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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be sceptical, house swap

171 replies

Continue1 · 17/01/2019 07:01

I've got the chance of swapping my 2 bedroom with a 3 bedroom but the lady's house failed inspection ☹ she's got a list of stuff that needs doing, and has pretty much asked for my help as she doesn't know what to do. 5 internal doors need to be replaced and they have to be the HA doors, they are £68 a door 😩 toilet seats need replaced, actual brand ones. £26 a seat! She's basically said I can have the house but I need to help her. I have 3 children under 5, on UC. I could never afford this! Plus what if I do help and she swaps with somebody else? Or pulls out! I'm so torn☹

OP posts:
Original poster
Continue1 · 17/01/2019 07:38

But if she was so keen to swap with the other people why didn't she ask them for their help? That's what gets my senses tingling but I badly need a bigger house☹

OP posts:
Original poster
Continue1 · 17/01/2019 07:40

Or could it be she's bullshitting that the HA won't allow it as she just wants somebody else to fork out? But surely that's just vile. She doesn't strike me as the type to double cross me, Or anybody for that matter

OP posts:
lightlypoached · 17/01/2019 07:42

how about you offer to help source the doors and loo seats and she pays. you fit them (go round and use your phone if you have one to order online (get cash from her on the spot) , or take her to builders merchants). that way no financial outlay for you and you risk only losing your time?

Mumofaprinny · 17/01/2019 07:44

You just said that you would happily pay for the doors and toilet seat if you knew she would swap. Write up an agreement that she will swap as soon as you fix the list of broken stuff and be done with it if you want the house so badly. I’m sure all the other tenants didn’t move in because this woman clearly can’t afford to fix the problems. She’s packed and ready to move so obviously just wants out but can’t.

Original poster
Continue1 · 17/01/2019 07:45

That's a good idea lightlypoached, I was thinking of asking her for even £20 to put toward a door each, but didn't want to appear like a CF. Is there any good way of asking her such a thing?
I may have found them on b&q for 34 which is considerably cheaper, I have the measurements somewhere 🤞

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Itstimetoscream · 17/01/2019 07:46

Sounds like she has known about these issues for a while so why hasn't she over time not had them fixed? What else hasn't she declared or the HA inspector have looked deep enough. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, it's rude her even asking!

PlumpSyrianHamster · 17/01/2019 07:47

Walk away! She's trying to get you to go into debt to pay for the repairs. Don't be a fool.

Original poster
Continue1 · 17/01/2019 07:47

An agreement is also a good idea I'm just afraid of been taken for a mug.
A written agreement wouldn't stand in the eyes of the HA so I wouldn't exactly be protected if anything went wrong but she doesn't strike me as the type to pull out

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Original poster
Continue1 · 17/01/2019 07:49

Oh believe me the HA looked at absolutely everything, they even mentioned paint on the light switch that needed to be removed🤔
Even noted that she's had decking put in, even though she got permission for it.
The house is now pretty much empty so it's easy to look at everything, the only problem I see are the holes, and the two toilet seats missing

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Mumofaprinny · 17/01/2019 07:50

It would stand up in small claims court! She would have to pay you back for the work you carried out...

longwayoff · 17/01/2019 07:51

Reaally, don't do this. How can u check if she has rent arrears? If she has, then it wont go ahead. I suspect you don't have full story at all.

PlumpSyrianHamster · 17/01/2019 07:55

An agreement is worthless as she'll have no money. You can take her to small claims and win, she has no or little income and you'll never see the money again, or a pittance. You are wasting your time flogging a dead horse. You need to move on.

PlumpSyrianHamster · 17/01/2019 07:56

How are you on UC with 3 kids, anyhow. I thought it wasn't set up for that yet Hmm.

Original poster
Continue1 · 17/01/2019 08:08

Oh yay let's bring benefits into it. Because I don't receive money for the third child Hmm you happy?

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Original poster
Continue1 · 17/01/2019 08:09

If she was in rent arrears then yes she wouldn't be allowed to swap.

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Original poster
Continue1 · 17/01/2019 08:13

When the swap is about to go through, you usually get a letter saying "xxx has agreed to swap to xxx address. Because of UC you are in xxx amount of rent arrears but this has already been discussed" so it would eventually come out

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BarbaraofSevillle · 17/01/2019 08:13

Careful with looking for cheaper doors, in case the housing association requires them to be exactly the right type of door.

If they're being as ridiculously inflexible as they seem to be, the wrong type of door could be as bad as the current damaged ones.

In her eyes, she is being asked to spend money that she won't get the benefit from, but the HA is merely asking damage caused by the tenants to be put right.

I'd explain your concerns to the HA (ie that you will pay for the doors etc but then not get the house) and see if there is any solution they can offer?

Tricky situation though, but for some organisation, rules and policies are everything, however little sense they make and the people you deal with have no powers to do anything different or change things.

You'd think getting people into the most appropriately sized housing would be a good thing for them, though.

Lovemusic33 · 17/01/2019 08:14

It’s fair enough people telling OP not to have anything to do with it but I’m guessing OP is desperate for a bigger house and they don’t come along very often. HA have got really strict, my grandad died last year and HA wouldn’t let us hand the house back to them until it was up to standard (he had lived their 50 years), my dad was billed for the rent until it was up to standard, it cost him a fortune.

It’s wrong that they will not allow the swap. OP needs a bigger house and isn’t bothered about the doors, toilet seats are easily replaced yourself (I replace mine often).

OP, are the doors in your house the same size? Could you put your door in the other house? 😁

It’s crazy as you used to here stories of HA handing over houses not fir for living in.

cloudtree · 17/01/2019 08:15

Just speak to the housing association and explain that you have agreed to the repairs being carried out as soon as you move in and that you are happy to confirm this in writing to the Housing Association. It should be easily capable of resolution. You seem reluctant to speak to them. what are they going to do? Put you on some sort of blacklist for asking the questions.

Go to the HA

EmeraldShamrock · 17/01/2019 08:15

I can see why she doesn't want to fork out, she wouldn't have to if she was staying.
Are there any housing charity that can help with repairs. Your best option is the HA, I know you don't want to involve them but they might allow you take it as it is.
If not you know you need to find the money.
It is not unusual, my aunt swapped her house and had to have the windows repaired and some replaced before the move.
Was it the HA who carried out the assessment?

Original poster
Continue1 · 17/01/2019 08:16

The other people who were going to swap also had the same problem as me, they didn't want to spend money in case they lost out but the HA wouldn't budge Sad
The actual branded doors that the HA said she must get are just too expensive though. The cheaper one is the exact one we'd need and I'm not even sure how they'd be able to check? Ahhh

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PlumpSyrianHamster · 17/01/2019 08:16

Oh yay let's bring benefits into it. Because I don't receive money for the third child hmm you happy?

Erm, no, I'm just curious Hmm, but hey, get chippy. This gal is a swizz and you'd be a fool to fall for her scam.

Original poster
Continue1 · 17/01/2019 08:18

The HA will definitely not allow it,
The other people already asked them and they outright said no, will not allow others to move into it without repairs been done

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Original poster
Continue1 · 17/01/2019 08:19

Yeah it was her housing officer from the HA that done the inspection

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EmeraldShamrock · 17/01/2019 08:20

Oh I see your update, that is tough.
Search for a charity to help, I am not in the UK but we have two charity setups to help with housing issues. Treshold and St Vincent de pal, search online and Good luck.