To want to complain in a petty manner (but can’t and won’t)

[PookieDo]

I just moved into a lovely lovely HA property. I’m really lucky. The decor is rubbish but I can make it my own (lovely purple and orange walls anyone?)

I don’t know the previous tenants and in your rental agreement obviously only the more major elements of the property (heating, structural) are covered/maintained by the HA and the rest by the tenant - which I knew and expected.

1. So it had no carpets. Which I expected.

1. People who lived here before me took the TV aerial which is annoying and too expensive for me to replace - I’ve tried an indoor one but it doesn’t work and all the other neighbours have roof ones. There is a sky dish which seems to have been disconnected so I can’t get freeview or freesat. Fine I will have to watch catch up only

1. They also took nearly all the light bulbs - and they are all expensive energy saving ones I could only find online so I’ve had to pay over £20 to replace them.

1. They (or someone) also took the black wheely bin but the council did replace that this week

BUT onto the finale of the pettiest of the pettiest even more petty than any of the other gripes I have, when I went to put up ceiling lampshades they have taken/removed all of the screw on lampshade rings! This is my final straw of annoyance. The fuckers

Why do people do this? I don’t get it

I had this with my flat. Just buy normal 75p light bulbs for hall & bathroom/bedroom where u don't really spend that much time. Have energy ones for bedroom, living room & kitchen. Wickes & Wilko have those rings (& are cheaper than B&Q). New aerial I googled companies that do Sky etc & got new one for £60. Worth it to me.

I feel for you, OP. And of course you are entitled to a moan - I thought it was common courtesy to leave lightbulbs and an aerial in a place. As for having no cooker etc: is there any local charity or credit union who might be able to provide you with a cooker or a small low cost loan for one? Where I lived there were a few places who provided this type of service.

AFAIK HA only leave you with one bulb (unless you're lucky) and do rip up existing carpets etc before new tenants move in. All light fittings are a single pendant no frills.

Even if someone 'improves' the property, they'll revert it back. I don't think they're obliged to provide an aerial but it's worth notifying them as any 'damage' done by previous tenants is chargeable.

Also, even if tenants left an oven, HA remove it. I heard they put it in a storage type place, no idea if it's true or why if is, maybe ask if they can provide one?

If not, most cities have a shop that refurbishes ovens/sofas and sells at affordable rates and I think most deliver or some people give them away if updating.

My HA flat had those square energy light bulbs, horrible things and difficult to find.
When mine go I swap them with standard ceiling roses with normal bayonet fittings, actually worked out cheaper!
I'm not into DIY but very easy to switch.
The bulbs themselves are supposed to last longer but they are just awful, I changed one once and due to the design I just ended up with broken glass in my hand!

Pretty standard to move into HA with nothing sadly. As above, regardless of what a previous tenant leaves, they tear it out; carpets, cooker etc. Unless it's a direct swap in which case it's down to tenants to agree what gets left.

The rings is petty as fuck. The aerial is a norm round here haha

If the ha had carried out a close inspection then this would have been spotted. Sadly, some people are petty and take small stuff just to make a point. Our local ha insist that carpets are removed if the tenant was a smoker or if they are not in top notch condition. You will get there. Congrats on your new home.

Get onto a local fb buy/swap or local info page and see if anyone has any of the things you need. Or at least if anyone knows where the hardware shop is.

Check local carpet shops for off-cuts/roll ends that would fit your rooms as these will be cheaper than buying brand new.

Good luck in your new home.

The light rings were taken from the only HA property I've ever lived in, too - the person before had had to buy their own, so took theirs. That meant we had to buy some and they were probably taken when my friend left (I only stayed temporarily).

Generally my experience with HA properties is that they have the bare minimum in, and everyone feels aggrieved so will take what they had to buy.

Thanks all
Still stuck for a cooker - with installation costs and man with a van costs it works out similar to buy a new basic Beko one from Argos than it does to buy a 2nd hand one from Gumtree!

Charity shop - my local British heart foundation Home shop has closed so I drove to the next one about 20 miles away and they didn’t have any cookers.

Don’t mind carpets right now.
Couldn’t buy cheap lightbulbs as they are square with 2 pins each side

All I have is hanging pendant lights and it’s likely the rings got lost possibly...

Blood up the walls is gross! All I have is a lot of children’s drawings on all the walls. In biro

I would rather have no carpets than really disgusting dirty carpets but if the house is only 5 years old with 1 tenant from built, how disgusting did they let them get!?? I can see why you would take what you bought though
I just left a rental and left the lovely blinds behind as they wouldn’t fit my new windows anyway (too small)

@PookieDo I promise you in a few months time you will look around the beautiful home you made and feel proud, missing carpets and light fittings will be a story you tell.
Good luck in your new home

It’s already wonderful to me

@PookieDo

When I moved in I had a finance officer (I think that was his title) who helped me with finding a loan and a grant from a charity. The charity is connected with the job I've done for years and they help people in the industry like me who fall on hard times. I had no idea they even existed, but they bought me beds and a cooker and carpets. I cried when I got the letter because it would have taken years to save for what I needed. He knew about these various schemes that are available - maybe worth speaking to your HA officer?
I now donate a small regular amount back now I'm doing a bit better, I will never forget the feeling of opening that letter!
Good luck! I'm slowly ploughing on with mine, have taught myself to plaster with the help of you tube and currently the bathroom is under redecoration!