The DDA 2005 amends or extends existing provisions in the DDA 1995, including:

• making it unlawful for operators of transport vehicles to discriminate against disabled people
• making it easier for disabled people to rent property and for tenants to make disability-related adaptations
• making sure that private clubs with 25 or more members cannot keep disabled people out, just because they have a disability
• extending protection to cover people who have HIV, cancer and multiple sclerosis from the moment they are diagnosed
• ensuring that discrimination law covers all the activities of the public sector
• requiring public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.
• Both the DDA and the DRC (Disability Rights Commission) state that compliance to the DDA 2005 should be by 'Reasonable Adjustment'.

Our highly trained and experienced auditors aim to strike an even balance between the required regulations and your needs, as well as the important addition of the latitude given by the application of 'ReasonableAdjustment', which engenders a common sense approach to building modifications.

With our assistance, you can achieve compliance while minimising costly changes to your buildings. Where changes are necessary we will help you schedule work to meet fair and reasonable timescales for completion of the work, in many cases, as part of regular building maintenance.

Typical steps in the audit process are as follows:

• Carry out an initial consultation with you to determine your business needs
• Carry out an access audit inspection of the premises
• Issue a written DDA 2005 Access Audit report detailing areas of non-compliance and, more importantly, recommending a course of action.

The report is extremely comprehensive and typically contains photographs that identify areas of non-compliance.

We will assign a priority to any work recommended, paying particular attention to items (Especially Health & Safety issues) which may need to be carried out immediately.

Completing the actions detailed in the Access Audit Report will help you meet the legislative requirements of the DDA 2005 and improve disabled access and egress.

This in turn may lead to an increase in your custom and turnover as well as help protect you from claims of disability discrimination.

For further information or to find out how MacDonald Martin can help you comply with the DDA 2005, contact or call us now on 0191 523 7870  for a no obligation quote.

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