to think this isn't quite right (housing)

[Cardbordeaux]

We rent a house from a housing association. When we signed for it and got the keys we were told that a freestanding garage came with the house and we were given keys for it, even though it was in poor repair. There was nothing in the tenancy agreement specifically about the garage, it just says "keys given for entirety of property" which we took to mean house and garage hut they are now saying means only the house.

Nine months later the HA said they were going to have the garage roof repaired and asked if they could "borrow" (their word) the keys so that the repair crew didn't have to knock on our door every time they needed access. Stupidly, I handed the key over and didn't ask for it in writing.

A few weeks later I rang them to ask how muh longer they'd have the keys because everything usually stored in the garage was currently stored in the conservatory and I was fed up of tripping over it. I was told "erm.... I don't think you're getting the keys back. I've been told not to give them back to you".

When I enquired further I was told that the garage was never included with the house and that if we want it we will have to rent it from them.

AIBU to complain on the grounds that the keys were taken by deception almost, that no one has bothered to keep us informed about this issue (I only found out when I rang them to ask about the progress), and that they can't give us they keys and then say "actually you shouldn't have those."

Nope, they have been crap. The usual arrangement ime is that you pay rent for the garage, but it may have been included in your rent. (although wouldn't be covered by HB), and to have gone with the house.
Put in a complaint (but it may end up that you have to pay rent for the garage). Can you find the name of the person who signed your tenancy agreement and told you about the garage and gave you the keys?

Par for the course though, I arranged to hang on to a garage for a few weeks after I moved, paid a months rent, and arrived to find the HA workmen 'clearing' it, (as in anything of value had disappeared) using keys they denied they had.

Sounds like they are trying to squeeze more money out of you.

i know the council flats and houses near me rent the garage separate to the property

i think you are going to have to complain

out of interest how much are the garages to rent ?

I have no idea how much the rent would be, no one is responding to our queries about it. That's my main issue really, that they've made this supposed error in giving us the garage keys and they've then fudged the handling of it. No communication, no consultation, and all that's ever said is someone will ring you but no one ever does.

When they realised their error they should have let us know properly, in writing, so that we could raise any queries or concerns. When the final decision was made on the garage they should have written to us to let us know, and then they should have made arrangements for the keys to be handed over.

I've emailed them a complaint this morning, waiting to see what they say.

Ah housing associations. The dodgiest feckers going if you ask me. My dealings with them were a nightmare. They 'lost' paperwork and sent it off to mysterious scanning buildings to delay my housing benefit for months on end before they eventually released it me. Refused to see me until I turned up at the office with my dc and told them I wasn't going until someone sorted it out. I was at my wits end after lots of expensive phone calls to them and having to beg others to help pay my rent. Then the horrors of getting more work and having to tell them, so they stop the benefit and the whole process starts again. They are deliberately ineffecient if you ask me, so that someone at the top can cream off the money that's meant to come to the needy - it's a right scam. Keep thinking one day dispatches or someone will look into it.

Back to your problem.....Try complaining to the council maybe? I reckon you might have trouble if they're going to rent out the garage - might they ask for back-pay for when you were using it? I wouldn't put it past them.

I'd fight it if they tried that

My complaint to has been received and someone will be in touch. Haven't heard that before :o

speye.wordpress.com/2015/10/24/hazzies-the-worst-landlord-awards/

do you think you orginallly gat the keys by accident and were supposed to pay extra for the garage? i,m in a council house and the only garages on our estate appear to be with privatley owned housesi know the council have some garages not sure where they are though

got*

I think the garage would have come with the property but now they want to rent it on the open market for megabucks.

I'm not sure who you can complain to.

Maybe involve the local press?
Has the same thing happened to your neighbours?

The HA can take away the garage at any time, the garage is not included within the property.

Hence why it is separate however I do think it is UR of them to do it the way they have.

Also garage rents are roughly £8pw

also HA are completely separate to the council, you cannot phone the council over HA property.

wheelsonthebus, I'm not sure where you've got your information from, but HA DO NOT deal with HB claims and awards!

They cannot legally get involved with paperwork etc... HA can receive HB at a tenants request however they themselves cannot deal with HB payments awarded, no do they receive the paperwork on behalf of the tenant as they are not the ones requested to receive HB, it's you as a tenant.

Sorry I've edited this as I'm on my mobile and cannot see screen properly, have requested for the above post to be deleted.

AIBU to ask which housing association it is? lol. We've had NOTHING but problems since moving into a HA property... to the point we're moving again, a little over a year since we took it on. They're horrible lying cretinous organisations... involve the local press and record all interactions with them.

Yes, all those vile HAs
Generalisation much?
Perhaps should rent privately and give up the lower than market rent secure tenancy for life that you have...

www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/willesden_pensioner_forced_to_live_with_no_hot_water_and_heating_for_seven_months_contracts_pneumonia_1_1389701

I've PM'd you confused.

MsJamie, that's my main issue. Not so much that they've suddenly decided that the garage isn't part of the tenancy (for all its annoying), and more that they've gone about the matter in a completely cack-handed way.

OP have you checked what your tenancy says about the conservatory? Most are gifted, so all repairs are down to you, but tbh, I'm a bit perplexed as to what your house is like... house, garage and conservatory, I would really go over your tenancy agreement with a fine tooth pick!

The conservatory is definitely 'theirs' rather than 'ours'. When we initially viewed the house we were told that they were trying to decide whether to keep it or not and who would be responsible for it, by the time we signed for the tenancy they'd decided that it was part of the basic structure of the property and so they'd be responsible for it.

The people who lived here previously did a lot of work to the place. Most of it was badly done and had to be ripped out before we could have the keys but it means the house has more than a few quirks.