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Original poster

Can I refuse a new kitchen from housing association?

161 replies

papperlao · 18/08/2022 09:48

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?

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 18/08/2022 12:04

AgathaMystery · 18/08/2022 09:52

A week of mess Vs a whole new kitchen…. That you have chosen…. For free?! Are you kidding?!

the house is their asset and they need to protect it so I think it’s unreasonable to now say no. It will all be ordered specially for you.

This. The week will fly by. can you stay with relatives for the week ?

Blossomtoes · 18/08/2022 12:05

ClocksGoingBackwards · 18/08/2022 09:59

If the place needs rewiring it will create mess even if you don’t have a new kitchen and that’s not something you can refuse. So if you have to have mess anyway, you may as well get a new kitchen out of it.

This. It’s a great time of year to have it done too. Ours (that we’re paying £20k for) is being done in November. The house will be freezing with the back door open all the time.

vodkaredbullgirl · 18/08/2022 12:05

When I had my new kitchen, they ripped everything out. They left the cooker so I could still cook and also they put in a temporary sink. Could still use the washing machine, I moved the tumble dryer into the downstairs toilet and they moved my fridge freezer.

SilverDragonfly1 · 18/08/2022 12:09

Kittyhoward · 18/08/2022 09:58

I wish people would stop saying its free. Its not the OP's kitchen it's an asset that belongs to the HA, adding value to their property.

And which will have been paid for multiple times from OP's rent, not least because bulk installation is much cheaper (they will be doing all kitchens locally, not just this one) and the kitchen will be bottom of the range, end of line stuff that no one paying for nice kitchen would look at.

Goingforarun · 18/08/2022 12:09

You will regret it if you say no. Just one bit of advice anything particular that’s valuable to you take it with you and/ or check who will be responsible for any damage or missing property

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 18/08/2022 12:11

Goodness you flipping ingrate - I'd bite their hands off for a new kitchen and a rewire, I had to pay for mine its going to cost thousands.

Better to have new wiring than risk your house burning to the ground which is what could happen if its old enough. If the wiring is being done then you may as well have the kitchen.

I had my entire house renovated and replastered while I was living in it and it was the worst mess ever but so worth it. I love it now.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 18/08/2022 12:12

I 5hink seeing as ot needs rewiring anyway you may as well go for the kitchen at the same time. I wish the council would replace mine. Its falling to bits!

vodkaredbullgirl · 18/08/2022 12:13

Are they re wiring the whole house or just the kitchen?

katishot · 18/08/2022 12:15

It has to be rewired - they've presumably decided the safety standards aren't up to scratch so it needs to be done.
Old wiring is dangerous.
And if the rewiring has to be done you might as well have the kitchen done.

Of course it's a pain, packing up and the decorating afterwards but it has to be done and that's the end of it.
Do you have anyone else who can help you?

PeanuttyButter · 18/08/2022 12:17

My grandma wanted to postpone her kitchen being done as my grandad had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer and given a month to live. Shortly after his death she told them she was ok with it being done, they said she would be done on the next round of installments... This was 20 years ago and she's still waiting...

SunnyD44 · 18/08/2022 12:17

No you can’t.

It is in your contract that you allow them access to do all the repairs and checks needed.

I am like you and hate having people in my house but it is going to happen so you need to make peace with it and think of ways you can make it run as smoothly as possible.
Taking the kettle upstairs is a great idea!

Give your home a good clean and shove loads of stuff in your room but they should only need access to the kitchen and toilet.

My friend has hers done and honestly it is so lovely and fresh.

Do you need to be home all week to let them in?

My council house rent is also more or just as expensive than many private rental homes and definitely many mortgages.

You still get some absolute bargains but that’s usually homes that people have already been renting for years.
Most social housing rent has increased quite a lot.

All of the new build homes that are social housing are around £200 a week as I had to turn many of them down because I couldn’t afford the rent.

ohholyday · 18/08/2022 12:22

papperlao · 18/08/2022 10:00

I would love a new kitchen it's just the job of it all.
I live alone so it's a case of lifting all the carpets
Packing up my stuff so they can access electrics then moving the heavy appliances.
I'm worried I'm not going to be able to do it.
My plan is to give them a key
Go to my dads then just tell them to push it through letterbox when they are done.
Then it's the decorating after
I guess I can just take that slow can't I
There's no rush
They do the painting of kitchen and flooring so it's just the other rooms
Most of my rooms are white walls so I can touch that up I think.
They will be ripping wallpaper off tho

I've had my electrics done like this. My advice would be to buy lots of cheap plastic dust sheets and masking tape then wrap and tape everything you can really well. I mean all your furniture, sofa, bed etc. Use two layers of plastic if it's flimsy. Things like shelves in alcoves you can wrap and tape too as long as they don't need access.

For the floors you could buy Corex sheets maybe? That might be easier than lifting carpets.

It's worth the hassle. A new kitchen wil be lovely.

Iknowforsure1 · 18/08/2022 12:23

@Parkinglotlatte
I don’t think I am an ignorant idiot. I suffer from generalised anxiety myself. Going through what OP goes and more and paying £15000 for that. It doesn’t help my anxiety, as you can imagine. My mortgage more than twice more expensive. Like a person with anxiety I understand that it may help see things in some perspective. It does help to ground me thinking that my little health problem is not going to destroy me when others are going through so much more while staying collected and doing the best they can. Anxiety doesn’t mean everyone should agree to you.

Randomthoughts992 · 18/08/2022 12:27

Its not your house, Let them do the upkeep

Parkinglotlatte · 18/08/2022 12:30

@Iknowforsure1 sounds like you have 0 empathy or understanding of anxiety. Those paying £15k for kitchens don't have more rights to be anxious than those living in a HA home. The OP is a human being - you don't know anything about their circumstances - and you are basically telling them to pull themselves together. That's ignorance.

YellowPlumbob · 18/08/2022 12:35

Yes you can refuse, but if it’s anything like the council I lived in a few years back, they only have funding for set things at set times, and you’ll be looking at least a decade before they get round to replacing kitchens again, so it would be a stupid mistake

Iknowforsure1 · 18/08/2022 12:36

@Parkinglotlatte
Empathy for the anxiety I have. You’re entirely wrong. However having anxiety also making a person sometimes pretty selfish, as using denial and avoidance to solve something that would benefit everyone else. He safety, her children’s safety. Do you not think it’s at least slightly important re rewiring? Feel the anxiety and do it anyway, what what we anxious people have to do throughout our lives. And if OP needs to hear the harsh truth that she can’t deny this important work provided for her, so be it. Like I need to hear the truth that I need to go to A&E even though I have severe anxiety around doing that. Anxious people don’t need nannying, they are grown ups like everyone else. “Get help with anxiety and deal with the works” is a valid advice. What’s the worst that can happen? Being inconvenienced for a week or 2 weeks (worst case). Does it hurt anyone? No? Do the jobs need to be done? Yes, especially the waiting times will be decades if she denies? Can OP do anything to make her feel better? Yes! Stay organised, distract herself, think about safe house with new (even though cheap) kitchen. I think my point is clear enough. Anxious to anxious, I tell my to OP - she’s lucky and there’s no wrong in accepting that and allow herself to see some positives in this situation.

123Squirrel · 18/08/2022 12:48

Its really stressful when they do works, I had whole heating system replaced and I had to move & cover things and find somewhere to go with pets, luckily the majority was done in a day. The rewire will be mandatory for safety and ideal if can stay with dad so may as well get the kitchen done at same time, otherwise current one will likely fall apart before the next schedule renovation. It will make the hassle worthwhile though.

Contact the HA or person listed for project, to let them know you can't move the heavy items and workmen will need to do this, it may help to ask about situation with making good damage after so know what to expect. I didn't know they send a builder ( well chap with tub of polyfiller) few days after heating replacment so when I came home j thought I'd be left with all these massive pipe holes on top of re-decorating.

For all those moaning that lucky as it's free, well it would be included as OP is renting. From my experience works done on social housing were often not to a standard you'd ever accept if paying the bill on own home and I hope it's not case in every area and some do give a shit about doing a good job rather than just quickly so make profit.

NannyOggsWhiskyStash · 18/08/2022 12:48

As the house is not owned by you, but by the HA, of course, you need to allow them to fit a new kitchen! It's looking after the property, and also for the tenant after you. I would jump at a new kitchen that I did not have to pay for. Just go out for the day or stay with a friend or family.

Fuwari · 18/08/2022 12:50

When they came to see if mine needed doing, they told me I wouldn't get anything as nice as I already had (put in by a previous tenant) so they said I should refuse, so I did! The problem is though, there are a few little issues with it but they won't fix those. It's all or nothing. So now I'll have to pay for all those things myself. Better really to just get it done.

As for the wiring, sometimes I think all that keeps mine going is hope and string! There are nowhere near enough plug sockets so literally everything runs on extension leads, which does worry me sometimes. But they did an electrical test and said it was ok so...

It is stressful but it will be over before you know it.

Jamaisy82 · 18/08/2022 12:51

I would definitely want the new kitchen. I am with housing association too and I was stressed out about the work and mess when they did mine and working around my work etc but I really wanted that new kitchen.

greatblueheron · 18/08/2022 12:52

Take the kitchen!

It will be worth it.

speakout · 18/08/2022 12:56

It may be worth remembering that if you refuse a kitchen you may not be able to get free repairs.
The council will replace damaged broken units or worktops, but may only keep spare materials for the new types of kitchen.

Original poster
papperlao · 18/08/2022 12:59

I'm just going to get it done.
Let them in on a morning and go to my dads
Tell them to push key through the door
Go back on a night and try and keep on top of the mess
The units have a sticker in dec 1992 that's when the last kitchen was installed
So we are talking 30 years

If I think of it positively -it's been 5 years since I pained so could Do with a touch up anyway

OP posts:
whynotwhatknot · 18/08/2022 13:01

i would stay elsewhere aswell op

i think its a bit late to pull out