Council tenants complaining about their 'fixtures'

[Delilah21D00LoT]

I know I'm being unreasonable, but I just want to get this off my chest. Please feel free to ignore or have 'your say' too.

I joined a facebook page/forum: www.facebook.com/groups/diyonabudgetofficial/

about 4 weeks ago so that I could follow and get ideas.

There are stacks of people who've been painting their kitchens - as they cannot afford a new one (this includes me) and a heck of a lot of them are Council Tenants complaining about their "shitty, crappy, cheap shit, typical Council Kitchens" when they've posted a picture of these so called "shite kitchens" they look pretty decent - basic - but decent.

One person was complaining that she didn't like the 'beech kitchen' that the council had put in when she moved in the year before and she'd complained to them that she wanted 'white gloss units', but also complained when the council said 'No, we will not change it just because you don't like it"

Others have been complaining of their "shitty, non-flat or wonky walls, wood chipped walls and so on" what do people want? They've got a Council House or Flat - do they expect it to be done up like some brand new property?

We bought our house some 12 years ago - it still requires work. None of our walls are flat, straight or smooth, there are chips and cracks everywhere.

The kitchen is now over 20 years old and has been repaired repeatedly over the years and I painted all the units at the beginning of the year to brighten it up - and it actually looks pretty good.
I come from Council myself and have several friends who are still in Council properties, but they are the older generation (30's, 40's and 50's) and seem incredibly grateful for their home.

I think I'll just leave the group as I can no longer tolerate the selfish people who seem to expect everything to be handed to them.

I need to shut up, I know.

Sorry if I or this has offended anyone.

~ Delilah ~

Yanbu. I think some people genuinely have no clue though. I've met people here in social housing who have never rented privately and have never owned so they've no idea how stressful it can be and how lucky they are.

YANBU

We had a beech kitchen when we moved here, the previous owner had fitted a new kitchen to sell. I hated it but had to wait 9 years before we could justify the expense of replacing it.

None of our walls are flat, straight or smooth, there are chips and cracks everywhere.

Was that reflected in the sale price?

It's tricky. We private rent and it does irritate me that private landlords can get away with so much in high-demand areas of the country.

But I also genuinely think, yes, some council tenants don't have a sense of perspective. My partner's parents and siblings live in a council house and they have no idea what it feels like to feel totally insecure in your own home. They don't expect things to be super smart but they also just can't understand what private renting is like - and why would they? They've never done it. It's not entirely about being entitled. It's having a different experience. MIL genuinely doesn't understand that the LL could ask us to leave with a month's notice at any point. She thinks council tenants are at the bottom of the pile in terms of rights, because that's what she's always felt. I think she would have a heart attack if she realised how much rent she'd be paying privately.

I know it's not the same as whinging about specific kitchen units - which sounds brattish whether you own, private rent or council rent - but it makes me aware that most of us do get used to what we have or don't have.

the attitudes youve seen are ungrateful, but i honestly think that everyone deserves to have a home that they are proud of.

DIY on a budget is shit though. are they still glittering everything?

Many council tenants can't even count on basic fire safety.

Yes, agree dixie.

But I think explaining how that feels to someone who doesn't experience it - and does experience other things, like being made to feel small for having a council flat - is next to impossible.

Anything you do to improve your home will increase its value.

You've not seen the kitchen floors that have had 1p coins grouted to them.

Can see both sides, of course you want to make your home nice if you can, wether you own, are privately renting or in HA house.
I know where you're coming from though, we had this exact thing on our local chat site recently - HA tenants moaning that the council weren't coming to fix the plaster after it had come off in chunks when they pulled wallpaper off... etc etc..

MIl lives in a HA house and she got a new kitchen put in maybe six or seven years ago. It was shit. Looked first but cupboard doors fell off within weeks, worktop wasn't attached properly etc. It was so shit that they had to replace it last year. This one looks a lot more solid. Not lovely and fairly basic looking but hopefully will last.
She lives in an area where private rents are not much more than council or HA (I.e. She lives somewhere undesirable) and her rent is more than my mortgage.
The "double glazing" was worse. They installed a second pane of glass into existing old wooden drafty frames. Made no difference to her heating but cost her money in unpaid time off work.

*@ButchyRestingFaceNone of our walls are flat, straight or smooth, there are chips and cracks everywhere.

Was that reflected in the sale price?*

Yes, it was - it enabled us to get on the property ladder.

Face book is the problem here. As it is for lots of people.

Grow up and do your own thing. Delete Face Ache and you will be happier. I guarantee it.

But they're still paying rent, it's not free. they have to pay to live there and it's still not theirs!

So,,,,, what's your issue

I own my own house outright before you suspect me of wanting a beech kitchen for nothin.

nobody will come and fit a new one for you at the taxpayers' expense

Its not at the taxpayer's expense. Its what you pay your rent for. For a decent house to live in. Fair enough not to complain about style but just because you live in a council or HA property doesn't mean you can never expect any maintenance or refurbishment.

Council tenants where I live are about to get their double glazing replaced - second time in 20 years.

Council tenants largely get a significant discount on their rent against the actual market rent, plus security of tenure (in most cases). I think 'suffering' beech kitchens is a small price to pay.

if you cannot house yourself without the assistance of the government, then the entitled attitude needs to go. There are many people who would be grateful for beech kitchens in exchange for reduced living costs

I may be wrong but I think (private) landlords these days seems to be emotionally attached to 'their' properties and feel the need to control them. Why, if you are renting a house out and don't intend to ever live in it (again, or not) yourself, do you care what colour the walls are or whether someone has hung pictures on walls? Or whether they have pets?

Most properties rented out are not huge - they are standard 2/3/4 bed houses and the tenants are often covering the mortgage, so its mainly profit, so if new carpets are needed every 2/3/4 years, what's the big deal? Why can't tenants live the life THEY want to live if a landlord is expecting to let long term? BUT, if tenants want to change something, decor wise, then they also fund it. If it's maintenance and concerns outside/roof/boiler etc then the landlord pays. Simple.

Insofar as council tenants complaining then I don't understand why - if they don't like something then get permission to change it! Why should your particular taste be catered for? Presumably, councils get good discounts for buying more than one kitchen/bathroom, so that gets passed on to the public purse. A basic, functional kitchen or bathroom creates no hardship.

YANBU, recently there was a post on here about the OP not getting carpets or white goods in the council/HA house! Seriously, she thought they would provide a fridge freezer, washing machine etc.

Others have been complaining of their "shitty, non-flat or wonky walls, wood chipped walls and so on" what do people want?

It is a real pain for decorating if you're starting with crap walls. It turns it from a half-day painting job with a paint bucket, a roller and a paintbrush, to a mission involving filling in holes, taking off wallpaper, patching it all up to an acceptable state, plus having all the tools and knowledge to do that properly - then starting on the actual decorating. My parents had to get the living room replastered after they somehow botched taking the wallpaper off properly, which is a big unexpected expense.

My council house fixtures and fittings are roughly 35 years old and hitting the totally fucked level of crapness. I’d love a new kitchen or bathroom, regardless of colour, but our area isn’t on ‘the list’ apparently.

Its not at the taxpayer's expense. Its what you pay your rent for. For a decent house to live in.

You are kidding, right? So, every time someone decides they don't like their kitchen/bathroom/paint colour/floor/carpet/door/window/roof /boiler/sink/plumbing/noisy neighbour/garden layout/garden shed/ drive....etc etc... they should ring their friendly council and ask them to come and replace it?

If the council have provided a good, functional, clean kitchen/bathroom/whatever then that should be acceptable. If they haven't then by all means they should be taken to task .

YANBU, recently there was a post on here about the OP not getting carpets or white goods in the council/HA house! Seriously, she thought they would provide a fridge freezer, washing machine etc

Huh, I didn't realise that. Those are standard even in unfurnished rented properties so I'd just assumed it'd be the same when renting from the council.