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

This seems like the most realistic option and whilst it may be unauthorised, it’s a necessity for you.

I rent from a housing association but have a professional job that means that whilst I do sometimes work from home I also have lots of appointments and also court hearings. I got into debate with them a while ago about this same thing as I wasn’t available when they wanted to come. If you don’t allow access for things such as gas servicing they can ultimately evict you

Your Mum works from 9-5 then takes your kids 6-midnight?!? Where’s their Dad, if he has contact can’t he do a school run? Could your Mum take a days annual leave seeing as it’s an emergency situation? Or tell her work she’s got the dentist and do the school run?

She’s already said it’s her mum who comes straight from her own job to look after the children after school.

So who looks after the children during those times? Ask them , or expect them if they are the other parent, to stay on and let the contractors in if they arrive when you are taking the kids to school.

I agree that you have to find a way round it. Breakfast / after school club, or keep the kids off . if you go for the morning slot maybe you can take the kids late via the office that day. You won’t be fined for one day.

I don’t think you’re being unreasonable. I’m a home owner and we are often having trades over for work or to quote. They may be a bit vague on their eta but they call before coming and would delay if I I had to do school pickup.

*Compliance work is time lined , if not done within a certain period then it goes out of compliance!

So in all cases , the work cannot wait serval months as then HA is them not complaint with the regulator!

There is a strict policy and procedures in place to meet the timelines, this includes when legal action will start and court action applies.

As the OP has missed/refused access twice, she will be breaching her tenancy agreement, in most cases the first appointment to court application is 3 months , 4 month for a court date.*

So if compliance work is timelined, how is it sensible to wait 4 months for a court date rather than wait until 9.10 instead of turning up at 9am on the day they arranged?

And what is the court going to say when the OP explains that they could have waited 10 mins for her for this incredibly important work, or use the key that she left for them?

Do you usually get a text to say the workman's eta is... I usually call the number to say I'm 10 minutes away. They're often fine to wait.

This is where you’re wrong!

Plenty of courts have court mandated an appointment, with bailiffs and the tenant is responsible for all the costs.

Legally also a trade will not enter a premise without a responsible adult , in most cases they are contractually not allowed to enter without a responsible adult present for the duration of the repair.

You will have a dedicated "landlord" you need to call and ask to speak to them and state clearly you are not refusing access that maintenance are being unreasonable ignoring the times you are available it will be sorted I've had this with my HA they said they would be there before 12 I left for work at one thry claimed I refused access I said no you were late they showed up unannounced I wasn't there that was strike 2 they said they would get a court order to force the door I said OR you could make appointments and stick to them? It's cheaper 🙄

She's already tried that, twice. On both occasions they came during the school run. It's also been made clear that they won't enter the house unless she's there, even though she's told them that there's a key safe.

Even if OP wasn’t the one paying for it, someone else does.

So the argument that she shouldn’t be getting reasonable service because she does not pay is rubbish.

This thread really is mental. Housing associations are landlords, and subject to the same laws as everyone else. No court is going to uphold a fine, or fees for forced entry, or eviction, when the OP has offered them a key and said they could just wait 10 mins for her to get back from the school run. She plainly isn't denying entry. And why on earth would they force entry when they've been offered a key? Either she has to be there or she doesn't, which is it?

However you resolve this issue op use it as a wake up call for the future. There is every chance other situations may arise that won't be within school hours. You may need to to attend the Dr's or a hospital appointment for example. You need to develop some kind of network, talk to the mums at school help each other out wirh favours like school pick up and drop off if necessary.

I have had this issue I just put a post it on the door saying I'll be back in 10 mins

Book the slot, if you need to leave, put a note on the door asking them to call you. You can tell them where a key is and/or how long you will be before you are home. They can enter your property or sit in the van.

Suck it up how? She's tried twice to be there in their slot, but they've turned up when she's on the school run (that she warned them about). She's now getting threatening correspondence, which a private rent or home opener wouldn't get, as tradespeople would be more patient (they're not on a contract so don't want to waste their time turning up when the householder isn't there).

It's appalling that the only thing that is available to her is to keep her child off school. At which point the same council that had made that the only option, would be on her back about his absence.

Yes, getting an HA place is fortunate, but it also means that unlike those of us who own our homes, she gets no control over this kind of situation. It's swings and roundabouts.

@Cattery they're free in the sense that you don't pay for them on top of your rent.

I think this is probably your best option @HAunreasonable to be honest. Unless, of course, your school needs proof of the appointment!

Either that or an illness that only requires one day off (i.e. not D&V).

Compliance work is time lined , if not done within a certain period then it goes out of compliance!

So in all cases , the work cannot wait several months as then HA is complaint with the regulator!

There is a strict policies and procedures in place to meet the timelines, this includes when legal action will start and court action applied.

As the OP has missed/refused access twice, she will be breaching her tenancy agreement, in most cases the first appointment to court application is 3 months , 4 month for a court date.

you might have to keep DC off school for a half day then, just make up a dentist appointment

This is where being in a HA property is actually a downside compared to a private rented property.

My DH has a property that he lets out and if there's any repair work to be done, they'll try and arrange it so that the tenants are there, but if they aren't in, the agents can arrange for it to be an unattended visit. If the tenant doesn't want it to be unattended, the agents arrange a visit around their timeframe.

I totally understand why the HA want someone to be there (ultimately they probably did do unattended visits in the past, but there is probably a history of accusations of theft, etc), but the inflexibility must be infuriating.

Do you have a housing officer you can speak/write to?

I'd respond their threat of "further action" with an email or letter saying:

"As you are aware, I live alone with my DC, one of whom has special educational needs [make sure you add this bit in as it will hopefully trigger something]. Furthermore I have no local family or friends that are able to be in the house while I take my DC to school. I have, therefore, no option but to take and collect my children from school myself, even on the days where your engineers are booked to call.

I have repeatedly told you this, yet the engineers continue to come when I'm not in and you won't allow me to leave a key somewhere for them to get in and start work before I return.

I have considered every possible option for being able to be at home within the time frames booked, but it is impossible for the reasons mentioned above.

Please do not continue to send engineers when I have told you I am not at home."

Here we go yet again. Repairs aren’t “free”. They are paid for by the tenant as rent. The landlord has a duty to do an annual boiler safety check. HTH

You can't expect them to turn up to suit clients, it isn't practical. You wouldn't expect hospital appointments to be booked around the school run would you?
Those of us who own our houses have to take days off for this kind of thing and use our annual leave and organise collections for children.
You are being very unreasonable.