For over a year now, we have been following the story of Sophie, a 30-year-old creative writer, blogger, and full-time wheelchair user living with cerebral palsy, who faced sudden eviction from her adapted Southampton home and has spent months fighting for alternative accessible accommodation. In May 2026, she finally moved into her alternative flat, but she has admitted it hasn’t come without barriers and ongoing challenges.
Sophie was forced to leave her adapted Southampton home in June 2025 after urgent structural fire-safety concerns were identified at Admirals Quay. Residents were given little more than a week’s notice, but Sophie’s complex accessibility requirements — including ceiling-mounted hoists and access to multiple lifts – meant standard temporary accommodation, hotels or care homes were unsuitable.
Despite raising her concerns with the managing agent, relocation company and developers, Sophie struggled to secure appropriate alternative accommodation. Her local MP became involved, pressing those responsible to recognise her specific needs. Although her eviction was temporarily delayed until July 2025, the situation remained unresolved. Six months later, Sophie was still waiting for suitable accessible accommodation, highlighting the continuing difficulties disabled people with complex needs face when existing accessible housing is suddenly lost.
Read: Existing, Not Living: My Fight For An Accessible Home
Accessible housing delays leave wheelchair user waiting months for adaptations
By the end of 2025, Sophie had agreed to move into a first-floor property, with all the necessary adaptations, including a ceiling hoist, due to be installed. However, the property was unexpectedly given to someone else, leaving Sophie to accept an alternative ground-floor flat with the same adaptations, including the agreed ceiling hoist, and the move initially appeared to be progressing.
However, over the next few months, Sophie and her father were subjected to a period of non-communication. They kept contacting Barrett Red Row for updates but were just told things were progressing with no time indications.
Eventually Sophie’s Dad was contacted by Barrett Red Row, who made him three offers of cash in lieu, buy the original flat from them, or continue to adapt the flat they had agreed to three months before.
Reacting to this, Sophie said: “My Dad came to me with these offers, and I immediately refused the first two. Cash in lieu had been offered to us several times before, which we’d refused. The offer to buy the first flat from us was the same in principle, but worse, as we would not have a flat at all to return to. As we had been fighting for so long, we didn’t want to give up on our original flat, so we knew we would only accept the third offer.”
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In addition, Sophie understood that when they were offered those three options to choose from, the offer to buy the original flat was only offered to them and none of the other residents in the building.
After six long months since accepting this flat, the H-Frame/XY ceiling hoists were fitted in the large bedroom and main bathroom, which suits Sophie’s needs as the hoists can be positioned anywhere within the room to make it easy for her to transfer. Sophie’s Dad was often contacted during the fitting of the hoists, as they didn’t know what they were doing and wanted to get it right, which Sophie appreciated.
After viewing the alternative property in person, Sophie approved it and permitted work to begin on her original flat, having previously been reluctant to do so without a confirmed alternative. When returning to collect belongings, she discovered that extensive work had already stripped other flats down to their floors, walls and ceilings.
Read: “My Struggle For Access”: A Disabled Medical Student’s Fight For Accessible Higher Education
New accessible flat still presents challenges for wheelchair user
Sophie moved into the new alternative flat temporarily starting on 22nd May 2026, but an immediate permanent relocation isn’t possible at this time as Sophie now has the additional challenge of needing to restart recruitment for two new PAs. Therefore, she will continue to live in her family home in Birmingham until her care support is in place, and then she can return to Southampton full-time.
However, Sophie is still going down to the flat for prolonged periods and stays, as she still has a life down there and doesn’t want to sacrifice that for anything.
She said: “It is great to live in Southampton again. It really is home for me now. Very excited to be back and have elements of my independence back. The ability to take a breath. Can’t describe the feeling of being back, really. ”
Regarding how Sophie feels about this new alternative flat, she said: “In comparison to the other flat, it is more modern and tech-outfitted, but it’s a lot smaller and I, for one, am struggling with the size. It’s more challenging to manoeuvre around, and there are times I have struggled with turning circles. With the space and layout of the bedroom, I struggle to use it as a break-out space and use the living room, which is fine, but it’s not my own space.”
She continued: “The bathroom’s orientation is challenging. It’s wider rather than longer, and as a result my wheelchair cannot get in properly, as well as myself and another person. It takes a lot of in and out, angling ourselves to try and fit. It’s okay, but it’s challenging. The bath is also difficult but doable. It’s nice to have a bath again.”
Sophie also shared how she loves being able to get on the level patio and being outside, which has been good in this hot weather, and it’s much easier to be on the ground floor (especially when the lifts break down all the time).
Sophie also appreciates the communal spaces as part of the complex, such as the communal lounge and kitchen area. There is also a gym and garden area.
Sophie added: “It also has a good public feel, especially the activities available to sign up for and be a part of.”
At present, residents of Admirals Quay have recently been told that they can start moving back in August 2028, which is another two years. But something tells Sophie that “this is just words”.
Reflecting on her journey, Sophie concluded: “Don’t get me wrong, I am so glad we have a new alternative accommodation that has been leased to me for two years, and happy we keep fighting as it got us what we were entitled to. But I am tired of fighting. The lease is for two years, but I am very sceptical about the time it’s going to take to rebuild our flat.
“As of July 2026, it was 12 months since we were evicted, and 13 months since it all started. The whole journey has taken its toll on my health and confidence. I’ve had a regular changeover in personal assistants due to significantly changing locations and having to change my life around, living in a different location even if it’s my family home and getting used to different routines as I try to adapt, and now I need to do it again. Society says it’s improving, but if that’s the case, why do those with disabilities who have to deal with excruciating pain on an hourly basis and who knows what else have to fight so hard for what a non-disabled person is entitled to without question?”
A property may be described as accessible, but that does not necessarily mean it works for the person living in it. From bathroom layouts and turning spaces to hoists, care provision and communal facilities, seemingly small details can have a significant impact on independence.
Have you ever been offered accommodation described as accessible that did not meet your actual needs? Share your experiences in the comments box, on social media or contact us to share your personal story.