Housing association saying I’m unreasonable I don’t think I am !!!

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
or just get a grip, sort yourself out like we all have to on occasion and the work gets done

I don't understand the PPs who think you're being obstructive. You're literally giving the repairs two small windows in the day where you won't be there and they should be able to accommodate that. It's a common problem after all.

To those saying "keep your kid off school". I can only imagine the uproar another MN thread where "I kept my child off school to accommodate a tradesman and now the school have sent me a letter on the importance of attendance AIBU".

When a child has SEN it makes it harder to do things like put them in a taxi/get another parent to pick them up etc. Its very hard for parents of NTs to understand this.

The letter that another PP posted earlier was perfect, I'd go with that.

Can you ask for a morning slot and put a note on your door telling the contractor you'll be back at 9.15?

Because of work and my time is just as valuable to me as the tradie time is to them.

The difference is that we have the option to book something convenient. It's fine that you've accepted that, but it wouldn't work for me so I would book elsewhere.
A tenant isn't getting that option.

I used to book repairs during half term of school hols. When I was first in an HA property, it was the only way until I got to know people. It’s a faff but it worked for me, in the end.

Some councils are 24hrs for a repair

They can go down legal route for forced entry if its a gas safety check for example.

It really isn't, I paid for a new back door last month and the lock has a snag on it. The company rang me up to arrange someone to come and fix the issue, they originally said 9am Saturday and I asked for 10am Saturday so I didn't have to rush getting ready on a weekend morning which they accommodated no problem.

Stop being so disingenuous, HA tennants shouldn't have to bow and scrape just because our housing market is so FUBAR that a working mother has no choice but to use them, and they should accommodate for logistical issues like hers which are incredibly reasonable with a SEN child that can't access wrap around school clubs.

My partner has a job which involves going to people's houses in an arranged time slot. Say between 8am and 1pm or 1pm and 5pm. Multiple times a week he has people who have booked one of those slots saying oh I have to leave at 10am or I won't be home until 3pm. Sorry, but if you book a time slot (I'm aware the OP did not book this herself but it's just an example) you're made aware that an adult has to be at the property for that entire time. There are other customers to be seen and the engineer also has other places to be. Yes, they will try to accommodate it where possible but it isn't always convenient. Similarly, he often asks customers if they will be home earlier if he has availability. If they say no, then he just goes later on as arranged. I do think the housing association could be a bit more flexible here but unfortunately if they don't have availability then you'll just have to make other arrangements for your kids.

This is normal. Part of being an adult is waiting in for tradies and deliveries.

I own my flat in an old building that needs work done to bring it in line with current fire safety regulations. I've lost count of the number of times over the last 18 months that we've been given a couple of days notice that inspectors/engineers/fitters/surveyors will be calling on X day and have had to alter plans to fit them in. This Monday I waited in from 9.00am to 11.40 for a rezoning inspection that took less than 1 minute.

Call them up and ask how to lodge a stage one complaint. Say they are being unreasonable to book appointments when you have specified you have to take your children to school as they are too small to go alone and you have no one else. State you have offered alternatives but the HA don’t want to consider them. Also state that you have a legal obligation to get your children to school and would they put in writing that they require you to break this requirement to be at home.

Also mention that you are writing this complaint with a view to going to the housing ombudsman as you feel their actions and then language of “further action” is harsh given the legal obligation for you to take your children to school. I find saying that you intend to escalate the complaint no matter what their (HA ) response is and you are simply waiting for a letter of deadlock and following the process tends to get things moving.

To protect themselves. I wouldn't go into a strangers house on my own who could then accuse me of something going missing.

He calls and asks.
He does not turn up without notice and refuse to do the job unless you can accommodate him.

This is incredibly annoying and I think of it every time someone complains about waiting for a doctor - I can only assume they’ve never needed any repairs of any kind to their home as the entire day can be spent waiting for this stuff.

We usually ask someone to stay in on the day around the times we just can’t be there.

Yes it’s annoying when you just get a window!

I put a note on the door now - ‘collecting child from school? Back in 5’ and hope they wait…!

What? Are you posting on the wrong thread?

I’ve had this and I own my home. Trades or services offering a half day between x and y. It’s totally normal.

That's helpful.

She's just explained why that's not possible.

Not everyone has friends or family nearby to help

So if the plumber encountered a problem on your job that meant they had to stay longer you'd be happy if he cut it short to get to the next job? This is why plumbers etc give a window of time. You don't know what you're dealing with until you start the job.

You're going to need to get a favour from a friend, either to do the school run one day or to sit in your house while you do the school run.

I used to love being asked by fellow parents to do them a favour and take their kids to school or pick them up. It's a favour in the bag for when I was in a tricky situation and needed a hand!

You'll need to find someone to let them in or take the kids to school for you. A childminder, or another school mum? This isn't a HA issue, it's a tradesmen/utilities issue - they're often the same, can't guarantee a time. If it's something like a gas safety check, they have to do it and you have to facilitate it.
It's not like you're needing time off work even, so you'll have to make one off arrangements, even if it means the DC having a morning off school

No it's not. The OP says she doesn't need this work doing. She recognises that maintenance is needed, and so she's willing to accommodate them. But if she was arranging this herself, she'd arrange it for a time that worked for her or for half term week.

You probably need to move to private rented. Look for a landlord who has a smaller number of properties & they will most likely let you book repairs, checks etc directly with the engineer/company so you can get more flexibility.

I would personally pay for childcare (child minder/breakfast club etc) as HA is massively cheaper than private rented where I am but If you genuinely don't have access to any of those in your area then private rented where rent is higher but landlord can be flexible might suit you better