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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the 'decent homes standard' is the joke of the decade?

233 replies

ladyfirenze · 02/03/2011 12:58

Has anyone had their council homes 'upgraded' lately? Mine was done over christmas. Me and dc's were strongly advised to de-camp to a property provided by the council. This meant entirely moving house/storing white goods etc. Six weekd later we moved back. During this time we had a new kitchen put in, and new radiators as well as a re-wire.

I knew that I'd have to redecorate the whole place (three bed flat) but was promised help with the cost.

We got £160.

Also, because of the building, we had to use 'trunking' for all of the re-wire.

It looks shite. The trunking is cheap nasty looking crap, badly done. They had to come back over a period of two weeks after I'd returned to do 'snagging' and there are still bits which are sub-standard work.

The kitchen is okay, but wasn't actually done to the agreed plan. They had a huge hoo ha when I asked them to, and due to an exposed meter it couldn't be left. Their customer care is rubbish, and I was accused of being responsible for the kitchen not being correct... wtf??

six weeks on and I'm slowly getting the house sorted. I'm quite cabaple, but there are many who aren't, and will be left in a worse position than before.

OP posts:
worraliberty · 02/03/2011 13:02

I don't know. I just envy anyone with a council home who gets all this stuff done.

When you're struggling to pay a mortgage and keep your own home up to standard, it sticks in the throat to be told your council tax is shooting up to cover the cost of your neighbour's new kitchens, roofs, windows and doors Angry

Ooops sorry Blush

DerangedSibyl · 02/03/2011 13:04

If you think it's so hard having a mortgage, sell it and move into a rental where the landlord is legally obliged to keep your home to a livable standard. Nobody MAKES you buy a house.

Original poster
ladyfirenze · 02/03/2011 13:05

not at all worra! I waited six years for this work to happen, and had literally no cubpoards left in my old kitchen. It is heartbreaking when you wait that long and then get awful stuff done, that's worse than before. It leaves me without hope Sad

OP posts:
TrillianAstra · 02/03/2011 13:05

"move into a rental where the landlord is legally obliged to keep your home to a livable standard"

...and where they could ask you to leave at any time, great.

(just moved twice in less than 6 months because landlords decided to sell up)

TrillianAstra · 02/03/2011 13:06

If they are going to do a job they should do it properly.

worraliberty · 02/03/2011 13:07

I can't simply sell up and move. Anyway the private rental would cost more than my mortgage.

Sorry to hear that lady Sad

readinginsteadnow · 02/03/2011 13:09

No they dont deranged, but mortgages are often cheaper than rent these days. I know we couldnt afford to rent anywhere at all around here or in most on London. If we hadnt started off on the property ladder years and years ago, we'd be stuffed now, but wouldnt be entitled to any hb etc either.

Original poster
ladyfirenze · 02/03/2011 13:09

incidentally, I'm getting my windows and doors done this year and I'm dreading it - even though my front door doesn't actually open and my lounge windows were replaced with panes of glass that don't open.

OP posts:
coraltoes · 02/03/2011 13:09

regardless of what we think of council housing, they should be using contractors who do proper work for a proper price...not shoddy work for what is quite likely to be bad value! Afterall we all live in councils where budgets are being slashed, so seeing funds being wasted on crap work is sad for all of us. It is important for council houses to be maintained to a decent standard, to encourage tenants to look after them too. I remember as a student, renting a real dive of a place, and thinking "who cares if this breaks it looks sh*te already"...not the case when i had better properties.

belledechocchipcookie · 02/03/2011 13:10

"move into a rental where the landlord is legally obliged to keep your home to a livable standard"

I've been in my private rental house for 8 years and the landlord has done nothing except for repair the bolier. They would rather repair then replace so it's costing me a fortune to heat the house. I have no door on the cupboard in the kitchen because it was falling off so I took it off as it's on the wall and I didn't want to kill anyone. I've decorated, I get the windows cleaned and clear the gutters, I clean the carpets and they can't even be arsed to fix the bloody cupboard door!

readinginsteadnow · 02/03/2011 13:11

x post worra !
fwiw, I have the upmost sympathy; I'd hate to be back in a position where I didnt have a say over my own home. We had years of financial agony with the freeholder on our flat before we managed to sell it and get our current place.

Pootles2010 · 02/03/2011 13:11

I think the point is if they're going to spend our tax money, it makes sense to do it properly, and then they wouldn't have to go back several times.

Seems like any government dept are just destined to be incompetent.

FabbyChic · 02/03/2011 13:11

When I lived in a council house I paid 7k for my own kitchen, why would I be without cupboards waiting on the council, a council house does not give you the automatic right to get a decent kitchen. YOu could have paid for one yourself.

mrsravelstein · 02/03/2011 13:11

agree with trillian, if we've got to pay for it via council tax, it'd be nice to think they were actually using the money efficiently and doing a good job with it rather than wasting it on doing a bad job that takes months to fix...

mrsravelstein · 02/03/2011 13:12

sorry xpost with pootles

ChippingInMistressSteamMop · 02/03/2011 13:12

I'm sorry, but I'm with Worrals first post as well.

It is much cheaper to put a few things how you'd like them than it is to do the entire job in your own house. I'd love someone else to pay for the rewire, new kitchen and new radiators here and just have to pay for some finishing touches.

I'm sorry they haven't done a good job though :(

Renting is not the answer either.

chandellina · 02/03/2011 13:12

wait - someone fixed your home for free and gave you money and you are complaining??

If you aren't happy with it, pay for the work yourself.

readinginsteadnow · 02/03/2011 13:14

The council is utter rubbish ime. The house next door is council; the fence between is their responsibility, when it blew down and needed replacing we waited 4 months (with toddler who could easily fall the 2ft drop into next door's nettles), in the end we did it ourselves and had to pay for it ourselves Hmm

lesley33 · 02/03/2011 13:16

I think the point is that all taxpayers pay for the council to do work like this. If its not done well, then the council aren't doing their job properly.

I sympathise with the OP.

Kendodd · 02/03/2011 13:18

Actually I think it's just the same if you own the house. We have had builders in for months, and we have lived here the whole time. The are crap never turn up when they say they will, jobs unfinished for ages, the list goes on. I could try to get somebody else but they are all 'too busy' can't start for six months. At least you don't have to pay the bill (which is nothing like the estimate)yourself. Be grateful.

Butterbur · 02/03/2011 13:20

Trunking for electrical cables is hardly sub standard housing. Nor is it wasting public money. Rather the opposite, as chasing out the walls for cabling and then replastering is very expensive.

ambarth · 02/03/2011 13:20

Also many council tenants are also taxpayers and pay rent and council tax. Would just like to make that point as a lot of people seem to assume they are free.

OP YANBU.

zukiecat · 02/03/2011 13:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lesley33 · 02/03/2011 13:25

I was assuming the OP paid council tax, along with most council house tenants. Just making the point taht we should all be unhappy with the contractors work, not just the OP.

sixlostmonkeys · 02/03/2011 13:25

It makes me laugh when 'home owners' believe it is their money that pays for a council tennant's home and that a council tennant gets it all for free.
Don't Council Tennants pay rent? Don't they pay tax?
Why anyone would envy something that will never belong to the person living in the house beats me.

All this work being carried out is being done to such a poor standard it is a crying shame. They go for the cheapest product and cheapest contractor then spend loads fixing it all. Waste of money in the long run.