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 ~

Why, op? Why have you felt the need to post this?

As I've said before I used to work as a homelessness officer and part of my job was advising my customers when they had been offered social housing. I mean telling them 'this is your reasonable offer' and what we then expected, i.e accept it and move in. I came to this conclusion about human nature .and that is some people are never happy because something else is wrong in their life. For example some would be ecstatic, I've been hugged and kissed by some, had flowers and choc bought for me by others, but some people are just never happy. They complain they have to buy their own white goods because they privately rented and these were provided, same with carpets, some don't want to decorate and complain that they have to because the decs are idiosyncratic to say the least (black walls anyone?) , this despite the HA giving them a decs allowance. I just think human nature being what it is is they will never be happy. they are probably unhappy with other aspects of life but in the past before social media most people didn't see what others were doing. Now we see everything about others lives and it makes some very dissatisfied . I just think it's a failure of modern life.

Well they updated the kitchens in my sisters flat to units with a coating which peeled off in days. Should she be grateful?

whiskyowl I appreciate that you are posting with the best of intentions, but I wish people wouldn't bring Grenfell into threads like this. The OP's original complaint was not about people who were seeking proper safety upgrades, but people moaning about the finish on their (otherwise perfectly adequate, if ugly) kitchen cabinets. And it's OK to moan about stuff in your home that you don't like but have to live with! But it isn't the same as being concerned about the safety of your home.

It's come to a weird place when people are jealous of social housing. Is it a SE thing??

I think to some extent it is. I am very, very lucky and own my home (well, the bank does, but you know what I mean) but lived in pretty crap private rentals for years before that. Where I live (in the SE) council housing is like hen's teeth, the waiting list is so long there is no point joining it unless you have a specific circumstance that's going to get you extra points (and sadly this fuels some anti-immigrant feeling, which is a complete misunderstanding of the problem). An awful lot of people would very, very much like a council house which in this expensive city with a shortage of private rental properties offers you a security that seems like a huge luxury to most renters. And it may be true that council rents aren't subsidised as such, but they're considerably cheaper than market rate here. So yes, I think a lot of people are very jealous of council tenants. And while you can argue that they're misdirecting their feelings - they should be angry at governments that have allowed the private rental market to get to the state it's in, not resent council tenants - I really don't think those feelings are inexplicable.

Lois.* My allowance for redecorating was £100 & I got that in paint. I physically cant decorate and there is very little help from the HA, so in 4 years my house still isn't decorated. I stupidly thought that social housing meant that there were services available for help, there is nothing, no support for anything. I would happily pay if it was subsided ( I can't afford the full rate), but when I made enquiries I was met with blank looks from the staff at my HA.*
We've all got stories about how such and such got lucky in social housing, never worked etc, but the vast majority of people in social housing work in low paid jobs topped up with benefits.* We have no choice but to cling in to our houses and put up with shit repairs and even shitter attitudes from the staff.*

I remember moving in to my house and having a decorators allowance of 64 pounds to be spent in b n q. It was supposed to buy paint and carpet. It bought 4 tins of paint and 2 paint trays and brushes. It did 2 rooms. Some decorators allowance.

years ago bought an ex council property, with the original metal crittal single glazed windows, the council renters got new windows and garage rooves, we couldnt afford to do anyting. (ex) H ran up debts, tried to kill me, buzzed off, taken to court, houe rep, year in emergency accom, given council property, tiny cottage, 3 kids, was greatfull, sawpped to 3 bed semi,new H, new baby, no central heating, or double glazed windows, was lucky new H, had been council tennant, bought, he was made redundant 8 times in 5 years, I was working full-time nights, plus some day shifts, to keep roof over our head, so desided to downsize, bought completely unmodernised cottage, 2 kids have grown up and flown the nest by now. We had no central heating until I think it was 2006, couldnt afford it. I think a lot of people a ARE ungreatful, my youngest DD hs to rent privately, and its massive, compared to council and housing assoc. My eldest DD lives and works in London, her HA rent is peanuts.

I completly agree that you are incredibly lucky to get council or HA housing, I was fortunate enough to get a brand new build on a new very small estate with beautiful views. I expected teething problems as with any house, but what I wasnt expecting was all downstairs lighting exploding (after two days) turns out they mixed up the ground and live cables so I'm lucky me or the kids wernt electrocuted or a fire. And I wasnt expecting a mega structural issue with the main upstairs joist which was only found after 4 'inspections' and an entire year! I would never complain about fittings unless dangerous, but I certainly wasnt expecting my brand new HA house to have two very dangerous faults.

Your dd's May be peanuts for London, but here ( south west) HA rents aren't that much different than private. I had a new kitchen last year that's already falling apart and the rent went up immediately by £30 a month. So, in effect, I am paying for a new kitchen that's crap. My HA are forever remortgageing the properties too.

The council put cheap crap in their houses that doesn't last. My mum was given a council house in the early fifties, the cupboards, doors and fifties were well fitted and hardwearing. Now they put in cheap laminated chipboard. It's crap and doesn't last. They also use poorly qualified workmen who often don't do a good job. I'm not saying tenants should be able to make ridiculous unreasonable demands but the council certainly has a duty to keep things maintained. Council rents are no longer as cheap as they once were neither.

mydogmymate, I'm sorry to hear that. I can only speak from the experience I have had and truthfully I did find that the HA's were helpful if the tenant really could not do any decs. ( There were voluntary organizations who would help) Clearly I realize that is not the case for all .I also speak from the perspective of having a family member who was a HA tenant and again there were no complaints about how they were treated. My point was really that some people are never satisfied. I have truly met customers who wanted to live only on one side of a road, or only in one street, or who have to live in one particular area because they have always lived there. Not even half a mile away would be close enough.They would rather live in very difficult circs rather give a little. I wouls also say that having recently sold a house which had brand new kitchen/bathroom/lood, lots of other improvements , we had viewings where people weren't interested as the white goods were not integrated and I was not leaving the freestanding goods. It was made clear in the estate agents details but they still asked. So obviously I still come o the conclusion that some people are never satisfied, it was all some of them talked about!

@Sinceyouask
"Why, op? Why have you felt the need to post this?"

Since you asked, why not? Isn't that what AIBU is for? To ask if you think you are being unreasonable (and to admit knowing you are) and getting it off your chest.

Lois.* I agree, some people are never happy and I'm sure that the people viewing your house where a pain. Some people are twats whether they're buying or renting.*
Are you able to point me in the direction of a body that can help me with decorating? All I got when I asked my HA was "err dunno, try the council".* The council said "err dunno, try your HA".* You couldn't make it up!!

That wasn't meant to be in bold!!

This expectation generally that people should bow/curtsey metaphorically to other working class people who have a job/house so think they're better, and also don't want others to have anything (oh look they're in social housing how dare they/they're likely poorer than me, let's make sure they know their place) is bullshit.

The best thing about it? This sneery, crass snobbery and envy will make fuck all difference to people happy in their social housing☺️

Those looking down their noses at council tenants are wannabe social climbers with no ladder. Busily finding others they perceive to be lesser than themselves. Try being happy, and not wishing bad fortune to others. Envy never has any reward

Why are some people explaining/justifying in 'I didn't get this from council, had to do this myself etc' fashion? As if you have to prove you were 'deserving' and now have an obligation to put your case to virtual curtain twitchers. Your home is none of their business.

All this stemming from a forum that isn't even a social housing forum. It's a DIY forum with people sharing decorating tips.

But some waspish people will find anything to twist an agenda into what they wish it to be; when will people stop falling for it and giving the Daily Mail fodder to lift yet another post/thread to constantly crank up divisions?

OP you're a member of the forum. Why not put your opinion in there

I’m a bit at a loss here.

If I own, it’s up to me to replace the shitty plaster, the boiler the bathroom and the kitchen. I can still lose my house if my finances change significantly. I can decorate to my taste only if I have the money. No one’s going to do any of those replacements for me.

If I’m in any type of rental, I may not be able to decorate to my taste but I don’t have to maintain the fixtures. You may lose the property if your finances change significantly. You can reasonably expect your home to be kept ‘nice’ even if it’s not to your taste.

It’s not unreasonable to moan that you don’t like the kitchen in your rental, whether it’s HA or not; what is unreasonable is expediting it to be changed to suit your personal taste. At no cost to yourself. For anyone in any circumstances, no one else is obliged to pay for your ‘wants’.

*expecting not expediting!

Mistress 👏 👏 👏

@ Archery Annie thank you
Many people seem to have gone off topic.
X

Annie- I made it very clear at the start of my post that I thought trivial complaints were unreasonable.

But the fact is that the wider attitude "They should just be grateful for ANYTHING" is what is behind the kind of cost-cutting that leads to major health and safety breaches.
Council housing has come to be viewed by many people as a kind of stick to beat the poor, as a "hand out" that needs to be of poor quality to encourage more private ownership, instead of as a dignified, long term housing solution.

lalarya That is shocking. But im not surprised unfortunately.

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.

I remember our HA flat we had a few years ago. When we first moved in the kitchen and bathroom were about 15 years old, both pretty horrible - but functional. I wouldn't have expected the HA to do anything about them unless they needed replacing though.

We lived there about six/seven years and in that time the kitchen and bathroom did get replaced, but it was just a standard finish - nothing special. We got to chose the colour of the cupboards, worktops and flooring out of a choice of three variations of each for the kitchen. None of which would have been our personal choice, so we went with the most neutral choices.

The bathroom we had no say on, it was a standard white bathroom set.

The ceiling was a horrible artex and the walls were dented and chipped, but we just made do.

Figured if we wanted anything different, then we could do it ourselves but we never did as felt it was basically throwing money away / benefit to the next tenant as we knew we wouldn't live there long term.

I think so long as fixtures/fittings work and aren't broken - can't really complain if you don't like the finish or style unless you are willing to pay out of your own pocket to change them.

HelenaDove

I'm not surprised by your troubles either. The lady I mentioned had a terrible time getting a disabled parking space sorted.

Council OT - You have to contact the council roads department & your HA.
HA - You have to contact the council roads department.

Council - It's nothing to do with us, the HA own the land the parking spaces are on.

HA - You need to get the council to send us a letter.

Council - We can't send a letter, it's nothing to do with us.

HA - You need to get the council to send us a letter.

Council - It is REALLY nothing to do with us, we don't own the land.

HA - We will speak to the council. We need a letter from them agreeing it.

HA - Council are refusing us to send a letter. We need a letter.

In the end a woman in the roads dept sent the HA a letter telling them it was their land and they could paint what they liked on it. It took the HA 4 more meetings and 6 more weeks to work out if they could accept the letter as it wasn't the usual format (usually it would be HA painting the space on behalf of their tenant with permission of the council, if the council own the space).

Although the HA weren't quite as bad as the council OT. She was a whole special case all to herself!

lala how absolutely ridiculous.