Can I refuse a new kitchen from housing association?

[papperlao]

Basically I am having a new kitchen fitted starting next Friday plus a full hose re wire.
The thought of all the mess /stress and decoration to be done after is giving me anxiety.
The kitchen I've chose is lovely but it's all the mess..no kitchen for a week so will have kettle etc in bedroom
Can I say I don't want it?

Why would you refuse, other than the mess. I had a new kitchen fitted about 6 yrs ago, was only for a week. Last week I had a new bathroom fitted, only a mess for a week. Just had to get on with it, spent most of it outside.

Exactly, there’s no rush, take it day by day. Great idea to go to your dads too.

You can refuse (my cousin did because she had her own fitted) but the reasons you have aren't enough to justify it imo.
If you can stay at Dads and ease your anxiety do so but don't miss out by refusing.
think of it this way you can avoid this upheaval but it will lead to more repair appointments(we all know the sub quality of HA fixtures) plus the electrics will need repairing and getting up to standard it could end up in many appointments spaced over time.
you can do it, can your Dad come round and help you clear and prepare?

Focus on

I would love a new kitchen

you've got your Dads to go to, so you don't even need to be there. Presumably you could stay a couple more nights at your Dads while you clean up etc.

SURELY they don't expect you to move heavy appliances? Just your personal bits & pieces, which only need to be 'out if the way' not actually removed from the premises.

of course you can take your time to touch up/redecorate, and I assume they'll 'make good ' any holes etc.

TRY to see it as an opportunity, not a hassle. As others have said, you won't be able to refuse the rewriting so you might as well get the kitchen done at the same time! They'll paint the kitchen & do the flooring!

take some deep breaths & focus on your lovely new kitchen and SAFE wiring!!

before & after photos would be lovely 😊

It's the rewire you should be more bothered about. I still get the horrors and it's been 14 years. Every wall wrecked, feet coming through the ceiling leaving holes and shoddily repaired at a later date. Having to leave for the day in November with a toddler and coming back late to every corner of the house covered in brick dust I had to then clear up before we could go to bed.

Except we didn't get the floors or the painting. We got a decorating voucher for the most expensive place in the arse end of tit and left to sort the whole house at our own expense.

But yeah it's 'free' so SH tenants should just suck it up.

Take the kitchen. They're shit quality but you won't get another one for 14 years unless you put your own in.

They really should be putting you up in a hotel for the duration of the rewire, an electric kettle in your room is not going to help if you have nothing to plug it into.

You can go stay with your dad and they will put a keysafe up outside so they can do the work whilst you are not there.

My neighbour refused about 10 years ago in a council property for the same reasons and now tells me every time I see her how much she regrets not getting it done. I have a friend that lives in HA house and she got her kitchen done just before covid, was meant to take a week and they only took 3 days, they recently changed her bathroom and the next door neighbour tried to refuse and was told it had to be done. Honestly I would just get it done now.

they normally make everything back to a ok standard, so if they pull paper off I’d expect them to do the whole wall and then at least line it, same if they blow the plaster board.
my neighbours had their house damp proofed and the council done a good job, wasn’t exactly how she had it but was good enough, although they just relaid old carpets which never looked the same, check your house insurance as if they damage anything like carpets you can claim

If you're likely to stay there long term, then I personally wouldn't refuse. We had one in our old house, and it really wasn't that bad - emptying our bedroom to paint was far worse.

I'm no having a go, but also be very grateful to have a new kitchen - only reason we can't is the cost. It'll be a long time coming, as all savings went on a leaky roof last year, and bathroom needs to come next.

Just to say that HA kitchens are not 'free' they put the extra charge on the rent and you never stop actually paying for it. I told them that even with a top of the range kitchen ( these are not) there would be an end to the extended payment plan.

Just stay at your dad’s until they’ve done! Also, they are the ones who will be doing all the heavy lifting, not you. Rewiring causes a LOT of mess in my experience.
Pack up everything thats out on display - ornaments, pictures,. Lamps etc. cover your bed and furniture with an old sheet. Get some boxes from the supermarket to pack all your kitchen stuff in - now’s the time to have a good clear out! Take as much stuff to your dad’s as he can fit in his house.
Once they’ve completed the job, go back in and clean / redecorate before you move back in.
It will be lovely!!!

Exactly this, it annoys me.

You will never get offered this again, do not turn it down!

Our whole council estate was ‘modernised’ during the summer of ‘95, it was mum and us three kids, it lasted weeks (about 10 if I remember correctly!)
Downstairs bathroom moved upstairs, moving walls, rewire, replumb, kitchen, bathroom, complete replastering and redocoration throughout. We lived in one room, they plumbed our oven into the living room and we did everything in that one room.

I’m sure it was very tough at some points for my mum (my baby sister even had a very serious injury caused by the workmen) but we had a ball and it helped that summer was amazing so we were outside a lot.

Honestly op your new kitchen will be beautiful, let them do it. You could possibly order some of those door cover things to keep the mess as contained as possible.

Why would you refuse?
I live in a housing association house and it can be a pain when they come and do major upgrades, we had our windows replaced a while back and I had to clear all window sills etc.., we didn’t even need new windows. Also had to clear the loft so they could insulate it.
The re wire is pretty important and I doubt you can refuse so you might as well say yes to the kitchen too. Just move as much as you can and then disappear for a few days and let them get in wit it, they can move bigger items for you, just box all your kitchen stuff up, they can move things like washing machines, cooker etc..
we are waiting for a shower to be fitted and new bathroom to accommodate the shower, I’ve been waiting for 3 years 😬, we will probably go to a travel lodge for a couple nights whilst they do it.

Council house tenant here. We’ve had (at various times) - new windows and doors, a new boiler, a new roof, new driveway and railings.

it was VERY stressful at the time but long term it was worth it.

I also have anxiety/OCD and it would’ve been easier at the time to call it off but if they offer it’s always best to take them up on it as it could be decades before they offer again. Good luck x

Building work and refits are stressful - it’s just part and parcel of adult life 🤷‍♀️ Move out, let them get on with it, tidy up when they’re finished.

Now don't start with that truth nonsense, on mumsnet all social housing is free and a gift.

I wonder how many of the be grateful posters would be happy to have this 'free' kitchen where they are TOLD when it will happen (or else never) they are TOLD what cabinets (always the plainest) TOLD how many and what size they can have (usually a specific style dedicated to SH) TOLD what layout the y will get etc... Oh but the do give you a choice of six colours.
I'm sure some people think you get a Wren brochure.

If you don’t like it move out - you’ll find new builds also tell you when your house will be ready, what cabinets you can have, what layout you’ll have and so on. They’ll also charge you far more for the privilege and you certainly don’t get a Wren brochure.

We don’t get anything added on to our rent for having a new kitchen. We recently had a new front door (after 5 years of asking for one) and I was allowed to chose what colour door would be fitted. HA used to have different choices for kitchens, some you would have to pay for in your rent but others (the basic kitchen) you didn’t, or if you wanted a new kitchen but wasn’t due one you would have to pay. Getting any work you actually want/need done is a nightmare but they randomly replace things that don’t need replacing.

Twenty years ago I lived in a council flat and they were updating their properties. New kitchen, bathroom, electrics, central heating, doors, windows and fireplace. Several weeks of unbelievable hassle and disruption. Then I moved to another council property slightly behind in the refurbishment schedule ... and the same again! When the dust settled (literally) I was nothing but grateful.

Move out of what @SirChenjins I live in a genuinely free house, I inherited.

So they are decorating for you too?

No they aren't decorating anything other than the kitchen
The other rooms after re wire will be up to me

Can you leave during the day and return to sleep? Then stay over at your dads during the refit/rewire if needs be. Put all your breakables in the bedroom or where they do not need access.