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?

It very well may be, but that's very unusual - the average mortgage in the UK is around £730, so your rent is cheap in comparison. There will be a reason why your friend's mortgage is so cheap.

There mortgage must be about 50K fhen so they bought the flat for 55?

It makes no sense, if the area you live in a three bedroom goes for fifty odd grand the rental,costs in the area for social housing should be about half what you’re paying.

I had this
New Kitchen units and floors and a new Bath , sink and light up in the Bathroom
It was not THAT bad as I recall
They loaned this kind of grill type thing as I recall ( a long time ago now) and done electrics first so that it could be used, as could my Microwave
If you refuse they won't offer again but its up to You

£300 a month will get you a house costing roughly 65k. On a 25 year mortgage, 3% interest rate. If you live in an area where you can buy a 3 bed house for 65k and you have the 10% deposit, then go ahead. I'm not sure why you'd be in social housing if that was the case.

Hi OP, it is stressful but your plan to go to your dad's is a good one, in many ways the people doing the work will prefer that. Maybe pop back regularly to see if things are ok. Put small things away and take valuables - not just jewelrey but passport, important paperwork with you. Not because it will get knocked but because it might get moved. A month from now you will have a cool new kitchen.

It won’t cost the OP that the 10k for our new kitchen would cost us so that makes it a brand new free kitchen as far as I’m concerned!

Don’t refuse as you may then not be entitled to any other needed work in the future. One week isn’t long.

Do try and have it done OP. I work for a HA and we wouldn't be back in your area doing kitchens for at least 25 years. You won't have the option to change your mind in a few months or even a couple of years.

It’s So odd though, social housing should be about 50-60 percent below market value , sometimes as low as 80 percent, so means a private rental for a two bedroom in this area is 800-900 a month. If this is the case then the average house price should not be fifty to sixty grand as the op is posting.

That's incredibly low rent

The OP hasn't said if it is a house or a flat. If it's a flat then rent is lower than a house.

My friend is still cooking on a camping stove after 8 months! We had a new kitchen and I was dreading it.Was a mess for a week or so but honestly seems like a new house! Really worth it for you esp for free.Dont look a gifthorse in the mouth as they say!

Yeah the £300 a month mortgage she's referring to is probably someone who bought their house 22 years ago 🤷🏼‍♀️

Jobs like this always look like a massive mountain when you look at the whole. They really do.

BUT

They are never that bad in reality. Everything works out in the end.

Look at just one step at a time. If you're moving out to your Dad's then focus simply on that step.

If you need to clear some stuff out the way, focus on that step.

One element at a time and before you know it, you'll be on the home run :)

She bought her house 3 years ago
The house is worth around £65,000
She pays £300 a month

It's a house
It's in the north east and that is normal for rent here

I understand your anxiety and I don't think you are being ungrateful. Anxiety can override even wonderful things happening because of what it takes to get to the final result.

I would go to you Dad's and let them at it and go back when it is all done. Then, step by step and bit by bit you will get the place back to normal and looking lovely and you will have a beautiful new kitchen aswell. I don't think the mess and disruption will be as bad as you think.

I hope you come back and let us know how it all has worked out. Best of luck and remember you CAN do this and it WILL be worth it x

Hi, I'm socially housed too. I know it's a hassle but just mitigate the mess. It would freak me out too, I work from home and it really makes you go on edge when the home is messy.

But just do something to deal with it because really the house isn't ours, they need updating and it's great that it's being done. It will be lovely when finished, and whoever lives there after you will have that kitchen.

I see these homes as transient, we live in them forever, but when done we know they will go to a deserving person.

Empty the cupboards, they’ll do the rest. If it’s being rewired they’ll have to move cooker, hob etc…
I had kitchen and bathroom refitted at the same time and the guys were brilliant. It was quite stress free.
Leave them tea, coffee, something cold to drink and really nice biscuits and they’ll be putty in your hands 😊

I feel for you OP. But it will be worth it you will get through it and it will be worth it. Next year you will be glad you did it.

Hilarious that someone mentioned

"are you getting help with your anxiety OP?"

As a hallmark of passive aggressive point scoring on here, and here it is in one of today's first posts.

Those of you sneering at the Op are pathetic by the way. This is a person who is clearly anxious. Others looking down because it's free and suggesting you should be "grateful" Ignore these ignorant idiots.

It sounds as if you decorate and look after your house as if it is yours. You would be better in one that you owned so that you can be in control of what happens to it.

If you can afford to buy - it does seem odd that you qualify for social housing. Perhaps there is more available in the NE. There is little or none for people down here.

Honestly her help for your anxiety and get it done !

You would be mad to turn down a new kitchen . A week without one is nothing ffs ! 🙄