The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 says that by 1 October 2004 providers of goods and services must have taken reasonable steps to modify premises in order to remove physical barriers to access.

No one will be coming round to check, but anyone who feels they have been discriminated against under the act can bring a civil action within six months of the alleged discrimination. A court can award compensation for financial loss and for injury to feelings.

Onerous though this sounds, it doesn’t necessarily mean making every nook and cranny of the building accessible to everyone. For example landlord Bruntwood, on advice from Turner & Townsend, came up with a solution for a solicitor’s firm located on the third floor of Portland Chambers, an old listed property. It made space available in a modern adjacent building which it also owns so that meetings with people who can’t access Portland Chambers can be held there.

However, a clearer definition of just what ‘reasonable’ means is likely to follow on from court cases brought by people with disabilities after 1 October.

Source

Construction Manager

Postscript

See www.ciria.org/dda.htm for more