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AIBU?

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Original poster

To just walk out my council house.

597 replies

CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 18:09

I hate despise this flat.
I’ve ended up in an adapted property with a wet room.
It’s riddled with damp because of the wet room, I’ve spent thousands on painting and decorating, carpeting when I moved in to make it nice. I fled DV, after less than 2 years it’s all had to come up and be replaced.
Wet room is being “repaired” but I don’t hold much hope.
I’ve no worktops, 4 kitchen cupboards and no space whatsoever and I’ve just had enough. I only realised the further adaptations when comparing my flat to my neighbours and I just feel like walking out. Communal hallway also stinks of cigarettes which comes into my home, HA are aware and have done nothing but send letters out. Despite it being a communal hallway an inspectors also said that the other tenants are okay to smoke cigarettes as it’s not illegal. It might not be illegal but I can’t open my windows cos it comes in all the bedrooms. DD’s stinks so bad of fags she’s in with me and that’s with the window closed.

Im so miserable, the wet room stinks, my shoes and bags have always got mould in. Im on the mutual exchange but no one wants flats and I can’t get a managed move, property is 2 beds and I’m “adequately housed”
I even asked if the housing association had a special register for adapted properties but they don’t.
I can’t afford private rented and wouldn’t pass a credit check due to my ex getting me in debt.

I don’t know what to do, I’m sick of phoning the housing association, sick of being upset and seeing plaster and paint just fall off the wall. I’m at my wits end and I feel like I’m trapped in this place.

OP posts:
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Original poster
CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:52

I’ve got woodlice as well. And silverfish. And cellar spiders. Apparently all are completely normal during autumn. Must be fucking autumn all year round then.

OP posts:
Original poster
CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:52

morecrispsnow · 03/01/2024 22:51

I don't get why it takes months for ventilation fans to work.

I also spent a lot of money decorating my council flat. I had black mould above the door, green mould and wood lice. The council were really good. They got someone to remove the mould and put the fans in the kitchen and bathroom. They come on automatically.

It doesn’t. They’re full of shit

Dont want to swap houses do you 👀 😂

OP posts:
morecrispsnow · 03/01/2024 22:51

I don't get why it takes months for ventilation fans to work.

I also spent a lot of money decorating my council flat. I had black mould above the door, green mould and wood lice. The council were really good. They got someone to remove the mould and put the fans in the kitchen and bathroom. They come on automatically.

Fullofxmascbeer · 03/01/2024 22:47

I came on to say contact environmental health. The mould is a danger.

Original poster
CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:46

Private round here is on average £1100. Whether I sound selfish or not I’m not and never will be greatful for this shit hole

They’ve got answers for everything, I literally said there’s no one else in this block who has issues with damp, and no one else has an adapted property. They flew it back with “we’ve not had complaints from the last tenant about damp in here” but the last tenant was barely here, was a crackhead and when I moved in the flat was such a cesspit we had to hire an industrial cleaner to come and fix it up it was ROTTEN. The adaptations have been in over 12 years

OP posts:
middler · 03/01/2024 22:43

It sounds incredibly frustrating indeed and like you have been very proactive trying to do things to improve the situation. What is the difference between your rent and a private rental? Your rent sounds very reasonable for somewhere like London but maybe not so much less than a regular rental in the NORTH. It is obviously really affecting you- could you put up ads to see if someone would swap with you or have you done that already? You should not have to work this hard to get safe healthy housing. I really wonder how people will be adequately housed in the UK in the future as it is at crisis point now with not enough affordable housing. That makes you feel you have to be grateful for your affordable place but at the same time if it is affecting your health, it's not good.

SausageAndEggSandwich · 03/01/2024 22:42

Are you on social media OP?

There's a guy called Kwajo Tweneboa who campaigns about poor quality housing - he's had a number of successes, particularly regarding mould. He's on twitter.

Also - have you asked your neighbours about whether they are also having issues with damp & mould?

If there's a number of you it gives your complaint more weight. Best of luck.

honeysuckleweeks · 03/01/2024 22:41

I know what you mean about no base cupboards, it;s so you can get the wheelchair under. The top should be a worktop though! There are swingout boards, would be making a change though.

Original poster
CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:41

Tacotortoise · 03/01/2024 22:40

Well no surprise that you've got a damp problem then! Sorry OP, they sound utterly incompetent. I wonder if someone like environmental health would look at the construction of the space as well as the result?

Edited
Show quote history

Probably outing my location here. But we don’t have environmental health, it’s called housing standards. They won’t inspect anything, they just send an email reiterating what I’ve said. It’s just a waste of time honestly

OP posts:
GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 03/01/2024 22:40

You can get plastic skirting that looks the same as normal skirting. Once the floors done, if you got it in the same design and ripped off the old skirting and put plastic on, could you just blag it and say you 'painted it'? It'd just look whiter / cleaner than the previous photos.

Tacotortoise · 03/01/2024 22:40

CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:25

No they don’t actually remove skirting. There was new flooring put down when I moved in, they just put it to the skirting board like new lino. It’s not curved up like wet room floor should be. Its just like normal floor

Show quote history

Well no surprise that you've got a damp problem then! Sorry OP, they sound utterly incompetent. I wonder if someone like environmental health would look at the construction of the space as well as the result?

Original poster
CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:39

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 03/01/2024 22:34

That's absolutely batshit.

So lower than normal wall cabinets with... Nothing under them?

Are the wall ones too low down to squeeze a table or something under?

Or something like this https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/hornavan-trolley-white-70243873/

Show quote history

The wall ones are all over things, like ones over the washer, ones over the mini fridge, there’s literally no under counter space. It’s honestly so so weird

OP posts:
Original poster
CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:38

elkiedee · 03/01/2024 22:34

I think you should contact your councillors (especially if you were nominated to the housing association through a council housing list) or your MP. And a housing advice organisation (like Shelter - there may be others in your area).

Your flat doesn't sound fit for you to live in, but it also doesn't sound very suitable for disabled people who need adaptations, if existing adaptations, especially the bathroom, have been so badly done. I wouldn't assume that all disabled people need the same adaptations for different disabilities, but the kitchen doesn't sound like it can be wheelchair accessible - how is the property accessible (or not) in other senses? From your description, if your tenancy agreement doesn't allow you to make changes, and the wet room is a disaster, the flat is going to be damaged, and there's also potential for damage in the building.

At this point I’ve had all their excuses, all their bullshit that I don’t give a fuck about damage to the flat. It’s not my problem, it can rot to the bricks for me. The money I’ve spent since I moved in, on decorating, carpets, even side tables and the lot has had to go in the bin cos of the mould. Carpets rotten it’s all had to come up especially the hallway as water from wet room has gone under the door and rotted carpet.
I don’t even phone for repairs now, I don’t care if it goes to ruin. It’s my idea of hell, as far as I’m concerned it can crumble. Thankfully DD has no health issues, but the day she does she’ll have to go to my mums because I already feel bad for what that little girl has been through. Living in refuges etc.

OP posts:
PandaChopChop · 03/01/2024 22:37

Go to the papers. Believe me. I work for a HA and its the only thing that gets people off their arses and making things happen.

I'm so sorry you have to live like this OP x

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 03/01/2024 22:34

CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:29

Nope! Even weirder, no base cabinets at all

Show quote history

That's absolutely batshit.

So lower than normal wall cabinets with... Nothing under them?

Are the wall ones too low down to squeeze a table or something under?

Or something like this https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/hornavan-trolley-white-70243873/

HORNAVAN white, Trolley, 26x48x77 cm - IKEA

HORNAVAN white, Trolley, 26x48x77 cm. Easy to move - castors included.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/hornavan-trolley-white-70243873

elkiedee · 03/01/2024 22:34

I think you should contact your councillors (especially if you were nominated to the housing association through a council housing list) or your MP. And a housing advice organisation (like Shelter - there may be others in your area).

Your flat doesn't sound fit for you to live in, but it also doesn't sound very suitable for disabled people who need adaptations, if existing adaptations, especially the bathroom, have been so badly done. I wouldn't assume that all disabled people need the same adaptations for different disabilities, but the kitchen doesn't sound like it can be wheelchair accessible - how is the property accessible (or not) in other senses? From your description, if your tenancy agreement doesn't allow you to make changes, and the wet room is a disaster, the flat is going to be damaged, and there's also potential for damage in the building.

Original poster
CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:29

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 03/01/2024 22:28

I've got one of these which is great, an would fit over a sink - very minor issue in the scheme of things I know!

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/laemplig-chopping-board-bamboo-00309829/

I'm trying to imagine the kitchen - is it that you've got normal base cabinets, but instead of worktop on top of them they've put the wall cabinets right down on top so someone in a wheelchair could reach them?

Nope! Even weirder, no base cabinets at all

OP posts:
GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 03/01/2024 22:28

I've got one of these which is great, an would fit over a sink - very minor issue in the scheme of things I know!

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/laemplig-chopping-board-bamboo-00309829/

I'm trying to imagine the kitchen - is it that you've got normal base cabinets, but instead of worktop on top of them they've put the wall cabinets right down on top so someone in a wheelchair could reach them?

LÄMPLIG bamboo, Chopping board - IKEA

LÄMPLIG bamboo, Chopping board. The chopping board collects meat and fruit juice in the milled groove and prevents it from spilling on to your worktop. Made of bamboo, which is an easy-care, hardwearing natural material that is also gentle on your kniv...

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/laemplig-chopping-board-bamboo-00309829

witheringrowan · 03/01/2024 22:27

CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:03

I told them about this ironically. Made no difference, I’m “adequately housed” and mould is “lifestyle” and I’ve had 4 inspections in 12 months so won’t be having anymore.

Honeslty I have been fobbed off and lied to for 3 years. I’ve no fight in me anymore. I’ve no hope of exchanging. I’m bankrupt so I don’t think buying will ever be a possibility. I hate those articles. If I could I’d go back in time and rewrite the past 6 years. I never ever once saw myself in this position. Sorry I’m in my feels

Show quote history

How about contacting Dan Hewitt with your whole story, especially underlining that there are other tenants who have had the same issue with the HA as you have. He is the ITV journalist who has repeatedly covered this & led the major reporting into Clarion's failure to maintain properties. Sadly, negative press coverage might be the only way you can get them to do anything.

https://www.itv.com/news/meet-the-team/daniel-hewitt
https://twitter.com/danielhewittitv?lang=en

https://twitter.com/danielhewittitv?lang=en

MILTOBE · 03/01/2024 22:26

I wish organisations like this could be taken to court.

I think you should go back to your MP and tell them that you are a victim of DV but that if need be you will be contacting the Daily Mail (obviously your name would be kept out of it) and you will be quoting the MP on whatever they say to you. There's an election soon - that might make them take action. It's disgraceful.

And I think you should go to your doctor, not for ADs or anything but to tell them that you are living in such dreadful conditions and that you are worried about your health and your DC's health.

Original poster
CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:26

Thank you, I hope there are better times ahead too. Maybe one day!

OP posts:
Original poster
CoconutSky · 03/01/2024 22:25

honeysuckleweeks · 03/01/2024 22:23

Get the strip thing, at least it will confine the water to one part of the bathroom. They will have to rip off the skirting to replace the floor? You're doing them a favour. Sorry you are in such a bad situation. Life just sucks sometimes. Hopefully, better times ahead.

No they don’t actually remove skirting. There was new flooring put down when I moved in, they just put it to the skirting board like new lino. It’s not curved up like wet room floor should be. Its just like normal floor

OP posts:
honeysuckleweeks · 03/01/2024 22:23

Get the strip thing, at least it will confine the water to one part of the bathroom. They will have to rip off the skirting to replace the floor? You're doing them a favour. Sorry you are in such a bad situation. Life just sucks sometimes. Hopefully, better times ahead.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 03/01/2024 22:22

Contact your local environmental health department
Hopefully they will come out and survey your flat
It's more than surface damp, sounds like a structural issue
It's dangerous for health for you and DC