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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to want the HA to fix my front door already!

18 replies

Amieesmum · 19/02/2011 20:00

I was lucky enough to move into a HA house in July last year, was offered the property in March, but it took them a long time to do some work to the house, which still wasn't finished by the time i got my keys.

A few weeks before i moved in, i was driving down the street it was on, and saw the front door hanging off it's hinges. House had been empty for a while, and was worried squatters had broken in, so went to investigate. Turns out on of the contractors fitting a new staircase had forgotten the keys to the property so kicked it down.

On moving in, the door frame had been repaired badly, but original door remains, with one panel damaged,letting in rain & wind and two locks broken off the frame, so only one standard yale lock in place. The door also doesn't fit in it's frame.

7 months later, 5 different contractors condemning my front door, many re-assurances it's been orders. what seems like millions of missed appointments, and two official complaints. They STILL haven't replaced my door, as a result downstairs is not only cold, but un-secure, and my insurance, which is a clause in the tenancy i must have invalid until they sodding replace it! If i'd broken the door i'd bloomin replace it. But seeing as THEY broke the door, why the hell should i?!?!?!?!

OP posts:

HecateQueenOfWitches · 19/02/2011 20:50

yanbu.

It takes housing associations bloody AGES to do anything!

The guttering on the back of my house had completely come away.

They sent someone out to look at it.

then they sent someone out to look at it.

Then they sent someone out to look at it.

then they sent someone out to look at it.

then they sent someone out with a ladder...

...to look at it

then they sent someone out to put up bloody scaffolding

then they sent someone out to look at the scaffolding

then they did the work

then they sent someone out to look at it

THEN they sent someone out who knocked at the door and said that they understood the guttering had come down and they had been sent to take a look at it!!!!

I would like to say that I am exaggerating for effect. But I am not.

Oh. and then there's the disabled wet room that we needed putting in,

that took two and a half years to be done!

That's ok. two and a half years is not a long time to wait for a wash.

I wonder how long before someone posts that anyone in social housing should be grateful and never complain about anything.

Original poster

Amieesmum · 19/02/2011 22:12

:D that sounds familiar.

My upstairs floor also needs totally replacing. House is nearly 400 years old... They told me "just don't walk on the floor" until they fix it yeh cos thats going to work!

OP posts:

FabbyChic · 19/02/2011 22:32

Put it in writing that if it is not fixed within 14 days you will undertake the repairs yourself and send them the bill, you are legally allowed to do that, you could however if you prefer withhold your rent until it is suitably repaired.

HorrorPants · 19/02/2011 22:47

If you pay your own rent YANBU

If you don't pay your own rent YABU.

Took me six months to save up to replace my door, I resent subsidisng others who live for 'free'

oldraver · 19/02/2011 22:50

Get a quote for a new door and frame, give it to them with a letter stating if the repair is not done in x days you will have the work done and bill them for it

DillyDaydreaming · 19/02/2011 22:54

It's immaterial WHO pays the rent Horror. Fact is the OP's home is not secure through no fault of her own.

OP - YANBU

blueshoes · 19/02/2011 22:55

Anyone in social housing should be grateful and never complain about anything.

HorrorPants · 19/02/2011 23:00

It's matters if i'm inadertantly paying for people to live in better conditions than me !

Original poster

Amieesmum · 19/02/2011 23:19

horrorPants thank you. No i don't pay my own rent. The ONLY reason i moved into social housing is because a year ago i had to give u my job, and used up all my savings so had to give up my house. So i could care for my disabled DD who has been very poorly this year. Given my circumstances, i expect my house to be fit to live in, not perfect but SAFE to live in at the least.

So yes, you are paying for me to live in better conditions, although considering i used to earn a substantial amount of money and paid a substantial amount of tax, and now can't i don't think it's unreasonable for me to use the system that is put in place for people in my situation to fall back on.
I wont be off work forever, but for the foreseeable future, I will be at home, making sure my daughter gets the care she needs untill she is well enough for me to return to work.

OP posts:

MoonUnitAlpha · 19/02/2011 23:24

So landlords only have to do repairs for tenants who aren't getting housing benefit How does that work? It's still costing the taxpayer the same amount, just saving the landlord something!

Original poster

Amieesmum · 19/02/2011 23:27

up* sorry

OP posts:

DillyDaydreaming · 20/02/2011 06:35

Well said Aimeesmum. I am in a HA house too and a Mum to a disabled child. Fortunately I am able to earn enough through part time work to pay rent. I would never condemn any parent in oor circumstances who cannot work though.

Fact remains - the house is not secure through no fault of your own. YANBU in expecting the HA to carry out the repairs needed.

RunsWithScissors · 20/02/2011 10:06

Could you contact the citizens advice bureau and find out your rights (eg. If you get a quote for work to be done, how long do they have to respond before you can go-ahead with the work, can you have bill sent directly to them since you don't have rent to with hold).

Hope it gets sorted soon!

NotAnotherNewNappy · 20/02/2011 10:33

Tell them that if they do not act you'll report them to the Housing Ombudsman - this always gets my HA moving.

Original poster

Amieesmum · 20/02/2011 11:59

Thanks guys

I think the CAB might be the best people to speak too, as even my poor housing officer has put in a complaint for me & is outraged, if she can't kick butt i don't know who can.

in the mean time. I think threatening them with the Housing Ombudsman wont do any harm

OP posts:

Lucyintheskywithdiazepam · 20/02/2011 12:05

Escalate, escalate, escalate.

If you haven't already written to the Chief Executive, do so now. If you have already done that and got no joy, then the Ombudsman is your next port of call, copied to the CX of the HA.

Get a copy of their own policy with regard to timescales for repairs and their complaints process (should be in your tenants handbook or similar...also, find out if they have a tenants charter) and compose a calm (ranty letters get you nowhere fast...speaking as someone who works in housing and used to have the joyous job of responding to complaints) letter, explaining the timeline of (non) events so far and where they are failing to put their own policies into practice.

KingofHighVis · 20/02/2011 12:07

Could also try shelter. They will provide advice and legal representation if necessary

Sierra19 · 20/02/2011 12:26

I am shocked by this. My HA are brilliant, I presumed all gave a similar service. If something breaks it gets fixed (or at least looked at) within a few days tops. If it is urgent, within a few hours. I do pay full rent btw and always have done but that shouldn't matter because they are still getting the money from somewhere.

Are they allowed to be so crap, especially where a safety issue is involved?

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