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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to feel angry about this...house exchange related

66 replies

pinkie1982 · 11/02/2015 13:09

We live in a one bed HA flat. I am 18w pregnant.
We have found someone that wants to downsize, he is known to us anyway.
We went to view the property quickly in December, decided we owuld go for the swap.
The other party have the property inspection this Friday, my DP went there today and found that there are light fittings broken, plug sockets off of the wall, no windows in the main bedroom open - which is obviously a fire risk and we know the house won't be passed off in this state. They aren't clean people and everything needs removing and starting again and bleached all over.
But...it seems that we are expected to complete these repairs. We will as it is only things that won't cost a lot and DP will do them, we can't chance anything getting in the way if we can possible help it. We cannot afford to private rent (before anyone gets in with that one!) and have been looikng for a swap for two years. The other party will be moving into our flat that needs nothing doing to it at all. It just pisses me off.
I think we are just going to have to bite our tongues and do it...grrr

OP posts:
kewtogetin · 11/02/2015 13:25

Well you're getting a bigger house for (what I can tell) free, no estate agency fees, no stamp duty etc etc and you're still not happy so yes, you are being unreasonable.
You'd be very lucky to find a place in these circumstances that was exactly up to the standard you would like. You have already said your OH can do the repairs and it won't cost a lot so I'm puzzled as to why you're moaning really. The question should really be 'am I being ungrateful' with the answer 'yes you most certainly are'.

TheWitTank · 11/02/2015 13:29

Unfortunately I think it is quite common. A family member swapped to downsize and the house she is now in was a hovel -absolutely filthy, garden full of dog mess, sticky floors, carpet stuck down with superglue. It stank of cigarettes and the bathroom was just utterly foul. She had to do the lot, and now it's lovely. It was worth it, but I will never forget peeling cigarette butts off the black sticky lino.

BrendaBlackhead · 11/02/2015 13:35

Had the same thing with our house. Only we had to pay over half a million quid for the privilege. And no, it's not a mansion - it's a bog standard box.

26Point2Miles · 11/02/2015 13:40

Actually op yanbu!

These people are tenants. Tenants are supposed to (as in the lease) keep up standards, report repairs and damage promptly etc. Not let them build up like this or cause them to happen and not repair them

The HA should ensure the tenants fulfil their obligations before being allowed to move to another property and proceed to trash that one as well!

DustyBedhead · 11/02/2015 13:41

I can see why your pissed off by it but the upside is you get the bigger home. Some people are just filthy skets. I'm sure it'll be lovely when the repairs and cleaning has been done.

tellmemore1982 · 11/02/2015 13:41

YANBU to expect the current tenants to clean it properly and fix anything before moving, have you asked them directly or tried to negotiate anything like that?

YABU to complain that something you're getting for free (which all has to be paid for somehow) isn't good enough.

As you're upsizing you're also gaining the most in this situation, it could be worse. We could have no HA ...

Wigglebummunch · 11/02/2015 13:42

Yabu, we have a council house and I feel very very lucky to have it. We started off in a tiny place and have swapped a few times and now have a 3 bedroom. Each time we have had to clean from top to bottom and replace flooring and decorate.

dickiedavisthunderthighs · 11/02/2015 13:43

Of course YANBU. You'd hope someone would leave a property the way they'd want to find one. You'd also hope the HA would have insisted the previous tenants made good before they left.

26Point2Miles · 11/02/2015 13:44

Er, it's not free?? Please explain why so many of you think HA properties are 'free'

26Point2Miles · 11/02/2015 13:46

There's a world of difference between a bit of cleaning and decoration and replacing electrics!!!

FightOrFlight · 11/02/2015 13:48

26 I think people mean 'free' as in no stamp duty, surveyors fees, estate agents fees etc. that would be incurred when selling a house.

jay55 · 11/02/2015 13:49

We know it's not rent free but it's without all the costs of moving when in private rental in terms of agency fees, reference checks, big deposit etc.

26Point2Miles · 11/02/2015 13:50

But don't those 'fees' get included in a mortgage? Or do they all have to be paid up front before keys are handed over?

Heels99 · 11/02/2015 13:50

Check that they have no council tax debts that would become yours

Babiecakes11 · 11/02/2015 13:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gamerchick · 11/02/2015 13:51

I had a similar problem with this house. They refused to pass the house until the repairs were made. The tenants had to do it themselves though.

I had to agree to not ask for interior door replacements though before they passed it.

Let the inspection happen. There may be stuff you've missed. It'll delay the exchange but shouldn't stop it completely if the tenants make the repairs.

SaucyJack · 11/02/2015 13:52

It's a bit annoying, but ultimately it seems like a relatively small price to pay to me.

YesIDidMeanToBeSoRudeActually · 11/02/2015 13:53

HA PROPERTIES ARE NOT FREE.

God, there are some fucking thick people out there.

OP, YANBU.

We pay rent, 80% of market value for a furnished similar property - very expensive area - yet the house was uninhabitable when we moved in.

I appreciate and am grateful that we have a secure tenancy, but it's not free, we work and pay rent. We had to spend £1000s to be able to move in.

Do people seriously think houses are given to people to live in, free of charge?!

26Point2Miles · 11/02/2015 13:53

I would insist the electrics are repaired by a qualified electrician. I work in a place where I see so many bodge jobs and hear horror stories about diy gone wrong. We always recommend an electrician to carry out these type of repairs

Your windows sound like they need a professional too

gamerchick · 11/02/2015 13:53

For broken electric stuff I don't understand why they haven't put their own repairs in before now.

VacantExpression · 11/02/2015 13:53

No, those fees are not always included in a mortgage. If they are, you get the priviledge of paying interest on them and taking 25 years or more of your life to pay back... there isn't a mortgage fairy sadly. (that I know of, happy to be corrected on this one)

Heels99 · 11/02/2015 13:53

26 they don't get included in mortgage. It cost us £30k to move.
But I don't think the op is being unreasonable. The housing association should be doing inspections. The current tenant shouldn't be keeping the property in that condition.

tellmemore1982 · 11/02/2015 13:54

Pay up front 26, what difference would a mortgage make anyway, you still have to pay it back?

AnneElliott · 11/02/2015 13:54

UANBU to expect a clean house- that is just general decency in my book.

However we had exactly the same, we left our place spotless and moved into a filthy place that we paid £400k forShock

FightOrFlight · 11/02/2015 13:55

But don't those 'fees' get included in a mortgage? Or do they all have to be paid up front before keys are handed over?

I think they are usually charged up front - not sure as I've never been able to afford to buy my own property. Irrespective, they still have to paid for out of the vendors pocket whether it's part of a mortgage or their wages/savings unlike with an HA or council exchange.

Also as a pp has said, there's not fees to be paid to agents as with private rental.