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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:
fifi25 · 02/03/2011 20:59

I live in Newcastle, 3 bed and mines £62 if that helps with the rent argument

sixlostmonkeys · 02/03/2011 21:00

well, it won't make sense tou you will it. Wink

ChippingInMistressSteamMop · 02/03/2011 21:00

sixmonkies As for the rest, it has been explained here over and over, but you seem to not want to 'get it'. You are spouting a lot of nonesense (if you don't mind me saying)

No, you can be as stupid and rude as you like. You can also have a huge sense of entitlement. You can also continue spouting utter bullshit.... bothers me not one bit :)

sixlostmonkeys · 02/03/2011 21:00

oh dear...

DillyDaydreaming · 02/03/2011 21:03

I didn't accuse you of lying chipping, I merely think you have your facts arse about face, I don't know anywhere that has council houses available for just £58 a month Shock. I wager that these were either service charges or the top up after housing benefit was paid.

usualsuspect · 02/03/2011 21:03

£58 a week more like ..anyway let the nasty council house people live in shitholes if it makes you feel better

fifi25 · 02/03/2011 21:07

misread £62 per week, not month. If someone rent is only £58 a month they are either earning low income wage and haveing housing benefit top ups or its the ct. Newcastles probably got some of the cheapest rents and you cant rent anywher for £58 a month , not even in the West End.

DillyDaydreaming · 02/03/2011 21:08

I love my HA home. It's £90 a week which - yes - I pay myself as well as council tax.
I think private rents are a disgrace and should be lower and I also think we need much more in the way of affordable housing which is what this comes down to.

Fact is that housing stock has to be maintained and improvements are on a rolling programme - new kitchens are once every 25 years. Am not sure who will get this place after I've left it but they will benefit from any improvements - not my descendents. In the meantime as long as I pay my rent I see no reason to feel piteously grateful to those who think I should live in a swamp.

lovecorrie · 02/03/2011 21:14

I have to admit that right now, i wish we hadn't bought it though - just lost my job and we are currently living on dh's p/t salary. If we were still renting we would at least get some HB, understanbly, the govtisn't going to pay our mortgage. Does seem a little wrong at times though..

fifi25 · 02/03/2011 21:20

My friends just lost hers and had to go into private, shes gutted, wishes she hadnt of bought it. At least with council housing you have some stability if things change. On the downside you pay a lifetime of rent with nothing to show for it.

Mists · 02/03/2011 21:21

Chipping you do make valid points but this one:

"No, so they will get their care FREE while those of us who do have a house will have to sell it to pay for our care hmm Your point is??"

The point is, I have seen the sort of care that skint people get. It is shite.

My sister worked for years as a care assistant for vulnerable people. This is a person who let her cat shit in the steriliser and ran it without cleaning it. Maggots in the childrens' car seats. A whole weeks worth of pots and pans and plates still with food on left from Monday until Sunday night in the kitchen. I could go on.

I would rather die than have to rely on someone like my sister to "care" for me.

Which is why I remain a smoker. No lingering for me or a prolonged pension plus all that lovely tax going to people who will live longer Grin

Mists · 02/03/2011 21:26

And although in essence the repairs will benefit the OP temporarily, it isn't just to her advantage.

Semantics.

darleneconnor · 02/03/2011 21:34

Given the views on this thread i really shouldnt admit this but

I got a $4500 new central heating system fitted ( boiler, pipes, radiators) for free on a govt energy efficiency scheme

And tjen complained cos ot cost us $300 to replace floors/ redecorate

And i'm a homeowner with a $330pcm mortgage

(Flees and hides)

Mists · 02/03/2011 21:39
sixlostmonkeys · 02/03/2011 21:45

am I entitled to go into this safehouse? Apparently I have a huge sense of entitlement, so I should be entitled? yes?
Will I get help and advice in this safehouse because I'm rather confused about what I believe I'm entitled to. But it IS huge Wink

ChippingInMistressSteamMop · 02/03/2011 21:49

Mists - the fact is that in care homes people who are there 'free' and those who have had to sell their homes to be there are side by side - the care is exactly the same (shit all around - I may take up smoking!!).

UsualSuspect - who said anything about nasty council tennants or living in shitholes ?? For fuck sake, what I (and many others) said was when you have that much work done to a house you are living in and it's FREE it's a bit bloody spoilt to complain that the layout wasn't done the way you wanted it and that the trunking is shite.

Dilly - how are private rents to be lowered? Should the owners let them out for less than it costs them to own/run them??

LoveCorrie - I hope you find something that, at the very least, keeps the wolves away from the door soon :( x

Darlene - LOL some people Hmm Where abouts are you?

Mists · 02/03/2011 21:59

LOL at "shit all round", you also have a point there too. My Thatcherite parents have taken so much equity out of their house in order to keep up that I will inherit fuck all. Because they don't understand compound interest for a start.

I don't care about that, wasn't expecting anything, but I do care that they will now only be able to access shite care Sad

everthebeliver · 02/03/2011 22:15

I have done all three
Owned my own home: Had to buy it of a greedy exh who was going to sell it if I did not buy it. Kept it for ten years paying the mortgage, working full time getting further and further into debt until I had to sell it.

Rented: Paid £1000 per month for a three bed for five years and struggled every day. Landlord never even decorated let alone did repairs on the house.

HA: I am eternally grateful that last year a housing officer took pity on me and let me have a two bed flat in a tower block for a rent of £120 per week, plus council tax etc.

I have totally redecorated it, new flooring etc and it is now our home.

I have never classed myself as a lower class as anyone who either owns a home, gets a free kitchen or whatever and never will. (May I add part has not been said yet but I am sure it will be)

ChippingInMistressSteamMop · 02/03/2011 22:21

Mists - what a shame they have done that :( It's hard when you can see what they are doing but are powerless to stop them or make them see sense!!

Mists · 02/03/2011 22:28

Oh it is worse than that. My Mum has dementia and thinks she has no money but it is piling up in the bank. My Dad is supporting them both on one pension. They have never shared their incomes even when they both retired and this is the result.

I am going out of my mind with worry. Which is why I'm not fussed about an inheritance - I just want them to have a comfortable few years. They've earned it Sad

Anyway, thanks again, Chipping.

everthebeliver · 02/03/2011 22:35

MISTS: My dad is in a similar situation he has alzhiemers, although my mum is no longer here :(. He now has nearly £100k in bank and we do not really want to touch it because he is going to need it this time next year for so called "care". We do not want him to go into a council run home because of so many horror stories.

Myself as a HA Tenant if I got alz then that is where I am going to end up, but by then hopefully I wont know what is happening to me.

So owning your own home may not benefit you IF YOU GET ALZ OR DIMENTIA

another thread I suppose good luck with your mum mist and all the best x

PS: Sorry to hijack..

Mists · 02/03/2011 22:39

everthebeliever I am truly sorry for you. It's so difficult isn't it?

Thank you for your good wishes. All the best to you too x

And it isn't totally a hijack, it's a fair point about housing and care.

ChippingInMistressSteamMop · 02/03/2011 22:51

Mists - how bad is your Mum's dementia? If it's not too bad yet you should try to get a Power of Attorney sorted for her :( I have just been through all of this with my friends Mum over the past 4 years. Her Mum died a year ago and now her Dad has dementia (she's a friend but we've been friends all our lives so they are like family). It's hard. Very hard. :( We have just sorted out carers to come in 3x a day as it was getting impossible to keep up with his needs - they are a godsend (but ££).

Sadly, with dementia it's almost impossible to have 'at home' care until you die as it can be for such a long time and needs 24/7 attendance. There are so few places available for people with dementia that whether you have money or not you will go to the same place, the only difference being who pays for it.

Ever :(

Sending you both some hugs & strength x

everthebeliver · 02/03/2011 23:03

Thank you Mist, we have spoken to dads CPN and she actually advises to keep him out of a care home as long as possible as they crash and burn. So it is not purely financial to be honest. Going back to the council thing I would hate him to go into a place that he cannot self fund.

Chippin: That is good advice, we have not done that yet although I do have access to dads bank account for the day to day things, shopping, bills etc.

I look after dad every day now and some days are better than others, its ok you just plod along and deal with each drama as it comes. Typical example:

Rang dad last night to see that he was ok and he said "Im fine Stanley is here" Well Stanley is his brother that died 40 years ago but that is part of the dimentia/alz.

Mitz if you need any advice please pm me I am a expert lol :)

Chippin thank you for your good wishes.

Hijack over :)

Mists · 02/03/2011 23:11

Thank you ChippingIn, it is very hard because my Dad is in denial and he is very old school. Won't ask for help. Not even DLA / attendance allowance which I have offered time and time again to do for him.

He has worked since he was fifteen and blagged his way Grin to becoming a higher-rate taxpayer but only just, so he lost out really. But he did so well given that he was sent away as an evacuee when he was just three years old and had a hard time of it.

He adores my Mum. Worships her in fact. That's why it is hard. He will do nothing to upset her and that includes alluding to the fact that her short-term memory doesn't function.

Power of Attorney is something which must be done as well as getting Social Services to assess but I can't do it while my Dad is thinking the way he is...

I appreciate the advice and support though, honestly.