Aibu to think the council should clean your house before you get the keys?

[Kellyjohnson23]

I'm so sad today,got the keys but it seems totally impossible.
Everywhere is dirty,muck everywhere,the walls are scruffy,the skirting boards and doors are a horrible dirty yellow (that the white has turned into )
I don't have anyone to help me decorate so it's all on me.
I just feel sad

x2boys I can assure you that carpet in private rented is usually horrid. I've had two properties where it has been cheap dirty smelly old office carpet with no underlay straight onto a cold concrete floor. All others have been minging but with underlay. How I have wished I was allowed to change the carpets at my own expense!

You are onto a good thing OP :)

www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/fileadmin/documents/research/pfisocialhousing/MFN_PFI_Refurb_Experiences_Report.pdf

Residents were told to remove their pets, but no compensation was offered to cover the
costs involved.
 No consideration was given to residents who worked night shifts.
 Workers used electricity paid for by of residents, without offering compensation.
 Doors were left open and residents were able to wander in unchallenged by workers
who did not know them.
 Quality alterations that residents had already made to their homes were ripped out to
make way for inferior alternatives.
 Supposedly completed electrical rewiring was found to be substandard and occasionally
dangerous.
 Supposedly completed pipe works and its housing were found to be substandard.
 In some homes, odd sized radiators and kitchen unit doors had been fitted.
 Flooding in one home had been caused by an unsupervised apprentice.
 Households were left overnight without running water or a toilet.
 At least one resident was left without electricity for a whole weekend.
 Some workers were found to be abusive, bullying and inconsiderate, especially towards
elderly or otherwise vulnerable residents.

It looks fine to me, once it's got a lick of paint it will be fine.

Also replace the loo seat....

Can we all knock it off with the council house judging now?
I know of places in the uk that you can get council and HA flats and houses on gumtree and rightmove.
And they're similar to market rent too (£350-400 for a 2 bed whereas a private two bed is about £375-£400).
So don't be ridiculous berating OP because they're "rarer than hens teeth". They aren't. The U.K. Is bigger than just the south east of England.

YY Cocklodger.

www.theguardian.com/housing-network/2015/aug/07/housing-asssociation-no-longer-build-homes-poor-genesis

I guess in a way I should be thankful I have this house for 23 days yet
You should be thankful...full stop.

www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jul/21/the-real-cost-of-regeneration-social-housing-private-developers-pfi?CMP=share_btn_fb

Hodkinson carried out a qualitative survey of 14 homes refurbished by Rydon that had been the subject of a huge number of complaints. Showers were fitted next to electric fans. A toilet was installed so close to a wall that you could only sit on it sideways. Some households went for days without electricity and weeks without cooking facilities. Cupboards were fitted with wrongly size doors. Tenants who complained reported that they were treated dismissively. One remembered the site supervisor saying to him, “It ain’t Chelsea, mate.” Regenter’s out-of-hours emergency line linked to the wrong database, so callout engineers weren’t available. The striking thing was how long problems could drag out: one family’s flat was flooded in January 2014, and repairs weren’t even scheduled till September. Two years later, their flat still hadn’t been fully repaired and redecorated. Even at the most straightforward level, the work wasn’t done to a decent standard.

When approached for comment, Rydon said that since the complaints were made, three years ago, attempts have been made to remedy the problems. They said the comments were not reflective of most of the residents, and that there was a good level of satisfaction among the residents now.

For tenants with more complicated requirements, the situation was worse. The Cifuentes family, one of whom used a wheelchair, was left without ramps, hoists or any means of escape in a fire, and without a lock on the front door. Repairs were so slow and haphazard that, at one point, the family had to move out for over a month, and the disabled member could only have his needs met by going into a respite unit – whereupon they were threatened with losing their carer’s allowance, their disability allowance and their car.

Helena, I never disputed that in parts of the UK there is a crisis. Never would because I know particularly in the SE and some cities you've no chance of getting a social tenancy unless you're priority but even then it doesn't change that in other places there aren't enough eligible people that want houses/flats so anything up to 5-10 properties a month are offered to the general public, no waiting lists etc much like private housing only you don't have to pay bonds etc and get a secure tenancy.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-67622918.html
See here, 89pw for a 2 bed. Looks nice enough, available to rent from a housing association. No waiting list, just get a viewing and do so. There are probably others on there too and a few go up every week/month.
There is not a crisis everywhere in the UK.

I don't know where you live, but look at this website, and type in your postcode, hopefully you have one nearby. Our local one has paint from £1 a litre, and that includes dulux, crown, etc.....paints donated from companies and people, we even get brand new kitchen units in ours from £4 a unit. Taps, tiles, baths, sinks, etc.... the list is endless. Some end of ranges, others cancelled orders.

www.recipro-uk.com/find

I don't get this attitude on here towards social housing, some people get so sanctimonious about the OP of a thread having anything to do with a HA property and how lucky they are and how some people sleep on the street.

You are lucky OP

Congrats on the new home and try not to get overwhelmed, tackle it one room at a time. Also remember that your furniture will instantly make it more homely and that your DC won't care if the paintwork is yellowing, just that you have a safe and secure home.

I would definitely try and do the cleaning/decorating yourself. Keep your cash for the things that you can't do - carpets, electrics etc.

Take photos as you progress, they'll keep you motivated when you don't think that you can face another tin of paint.

I'm actually really surprised at this and that its normal to move into a dirty house for some. I'm in social housing in Australia and they do a walk through with you and have you rate nearly everything as good or poor etc so that when you leave they can compare. The houses are usually freshly painted and floors revarnished if damaged.

Wash the walls and skirting with sugar soap. You will be amazed how much dirt comes off them. If they still need painting afterwards then do the ceilings and walls first. That will make the biggest impact and aesthetic improvements.

You have three weeks. You have plenty of time. Most people leave a place and move in on the same day. They don't have 3 weeks of it being vacant.

Biscuit oh it's RIFE. I remember a thread where a woman on here had complained that the man delivering the local free paper had basically gone into the lower floor of a four block flat and accessed the private garden at the back for a wee...the woman's DH had caught him and they'd then phoned the paper company to say to never send this man back.

And someone at the paper company had said "Isn't it all council land anyway"?"

As though that gave people the RIGHT to piss in the garden!

The woman had been great though and shot them down...two of the flats were privately owned and even if they were not this man couldn't just piss in people gardens!!

I am a LL and I redecorate between lets

ohsoggybiscuit the thing is if you feel lucky and a sense of having/ doing something special and of value, you tend to feel motivated and that all your effort is worthwhile. DIY can then become enjoyable!

The OP is feeling unmotivated and overwhelmed and has stopped being able to see what she really has (a secure home at an affordable price that looks to be really nice) because of its initial appearance.

It is sad and a waste to have things/ opportunities and not value them, especially if others would jump at the same chance.

People just want to give some perspective and remind her of what really matters; security and affordability not a few weeks of painting.

Totally normal to feel overwhelmed op

We have just moved into our first bought home and I am overwhelmed. We have had the keys three months, thrown loads of money at it, had tradesmen in and it's still not ready and is overwhelming!

Unpacking is also a nightmare, be warned!

Having seen your photos I'm failing to see the issue.

I'm pleasantly surprised at how good it is in the photos op. I agree with others that you should paint the walls before the woodwork. I think the woodwork needs at least a few days to cure before you do the carpet. Maybe leave deep cleaning kitchen/bathroom until the end.

Helena you really do have a BIG gripe with social housing, always negative, I've yet to see you post anything positive.

I can tell you just how awful some tenants are, costing hundred of thousands of pounds worth of damage, as much as LL get it wrong, that is a small percentage of the LL who get it right.

I've dealt with a family who was refused a direct allocation because of there XXXX rent arrears, so they decided to burn the house down it was a terraced house, they presumed they would move them to another property... they did prison and the family evicted and homeless, until her sentence date (I've obviously changed some details of this).

With this they damaged the houses either side of them and there cars on the drive, very expensive cars also that will be written off)

Another who took the roofing supports out the roof so he could build a loft space in a medium size block of flats... all had to be rehoused (except for tenant they found themself evicted)

another who was evictied due to tenancy breaches, decided to cause 30,000 worth of damages to the property and there neighbours.

That's what I've dealt with myself in the last 10-14 days so as much as two wrongs don't make a right, there is good and bad on both sides.

The tenants at Grenfell Tower came up against similar attitudes too. Sounded warnings about shoddy workmanship and safety ,were belittled and even threatened with legal action if they didnt STFU.

oh do be quiet Helana, how on earth is a lick of paint on the walls to the OP property in anyway shape or form like the Greenfell disaster!