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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be really annoyed that my kitchen's costing thousands while a friends having hers done free - AND she's moaning about it.

353 replies

Jamum · 25/03/2007 21:19

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

My friends has a HA house, and this years has had new double glazing and guttering - all paid for. And is now just had a lovely new kitchen fitted.

She chose the units and tiles. Has had a team of fitters, and is now waiting for the inspection team to check all the finishing touches.

AND then she's going to buy the house - but only once all the work has been completed for free.

Sorry but this makes my blood boil. We have had to save up for years to afford a new kitchen and certainly won't end up with a nice a one as she has got that my taxes have paid for.

(yes I know - it's jealousy and sour grapes)

Anyway - rant over.

OP posts:
nightowl · 25/03/2007 21:47

councils DONT pay for carpets. i live in a council house. in my kitchen i had a sink. that was it. council did not fit me a kitchen. and many people who live in council and HA properties work doncha know. no really...they WORK

VeniVidiVickiQV · 25/03/2007 21:49

Maybe folk in HA/Council properties do brag about the free stuff they are getting. Although, perhaps, if they are in council housing and on benefits, they probably feel they have little all else to be proud of?

So, why not.

SparklyGothKat · 25/03/2007 21:50

well that confusing!! Who's she shagging at the council office??

I am joking btw...... before anyone takes offence. I have never heard of them replacing carpets. I have 2 disabled kids and we live on benifits, and I had to ask a chartity to pay for carpets in my kids rooms when we moved as I couldn;t afford it. I then had to find the money for the flooring in the living room, and bedroom, and hall, stairs and landing.

bonkerz · 25/03/2007 21:51

not disputing that, i myself had a council house beofre i got lucky and met DH. But i was responsible for decorating and carpeting etc. I am simply talking about my neighbour who uses the system and lives off benefits when she could work. It annoys me and a few others round here how she boasts about all this work shes having done and how she really does play the council and makes money from it even down to selling old carpets and also sold her old bath to a neighbour who is turning it into a pond!

magicfarawaytree · 25/03/2007 21:51

dont think you are unreasonable. i think that the problem is that the benefits system is there to help people. and many of those whom it helps are grateful others are ungrateful. sometimes being given something for ineffect 'free' is that people dont always appreciate, they come to expect. this is true of life in general not just benefits.

nightowl · 25/03/2007 21:55

yes people will always abuse it, but that's not all of us. some of us try to look after these houses when we are initially given an absolute shit tip to live in. i have two HUGE holes in my bathroom wall where the plaster dropped off (over a foot wide/high probably, you can see down to the slats, its been like that for over 6 months now. council wont do bugger all about it. it looks a bloody mess.

PanicPants · 25/03/2007 21:57

Agree with magicfarawaytree. Like many things it's not black and white. People do take avantage of the system, when others struggle with it.

My nephew has a 1 bedroom ha flat with his partner and their 2yearold ds. They are all squished together and srtuggle every day to get by.

Whilst other people I know have large ha houses, beautifully decorated, brand new furniture/tv etc - these people know how th play the system.

It's not a fair system at all.

SparklyGothKat · 25/03/2007 21:57

But you have to remember that Councils and HA are landlords and have to mantain their properties. Or are we supposed to live in dumps.....

ScoobyDooooo · 25/03/2007 21:58

I have to disagree because the people who have big tv's etc may have lived in there council house for years & may have been promoted in there job, you don't have to be skint to live in a council house you know!

nightowl · 25/03/2007 21:59

panic pants...how do you know they are playing the system? is it very wrong to have a beautifully decorated HA house? could it not be possible they've worked very hard on it?

PanicPants · 25/03/2007 22:00

Scoobydo - then how come they're entitled to a house then?

ScoobyDooooo · 25/03/2007 22:00

Panicpants - Does everyone who lives in a council or HA house have to be on benefits & skint with second hand furniture then?

ScoobyDooooo · 25/03/2007 22:02

We are not skint we are not loaded either but we are waiting for a council house because to rent a bloody property round here you have to be able to pay at least £900 a month in rent & we can not afford this on top of bills, debts, living etc, thats why we are doing it! But we are not skint!

My house will be nice is well, i will have my "nice" furniture in it & a big tv & what?

PanicPants · 25/03/2007 22:02

I don't know, I just assumed it was the same as recieving benefits? Maybe thats my ignorance?

Anyway, I don't wish to be drawn into this, and lost is starting so good night ladies.

hatrick · 25/03/2007 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

nightowl · 25/03/2007 22:05

my tv is 28inch. is that classed as big or not? i bought it two years ago. my first tv that wasnt a hand me down (because my hand me down tv finally gave up), and im nearing 30. it was from the ex catalogue shop and cheap!

Caligula · 25/03/2007 22:05

Oh ffs.

Some of these bastards on benefits wear shoes as well.

The bastards

Parp.

hatrick · 25/03/2007 22:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

nightowl · 25/03/2007 22:07

lol caligula!

ScoobyDooooo · 25/03/2007 22:07

Caligula - Lol you made me chuckle!

Hatrick we live in Surrey the prices are just going u & up it is now ridiculous!

SparklyGothKat · 25/03/2007 22:08

I have nice furniture and a big tv ( which my dad put on his credit card for me and am paying him off monthly) My house is painted cream everywhere (new build) but a nightmare with kids I have put wallpaper up on one wall on the living room, which look expensive but cost me £10 for 4 rolls in the bargain section in homebase.
My house is nice, but I know I will never be in a position to buy it.

morningpaper · 25/03/2007 22:08

I get annoyed with all these disabled people

They get all the best parking spaces

Linnet · 25/03/2007 22:09

I live in a housing association flat and the HA put a new kitchen in about 5 years ago now. Yes it didn't cost me a penny but the HA are my landlords and they put in a new kitchen because kitchens have to be replaced after about 15-20 years,I forget exactly how many years it is but it's in their legislation.

I got to choose the colour of the doors and the colour of the countertops. We also got to choose new vinyl for the floor, which was the cheapest vinyl on earth as it's falling apart and the vinyl we had before was much better quality but had to be ripped up as they moved the kitchen around.

Whether your neighbour is on the breadline or not is irrelevant. She lives in a HA property and it's the HA job to make sure it's up to standard.
If she buys her house after the work has been completed they will take that into account when working out her discount.

SparklyGothKat · 25/03/2007 22:09

Caligula lol that made me laugh

harman · 25/03/2007 22:10

Message withdrawn

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