To think that there is a misunderstanding about social housing.

Keep bringing up grenfell is sick to be honest. The cladding was used on many properties- dwellings as well as businesses; both private and public sector. It was a tragedy and of course the people responsible should be punished but honestly what does it have to do with anything? In general there are far more stringent safety protocols and checks for works carried out on behalf of a LA than someone who finds a builder online.

My HA and my friends HA wont do it They expect the tenant to be home.

Because they don't do one at a time, they do 4 or 5 at a time.

No we cant choose. What boollcks Do you really think if the Grenfell residents had a choice they would have gone along with all those "works" If tenants can choose why were their complaints ignored.

We are not allowed to choose who we want for major works Its in the tenancy agreement If i could fucking choose then why was i threatened over my front door and forced to have a more inferior one fitted.

Yes people need telling

it’s not free or subsidised
its not even that cheap
you don’t need to move out at any point
most tenancies turn into lifetime tenancies
we can rattle around in our 3 bed houses long after the kids have left home

Why does anyone need to take two weeks off work for a kitchen fitter? Nobody, homeowner or otherwise does that. You want the choices that come with home ownership, you'll have to pay for it yourself. Can't have it all ways.

You could choose as well. But you'd have to pay for it.

Oh so you dont get to choose which company or contractor fits your bathroom or kitchen then. Did the Government make this law that home owners cant choose which contractors or company they use or is it a prerequisite from the buiding society or bank when you take out the mortgage.

Are you under the impression that homeowners have their own personal tradespeople? Perhaps you've never lived anywhere other than social housing, because so much of what you complain about is just normal life.

oh so you and all your neighbours have all had this done at the same time too. Cool

Oh, I wonder if it has changed, or maybe dependent on council? This was the process for us, but you're going back over a decade mind. The housing officer was actually annoyed with us when we demanded the spare key back. They weren't doing the snagging, and things had become unproductive at this point. Funnily enough, the job got completed after that. The system worked out in the earlier days, or we would have asked for it back sooner.

That's how it tends to work. Even if you're the one paying them, they don't just sit around waiting for grout to dry. They're in and out. It's not remotely unique to social housing.

When they do the flats they dont just do one at a time. They dart in and out of different flats all day

When they do the flats they dont just do one at a time. They dart in and out of different flats all day

It was provided by the housing office at the time, they hounded us to let them do it this way, we gave them the spare. I'm only talking about my experience a few years back. Maybe things have changed? We took the key back at the end. This was the system at the time.

So they have a key for every single flat on a huge estate which will then be carried by all the different contractors plumber electrician etc as they dart in and out of different flats doing the work. Can see them all standing in Timpsons getting copies of loads of keys for a large estate so that the plumber is carrying loads of keys for different flats the electrician is carrying loads of keys for different flats and im absofuckinglutely sure no key would get lost in this ridiculousness

My HA does not have a key to our front door Which i was assured of when the door was changed.

They have a key as well, you don't need to be home. When I lived in social housing years ago, they renovated while we were at work. Anything important was locked away. It was nice not to have to sit in a dusty building site as well. It was all free, our kitchen looked miles better. When we earned more (very fortunate), we moved out and bought. I hope who ever got it after us took care of it.
The couple I know need to stop complaining about pedantic things like the tiles, and buy somewhere. They have openly admitted they have the means to do so, which a lot of people don't. Somebody in need could move in, and absolutely love that flat.

Yes the joy of being able to choose a kitchen installation date when you're paying probably around £10kish.

Why does anyone need to take two weeks off work for a kitchen fitter? Nobody, homeowner or otherwise does that. You want the choices that come with home ownership, you'll have to pay for it yourself. Can't have it all ways.

The reason SH tenants complain (see my post) apart from what ive posted above is because tenants dont get to choose when these things are done. Friend of mine has had a letter about new kitchens two months ago Havent heard any more so dont know the dates. His neighbour who works in the NHS cant just take two weeks off work so has refused it. Tenants dont get a choice over dates Home owners can choose the dates that suit them to have this done. Would you be happy if your childs TA or child minder took two weeks off You would moan like fuck. And these things often overrun and take longer than they say And would you be happy with this kind of appointment.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4922126-to-think-a-three-day-call-is-not-an-appointment

The reason SH tenants complain (see my post) apart from what ive posted above is because tenants dont get to choose when these things are done. Friend of mine has had a letter about new kitchens two months ago Havent heard any more so dont know the dates. His neighbour who works in the NHS cant just take two weeks off work so has refused it. Tenants dont get a choice over dates Home owners can choose the dates that suit them to have this done. Would you be happy if your childs TA or child minder took two weeks off You would moan like fuck. And these things often overrun and take longer than they say And would you be happy with this kind of appointment.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4922126-to-think-a-three-day-call-is-not-an-appointment

How are they saving for a mortgage? Their money is going on rent ? Also if they are getting help with their rent via uc . Then once they have a mortgage how are they going to pay it? As the UC will no longer help them.

The second part i do get you its like a rock and a hard place. I think its seen that all the time a private renter is able to private rent their not priority because they have housing.

I think its mainly familys in temporary accommodation/homless /care leavers /Dv/medical that have priority.

Also just thinking that people spend years in temporary accommodation/hostels etc. Theses places are often awful. Shared kitchen bathroom with several others. Often dirty. Its very common to have damp , rats , nice, cockroaches bed bugs even self contained places are simlar condition.

I can't see how it would work for private renters to go into social housing for the security. And skip the shitty bits.

I personally think there should still be life time tenancy but I think there should be a change. Something like the life time tenancy is with the social landlord not the actual building. Meaning once you don't need that size property you get moved into something smaller.

I believe social housing provides a cheaper alternative for those that 'need' it. You can still work, and be unable to afford private rent, or to buy. I don't however agree with those that abuse the system by earning more than enough to buy, yet choose to stay to fund an extravagant lifestyle. Dh, and I work hard to afford our house, we moved out of a council flat, and were lucky to be in the position eventually to buy. I have a sibling however that stays in council accommodation, when they can more than afford to buy. Sibling can afford luxury meals, clothes, eg £160 coats, etc, and has a great deal of expendable cash due to cheaper rent, free repairs, and renovations. My sibling had to audacity to complain about the new kitchen thay eS installed for free recently. Ours is old and falling to bits. I have asked sibling if they would consider buying, as obviously there is a fair bit of complaining about the repairs and renovations. The response was that sibling didn't think they could survive without the lifestyle they lead, and likes working 4 days. There is over £60,000 going in the household of two.
This I don't agree with, when there are people seriously in need of that accommodation.

Doesn't all this " move people out if they become better off" just lead to ghettos though? I can remember my grandmother saying that in her day to get a council house you had to prove you could pay the rent and was expected to keep it decent.

Now I can understand needing help to pay rent ( which applies whether social or private renting) but can't understand why it's acceptable to turn places into complete shitholes. Although tbh the tradesmen who work for the council seem to be find of doing a shitty job also. Friend of mine had a beautiful council home. The council decided they would do " improvements". Rewired and put plastic trunking half way up the walls, fitted central heating leaving pipes exposed everywhere and radiators placed lower so wallpaper finished above it. She refused the kitchen " refurb" as they wanted to replace her solid wood cabinets with everything built in with some cheap chipboard crap and not build in the appliances.

Now that doesn't help people take pride in their home.