Just had a falling out with my builder

[Itsgettingbetter]

Having our bathroom done. Admittedly I'm not paying for all of it myself - I'm a housing co-operative tenant, so the organisation pays for basics but I've gone for extras so it looks contemporary and am paying for these myself.

The ceiling is uneven and the labourer and his boss are suggesting filling a significant gap with plaster. I'm going for a high standard finish but they're suggesting it's the best they can do. I had firm words with the labourer this morning about the importance of finish (for example they've installed a crappy looking dimmer switch). Maybe I'm paranoid but I imagine they look at me, single mum, social housing tenant and are not trying their best.

The boss called to discuss something minor then bought up the talk I'd had with the labourer about the tiles. I said 'that would look crap.' He maintained, 'there's no other option' then contradicted himself saying 'we want you to be happy and we'll let you know what the options are.' Communication has been poor and the job is in it's fourth week. In the end we ended up squabbling, with him complaining that the job has been for too long (due to the inefficiency of his labourer).

I feel vulnerable as I live alone with my son. The 'boss' pops around while I'm out and don't want them disrespecting my home while I'm out. Plus the labourer is holding a set of my keys while on the job and I'm worried about security...

Just feel be grateful for what you have. It's taken 9 years to do up my house and it's still got lots to do. I feel it's all very snowflake. There's another thread on here that's probably more suitable for me to air my views so I'm leave this here

And, Cabin, the vast majority of council tenants are paying full rent, just as your tenants are. You are not subsidising them in the slightest. It's just that the council tenants are not subsidising their landlords to laze around on naff holidays.

I suggest that your English comprehension needs work, both in language and societal structures. Oh, and some empathy and humanity wouldn't hurt either.

I've worked in two sorts of housing organisations so, unlike you, I know what I'm talking about.

I definitely wasn't suggesting that Cabin had MH problems FWIW. I used it as an example along with women escaping from DV, and broken relationships in general. I was trying to get her to find some empathy.

Cabininthewoods69 you have no idea why some people end up in HA or Council properties. But hey, I wouldn't expect any empathy from you, you're a landlord and they are all scrounging parasites, living off the backs of others. Vicious sweeping generalisations aren't nice are they?

I brought the house so yes im making my money as thats why it was brought and i worked hard to afford it.. naff holidays? Hmmm hoildays for my family and child.
I couldnt live with the shame of being given money for nothing just to live

I couldn't live with the shame of being borderline illiterate so it's horses for courses isn't it?

From how I write on a forum, bloody hells bells. It's the typing police. I'm hardly illiterate. Also can't be doing that bad to be semi retired at 31

Are you serious Cabin? I thought your previous posts on here were an attempt at ironic humour . An attempt to satirise the ignorant views of middle-class Tories.

Unfortunately it appears you're not a comic parody. It must be difficult to be you, so full of contempt and bitterness.

I am bitter that my hard earned money is taxed. I would rather see it spent on helping people who need it. People who need basics such as special wheelchairs to enable people to get out of bed, who can't at present because there is not the money. These people have paired taxes there whole working life and had to use there money for care and now can't afford equipment to enable them to get up. Then the ones who do get help and funding moan about it. Needless to say I try to help with funding and enabling but can't possibly afford to help everyone who needs it. All this and people whinge about not getting any more then a basic standard in which they are given.

*their.

I live in social housing.
Like the OP, I'm paying extra out of my own pocket to have improvements done on a house that I will never own

Do you understand that cabin ? Myself and the OP are paying to improve properties that we also pay rent on. It doesn't cost you a single piddling penny and the local authority get their housing stock improved.

I've only every lived in rented housing but I've left every property, including the gardens, better than when I moved in. Because I have pride in my home, no matter what some idiots who post on MN may think of me.

Sorry you're having this trouble OP, stick to your guns and tell your HA that you're not happy with the standard of work - I'm sure that they want value for their money as well as you.

Sorry I don't buy into the Benefits Britain/ benefit scrounging as a lifestyle choice bullshit. I'm sorry you're bitter that the government won't fund your 32 k kitchen though, that's awful and hilarious in equal measure.

I'm surprised how disdainful you are of non home owners paying full rent when you are making a good living off the back of that.

How many times do we have to repeat this before you can comprehend? In V-E-R-Y simple words that even you may understand:

Council tenants are TENANTS. Just like your tenants. The vast majority of them are working. They pay full rent. You are NOT subsidising them. Any profit on rent goes back into housing stock, not holidays.

You are an ignorant numpty, spewing lies about the working classes. Go back to reading the Daily Heil and don't bother us until you can actually understand what people are saying.

I live in a HA house. Will buy it when I get he right to buy or whatever it’s called these days in two years. If they do any work on the house it’s functional and safe but usually it’s not too pretty. Because they also have to maintain anything they fit. Anything over and above I’ve paid for with a private contractor (or my dad in whisky). I love my house. I’ve paid a small fortune getting it to the standard I want and I’m happy because eventually I will hopefully own it and I know the important things like the electrics, the boiler etc are all how they should be as they have to be with a rental of this type. Swings and roundabouts isn’t it. I’m lucky to not be in a private rental as I will get the chance to buy this one day and the safety aspects of the house will all be bob on.

I'll add that declaring yourself a staunch Tory cabin and then complaining about the treatment of the disabled in our country and disability benefit cuts is hypocritical in the extreme.

To try and drag this back on track... Four weeks seems an awfully long time OP I'm a council tenant and had an upgrade last year - it took them six days to do my kitchen, bathroom, and toilet - they even had cleaners come in to tidy up after they'd done the work, and left me a toiletry & kitchen essentials pack (shower gel, flannel, soap, tea/coffee, washing up liquid) with a 'please enjoy your newly improved home' card. Is your work part of an overall scheme to improve more of the other houses, or are they working on yours alone? I had an absolute TEAM of workers in and out constantly because they were working their way along my street, so were going between about five houses each day, depending on what needed to be done.

Well Cabin my HA is threatening to take DHs mobility scooter away so he will be confined to the flat.

Dec 2007 Recieve letter from HA saying all items in communal hallways must be removed or they will remove and dispose of them including DHs mobility scooter. Phone housing officer and explain. Get granted permission letter to keep it.

Dec 2011 same thing happens again ....get granted permission letter again.

November 2017.....last Thursday our new housing officer decided to introduce himself by pinning a tort notice to the wall downstairs saying that unless the mobility scooter is gone by 21 December they will take it and sell it to cover the cost of taking it.

It is kept under the stairs completely out of the way and we have prior permission.........TWICE. I phoned the HA and spoke to someone who first asked us to send a copy of a prior permission letter to prove we have permission.

I explained that putting us through all this was in breach of section 149 of the Equality Act and he did get it after a couple of times.........this wasnt the HO i spoke to it was someone else.

He said he would send us a copy of a prior permission letter which he has done. He sent us the one from Dec 2007. We also hunted for our original letters from 2007 and 2011 We found the original 2007 one but also have the new copy he sent us. We cant find the 2011 one. But i did find an old thread of mine from 2011 talking about this on another site so was able to quote dates from when they tried this in 2011.

Now we have the stress and worry of them taking it....... at Christmas for the THIRD time completing the hat trick!

This is the third time they have done this in the run up to Christmas.

Well rather then complaining, if it's the same as private rent then move.

As for making money on my investments in the form of rent, yes it's a business and if people didn't want pay the rent then I would have empty houses simple.
People also stating that they will never own the house, also your choice in not buying

I don't think I've ever met a renter who chooses to instead of owning.