An Expert Witness in Disability Accommodation, Johanne Twentyman from Cowan Architects, has been able to use a Compact WashPod temporary accessible wetroom, to end her long hunt for a suitable property for one of her claimants.

“I assisted a severely disabled claimant recently with a temporary property search and the biggest hurdle with every property we viewed was a lack of appropriate bathing facilities within the ground floor accommodation” said Johanne. “We were eventually successful in finding a property that was large enough for the claimant and their family, but with no suitable ground floor accessible wetroom facilities. However, the landlord was happy to agree to us installing a WashPod within one of the ground floor reception rooms, so the problem was solved and the solicitor was happy”.

WashPod units are modular so that can be carried through the property and erected internally or connected with a lobby for an external installation.
“All that was needed to connect the unit was a cold-water supply and 2 x 13amp domestic, electrical sockets which is fabulous” continued Johanne. “A Saniflow unit ensured that all water from the shower and the WC were pumped via a 40mm diameter, flexible pipe to a nearby waste. For us these were only a few meters away but I understand that it can work up to 40m”.

The whole process from survey to installation took a matter of weeks and the final facility was tailored to meet the claimant’s needs, which include a hoist and trolley access with space for the claimant’s carers to be in attendance.

“By renting the WashPod and not undertaking costly reconfiguration works, costs have been kept lower as there are no reinstatement costs required at the end of the tenancy which has made the solicitor very happy!”.