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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

MidniteScribbler · 11/02/2015 14:47

I've bought and sold quite a lot of properties (my current house is the 35th house I've lived in!). I've always made sure the the house I'm leaving is spotless, but I always seem to move in to a house that has not cleaned at all.

Whilst it would be lovely to be able to move in to a perfect home, it's not generally what happens, and that doesn't matter if you own it or rent it.

VodkaJelly · 11/02/2015 14:48

I moved from one HA house to another, yes there were no fees to pay like private but UNLIKE PRIVATE RENT there was no carpets or curtains or lino in the bathroom or kitchen, these all had to be bought and fitted before we could move in. So it was not bloody free and cost me over a grand to move.

Yes it was my choice to move but I am just pointing out that unlike private rent you have to buy carpets and curtains

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 11/02/2015 14:49

They really shouldn't have told your DH to carry out that repair. I've just checked and what I said earlier is still the law. www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guides-and-advice/for-tenants/

It says the same on the government website.

gamerchick · 11/02/2015 14:50

Are people under the impression that 'we' don't have to pay to move house? The last time I moved we paid a pretty penny in removal costs. It's not free.

Babycham1979 · 11/02/2015 14:51

Laulau, sorry but that's bollocks. It's impossible to build conventional housing units for £50,000 in the UK. You evidently don't remember John Prescott's 'challenge' to housebuilders to build homes for no more than £60,000 in 2005 prices (£78,000) today. None of them succeeded, and those that came close were basically portacabins and shipping containers.

Also, you're overlooking the interest on the borrowing to build the property, the true cost of maintenance and administration and depreciation. The realty is that, in a capitalist economy, the 'value' of a product or service is what people are willing to pay for it. You're getting a service at below market rates, therefore it is subsidised.

Laulau79 · 11/02/2015 15:01

Kewtogetin & hatiekokpins your right it doesn't cost ha tenants to move ( apart from usual costs removal van etc...) but it doesn't cost the ha/council either apart from staff doing the paper work which we already cover with our rent & service charge

catnip89 · 11/02/2015 15:04

An exchange between HA tenants or council tenants is an assignment of tenancy between the parties with the consent of the landlord so you basically step into each others shoes. Generally HAs will not do relet repairs in this situation ,but the HA I worked for did do a gas/electric safety check when the move went ahead. It is usual for each property to be inspected and consent to be withheld if the property condition isn't ok. You usually take on the tenancy agreement of the other party so it is also worth checking that you aren't going to lose out if the other party are on a different agreement to you.
Your landlord should have an info leaflet/info on the website about how they deal with exchanges or you could discuss this with your Housing Officer. It's usual for repairs caused by damage by the tenant to be rechargeable or the tenant can opt to get them carried out themselves.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 11/02/2015 15:13

Can you take any of your nice clean carpets with you?

HatieKokpins · 11/02/2015 15:15

Gamerchick, literally everyone pays removal costs, yours is a false (and stupid) argument. But HA tenants don't have to pay agency fees, survey fees, solicitors fees, stamp duty etc. That's the "free" bit. Everyone else pays removal fees (even private tenants have to pay agents fees) on top of the removal fees.

FWIW, OP is being both U and NU. NU for feeling peed off, and U for ... well ... not realising that we all have to fix things when we move.

Laulau79 · 11/02/2015 15:18

Babysham not bollocks but your right it is very similar to a shipping container
You can google it yourself greenwich council paid 50.000 each for 32 flats built by St James managed by Hyde housing on blackheath road
Check it out ....

gamerchick · 11/02/2015 15:42

Well I'm glad you clarified because it wasn't clear to me. Sometimes you wonder on this site.

My 'stupid' as you put it will fit in rather well next to a fair few posts on the topic of social housing don't worry about that

Horseradishes · 11/02/2015 15:48

Why don't the ungrateful gits who leave ha properties in this state get removed or charged expenses? There are plenty of other people in the queue, it's a pass take and gives ha tenants a bad name.

Original poster

pinkie1982 · 11/02/2015 16:32

I totally understand people fix things when they move. This has nothing to do with people that buy their own houses. That's their choice.

I just know that if it was someone that didn't know us they would do the repairs themselves. Not just say they would leave it cos we want the house we will do it ourselves. If we fix it all and then the other party pulls out? That's just a chance we have to take I think but we won't be happy! Even less than we are now!

OP posts:

Mrsjayy · 11/02/2015 16:44

The Ha are at it chancing their arm say you want the electrical repairs done at least I know with swapping here any damage has to be done by the tenant broken doors and what not

chocolateorsalad · 11/02/2015 16:47

This happened to our new-ish neighbours. They exchanged with the awful neighbour we had and the property they were leaving was only a few years old and in really good condition. The property they moved into was a state. Cupboard doors hanging off the hinges and nail polish used as some sort of artistic decoration on the walls! And they had to do all the works themselves while the other person moved straight in to their nice new property.

ArcheryAnnie · 11/02/2015 17:20

YANBU to be a bit exasperated that the place hasn't been kept up.

But YABU to focus on this rather than the fact you have a HA house big enough for you and your forthcoming DC, which many, many people wait years for and many never get. (I know someone who had to share a bed in a studio flat with her DD until her DD was 11!)

Focus on the good stuff. You have a secure tenancy at a price other people won't have access to. That's worth a bit of DIY.

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