context. It is a mobility aid, an auxiliary aid under the Equality Act. That has three consequences:

1. A “no pets” clause cannot be applied to an assistance dog. Your landlord must adjust the policy — refusing is very likely to be disability discrimination.
2. Your landlord cannot charge you extra. No “pet rent”, no additional cleaning fees, no higher deposit for the dog — even if the tenancy agreement allows pet charges in general.
3. This right is stronger than the new pet-request rules. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 gives tenants a right to request any pet, which landlords can refuse on reasonable grounds within 28 days. The Equality Act duty is separate and tougher: a lease restriction that might justify refusing an ordinary pet is a far weaker answer for an assistance dog.

Two important boundaries: emotional support animals are not covered — the Equality Act 2010 gives them no special status, whatever a certificate bought online claims. And in the very smallest shared-living arrangements (where the landlord lives in the property and shares facilities), limited exceptions can apply — but these are narrow, so get advice rather than assuming. For the pet rules that apply to everyone else, see our guide to renting with pets.

Edmund’s assistance dog — Bristol

Edmund, who is blind and uses a guide dog, found a flat in Bristol advertised “no pets”. The letting agent said the landlord wanted £25 a month “pet rent” — £300 a year — to make an exception.

• Lawful position: the dog is an auxiliary aid, not a pet. The “no pets” term must be adjusted, and no extra charge is permitted: £25 × 12 = £300 a year Edmund does not owe.
• What Edmund did: he wrote to the agent explaining the Equality Act position and asking for the term to be adjusted in writing.
• Outcome: the landlord agreed, the tenancy agreement was amended, and Edmund pays £0 extra. Had the landlord refused, it would very likely have been unlawful discrimination.

Physical adaptations: ramps, grab rails, stairlifts and who pays

For physical changes to the property — the third limb of the duty — the law draws a careful line. Your landlord doesn’t have to make structural alterations, but they must not unreasonably refuse consent for you to make disability-related alterations. In practice:

• You identify the adaptation (usually with an occupational therapist’s recommendation).
• You find the funding — overwhelmingly, this means a Disabled Facilities Grant from the council.
• Your landlord gives consent — and may only refuse if the refusal is reasonable (for example, the works would structurally damage the building). “I don’t like the look of it” is not reasonable.
• Reinstatement can be a fair condition: your landlord may ask you to agree to restore the property at the end of the tenancy for changes that are reversible.

Social tenants are in a stronger position: councils and housing associations usually have their own adaptations policies and budgets, and can often apply for grants on your behalf. If you rent socially, ask your landlord for their adaptations policy first — it’s the fastest route.

Disabled Facilities Grants: how tenants get funding

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is the main public funding route for adaptations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crucially, tenants can apply — you don’t need to own the property. An occupational therapist assesses whether the works are necessary and appropriate, the council checks they’re reasonable and practicable for the property, and your landlord’s consent is normally required (the council will usually approach them as part of the process).

Nation	Maximum grant	Means test	Notes
England	£30,000	Yes, for adults (some benefits passport you through)	Apply via your local council
Wales	£36,000	Removed for small and medium grants	Higher maximum; simpler process for common adaptations
Northern Ireland	Run by the Housing Executive	Means-tested	Confirm the current maximum when you apply — published figures vary
Scotland	No DFG	—	Councils provide adaptations support through their own schemes — ask your council

DFGs can fund ramps, stairlifts, level-access showers, widened doorways, adapted heating and lighting controls, ceiling-track hoists and more. The grant is paid for the necessary adaptation, not the most expensive option — and you must not start work before approval.

Ingrid’s stairlift — Sheffield

Ingrid, who has severe arthritis, can’t safely manage the stairs to her bedroom. An occupational therapist recommends a straight stairlift: supply and installation quoted at £4,800.

• DFG application (England): maximum £30,000 — the £4,800 is well within it
• Means test: Ingrid receives Universal Credit, so she is passported through — assessed contribution £0
• Landlord consent: the council writes to her landlord, who agrees (refusal would need a genuine reason)
• Result: grant pays £4,800 in full; headroom left under the cap for future needs: £30,000 − £4,800 = £25,200

Marigold’s ramp and rails — Cardiff

Marigold, a wheelchair user in Cardiff, needs a portable ramp for her front step (£1,850) and grab rails in the bathroom (£450) — total £2,300.

• DFG application (Wales): maximum £36,000; no means test for small and medium grants
• Result: straightforward approval, grant covers the full £1,850 + £450 = £2,300
• Her landlord’s only role: consenting, which cannot reasonably be refused for works this minor

Common parts: hallways, entrances and shared areas

Here’s the part that trips people up. Your landlord’s adjustment duties cover your tenancy — not the shared hallway, the communal entrance steps, or the stairwell. Those “common parts” belong to the freeholder or management company, and altering them is their decision.

That doesn’t leave you powerless: ask your landlord to press the freeholder or managing agent on your behalf — your ability to enjoy the flat depends on getting through the front door. The Equality Act also has a separate route: section 36 provides a process for disabled occupiers to request alterations to common parts, with duties on whoever is responsible for them. It’s more procedural than the direct landlord duty, so get advice (Shelter or Citizens Advice) before relying on it. And newer blocks should already meet accessibility standards — one more question for the viewing checklist.

Private tenants vs social tenants: the difference in practice

The Equality Act protects you whoever your landlord is. But in practice, social tenants (council and housing association) usually have a smoother path:

	Private tenant	Social tenant
Reasonable-adjustment duty	Full Equality Act protection	Full Equality Act protection, plus sector regulation
Adaptations policy	Unlikely to exist — you drive the process	Your landlord should have a published adaptations policy — ask for it
Funding	You apply for the DFG; landlord consents	Landlord may apply for the DFG on your behalf or fund minor works directly
Minor adaptations	Negotiate each one	Often handled quickly from a minor-works budget
If ignored	Complaint → EHRC/court route	Complaint → landlord’s procedure → Housing Ombudsman → EHRC/court route

If your social landlord ignores a fair request or has no adaptations policy it will follow, that failure itself can ground a formal complaint — and the Housing Ombudsman can investigate maladministration.

How to ask for an adjustment in writing

Verbal requests evaporate. A written request creates the paper trail that makes the duty bite — and it’s what you’ll rely on if things go wrong. Keep it short, factual and specific:

Part of your letter/email	What to include
Who you are	Your name, address, tenancy start date
The disadvantage	What you can’t do or can only do with difficulty, because of your disability (you don’t have to name the condition in detail)
The adjustment you’re asking for	Be specific: “permission to install grab rails either side of the toilet”, “a copy of the tenancy agreement in large print”
Why it’s reasonable	Low cost, reversible, recommended by an occupational therapist — say which applies
Evidence attached	OT letter, GP letter, assistance-dog accreditation — whatever you have
A deadline	“Please respond within 14 days” is reasonable
Keep a copy	Email is ideal; if you post it, keep proof of postage

Template opening: “I am writing to request a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010. Because of my disability, I am at a substantial disadvantage in [using the bathroom / entering the property / reading the tenancy agreement]. I am asking you to [grant consent for / provide] [specific adjustment]. I attach [evidence]. Please respond within 14 days.”

Send it to whoever manages the tenancy — your landlord or the letting agent — and keep every reply.

If your landlord refuses: complaints, the EHRC and court claims

A refusal isn’t the end of the road — it’s the start of the enforcement route. Work through it in order:

Step	What to do
1. Challenge the refusal in writing	Ask for the specific reasons. A refusal with no reasons is itself evidence of discrimination. See our guide to complaining about your landlord.
2. Formal complaint	Use your landlord’s (or agent’s) formal complaints procedure; social tenants can go to the Housing Ombudsman.
3. Equality and Human Rights Commission	The EHRC provides guidance and can support strategic legal cases — it doesn’t take on every individual complaint, but contact them for advice on the strength of yours.
4. County court discrimination claim	The ultimate backstop: a claim for unlawful discrimination in relation to premises. Get legal advice first — law centres, Shelter and Citizens Advice can help.

What a court can award: discrimination compensation is uncapped — it covers your actual financial loss plus a separate award for injury to feelings, set by the “Vento bands” (updated each April). For claims presented on or after 6 April 2026: £1,300–£12,600 (lower band, less serious cases), £12,600–£37,700 (middle band), £37,700–£62,900 (upper band, the most serious), with exceptional cases above that. Most housing cases fall in the lower or middle band — but the uncapped nature of the award is what makes landlords take these claims seriously.

Time limits: county court discrimination claims about premises must generally be brought within 6 months of the discriminatory act — don’t sit on a refusal. Get advice quickly; law centres and Shelter’s helpline are free.

Eviction protection after asking for adjustments

This is the fear that stops people asking: “If I push for adaptations, will my landlord just evict me?” The law now gives you far more protection than it used to:

• England: “no-fault” eviction under section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026 under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Your landlord can now only evict through the courts on a specific legal ground (such as serious rent arrears) — “the tenant asked for a grab rail” is not one. If you receive a section 8 notice shortly after requesting adjustments, get advice immediately: the timing itself can be evidence of discrimination.
• Scotland: no-fault eviction from private tenancies was already abolished — eviction needs a statutory ground and a tribunal order.
• Wales: contract-holders have strong security; retaliatory eviction protections apply where a landlord acts in response to a tenant asserting their rights.
• Northern Ireland: no-fault eviction still exists in the private sector — if you rent in NI, take advice before escalating a dispute.

And a practical point: never withhold rent over an adaptations dispute. It hands your landlord the one eviction ground they don’t currently have. Keep paying, keep writing, and enforce your rights through the proper channels (see our guides to illegal eviction and section 8 notices).

Viewing checklist: assessing a property’s accessibility

Don’t wait until you’ve signed to discover the barriers. Take this checklist to every viewing:

Check	What to look for
Step-free access	Are there steps to the front door? Is there room for a ramp?
Door widths	Will a wheelchair or walker fit through the front door, bathroom door and bedroom doors?
Bathroom	Is there space for grab rails? Could a level-access shower be fitted? Where is the bathroom — upstairs?
Kitchen	Can you reach the worktops, oven and controls?
Stairs	If the flat is upstairs, is there a lift — and does it work?
Parking	Is there an accessible bay, or room to request one from the council?
Heating and controls	Are thermostats and switches reachable and usable?
The lease	Does the head lease restrict alterations or pets? (Matters in leasehold blocks)
The landlord’s attitude	Ask directly: “I may need minor disability adaptations — is that something you’d consider?” The reaction tells you plenty

Take photos and notes at the viewing (see our viewing checklist). A landlord who bristles at the question before you’ve even applied is a landlord to avoid.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: the key differences

	England	Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland
Core law	Equality Act 2010	Equality Act 2010	Equality Act 2010	Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended) — EqA 2010 does not apply
DFG maximum	£30,000	£36,000	No DFG — council adaptations schemes	Housing Executive scheme (confirm current maximum)
Means test	Yes, for adults	Removed for small/medium grants	Varies by council	Yes
No-fault eviction	Abolished 1 May 2026	Strong protections for contract-holders	Already abolished	Still exists — take advice before escalating
Tenant fee rules	Tenant Fees Act 2019	Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019	Fees banned under the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984	No equivalent ban

Northern Ireland deserves a special note: because the Equality Act 2010 was never extended there, your rights come from the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended by the 2005 Act), which provides similar protections — including reasonable adjustments — enforced through the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland rather than the EHRC. The practical advice in this guide still applies, but cite the DDA, not the EqA, in any correspondence with a Northern Irish landlord.

Final Thoughts

Renting with a disability shouldn’t mean accepting a home that doesn’t work for you — and the law agrees. Your landlord must adjust policies that disadvantage you, provide auxiliary aids where reasonable, and not unreasonably block the adaptations you need. Funding exists through Disabled Facilities Grants that tenants can apply for directly. And if a landlord refuses without good reason, that’s discrimination — with complaints routes, the EHRC, and uncapped county court compensation behind you.

Start with the written request, keep copies of everything, and never let fear of eviction stop you asking: in England, Scotland and Wales, “the tenant asked for adjustments” is not a lawful reason to lose your home. For help working out what you can afford alongside any adaptation plans, see our guides to what bills you pay when renting and challenging a rent increase.

Further Reading

• Disabled Facilities Grants — GOV.UK — eligibility, how to apply and current grant limits
• Your rights if you’re disabled — GOV.UK — the government’s overview of disability rights
• Housing advice — Shelter England — free, expert advice on disability adaptations and discrimination