Council refurb...am I expecting too much ?aibu?

[bringitbackks]

I leave in a two bed house which I rent from my local council.
Lived here 10 years and love it.
I decorated 6 months ago then received a letter saying I was getting a new kitchen plus rewire done.
So a month ago works started and it was going to take 10 working days.
So I pack everything away and box it up and protective flooring gets lay.
The first day nobody arrived ...the second day nobody arrived (after having a day by day itinerary ) nobody told me why or informed me they weren't coming.
They left me with holes in the walls with wires on show ,the kitchen hasn't been painted (painters were meant to be here two weeks ago)
The kitchen cupboard shelves have all collapsed as the brackets have snapped (I was told they were a dodgy batch )
Two weeks I have rang the site manager to be told "work will be finished tomorrow " and nobody turns up
Nobody now replies to my messages and the site manager doesn't answer the phone to
Me.
So like I say my kitchen isn't painted or floor put down,holes everywhere (even tho the plasterer has been three weeks ago -he missed these holes )
And now my shelves in the cupboards have collapsed.
Aibu to think this is disgrace?
The protective floor is covered in pieces of wall from the wire and also cement /plaster and god knows what else.
I can't get at any of my stuff as it's all boxed up
I honestly want to cry
If they would tell me when they are coming back to finish the work I wouldn't mind as much also no decorating vouchers that were promised

That's awful! And as for people saying it's free , it isn't someone is paying for this , it's coming out of a bank account somewhere.

An element of rent paid is a provision against future repairs and upgrades. If a homeowner pays so much a month into a savings account for repairs and upgrades and funds a new kitchen you wouldn’t say it was free so why is this kitchen being treated as free.

This thread is such a prime example of tell me you are a bigot without telling me you are a bigot

Ah no people in social housing getting more than a microwave and a sink! How dare they, I have to pay for my own microwave and sink so they should have to too!!

(Ironically they probably do have to pay for their own microwave).

Definitely your local councillors with pictures and ask them to visit

That's just.it i think people are jealous because they are imagining a fancy new kitchen with integrated appliance ,s
In reality it's just cupboards ,sink and flooring
Everything else ie oven ,fridge,freezer, washing machine etc is the tenants responsibility to provide .

Shocking isn't. Let's hope that they never find themselves in a position to have to rent from the council/HA, they might realise how privileged they were

Exactly @x2boys. It's cheap shitty carcasses with weak shelves and the cheapest sink and tap on the market.

I can't believe anyone is envious. Especially when they own their home. I guess they think people renting should be living in fear of being kicked out or it's not fair.

It's amazing that some people, presumably functioning adults with a mortgage, can't understand how SH works and are happy to display their ignorance.
excellent explanation @BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz but I fear it's wasted on some.

And those of us in our own home pay rent/ mortgage and that doesn't mean we get a new kitchen without saving for it. On top. If you think £300 service charge per year goes anywhere near a new kitchen, you're mistaken

Yes they should be turning and doing a better job and when my mum was a housing manager, this would certainly not be acceptable.

It is not free, you sound jealous. The OP pays rent and ultimately the property does not belong to her.

It is this sort of attitude that caused so many issues leading to so many people losing their lives as Grenfell. They complained about ill fitting windows etc, which then fanned the flames and made the fire spread more easily, the kitchen window fitted next to where the fire started did not have the correct fire resistant cavity barrier.

Yet still we see councils employing cowboy workers and expecting tenants to accept poor work, taking time off for non attendance and dangerous situations.

Try tell a Grenfell resident that "although they had problems the windows etc were free" especially those who lost family.

Your comment seems to be saying although it's paid for as it's not paid for by OP, it doesn't matter, I tell you what I will come round and trash your kitchen like that, force you to take time off work and then ignore your calls and then see if it's ok because it's free.

Why are you happy to pay council tax, tax etc to pay someone to work like this? Do you think that's a good use of the money?

@bringitbackks kick up merry hell and remind your council, local councillor and MP of Grenfell!

It could well be people who are private renting that think its unfair. Many have no hope of decent kitchens and if they ask they will be chucked out. At least people in council properties have security. I think that's where the jealousy comes from, not from people who own properties.

@Harrysmummy246 you could sell you kitchen on eBay if you wanted to yes?
do you think OP can?
see how an asset works?

This tbh. You can tell all the posters who live in social housing, as they only compare to homeowners, not to private renters who pay 3 or 4 times the rent they do, and get a lot less for it.

I'm perfectly aware of how social housing and upgrade programmes work. My mum managed them. Very well.

I’m of the ‘it’s free’ brigade. HOWEVER, this doesn’t mean the work should be sub standard or should take longer than necessary or than quoted. This is where tenants are being let down and it’s very wrong.

OP I’m glad it’s getting sorted, I hope they stick to their 8am word and sort the problems efficiently for you.

Most of the messages having a go at the OP are from home owners

3 or 4 times? Where is that happening, then?
I rent my home from a Housing Association, and it is set at 70% of the open market value.
My neighbours, who are long standing council tenants pay less, for an identical property, but their rent is still around 55-60% of market value.

Exactly what kind of new kitchen are you imagining ?,my new kitchen was just new cupboard, s and a sink and flooring and very cheap cupboards and flooring at that .

Yeah we don't all live in London 🙄
My housing association rent is comparable to private rent where I live .

It’s not “free” you pay for this in your rent.
Absolutely appalling, shoddy looking work. As a landlord I’d be sacking the contractors and getting reputable ones in.
Contact local councillors. Google local councillors ( your town)
Contact your MP.
Phone local paper and let them run story.
I feel angry for you.

If people are paying private rental and do not have a kitchen in good working order / safe to use, then they should hold their landlord responsible.

After all, their rent is money the landlord will use to keep things like kitchens, bathrooms, boilers, roofs etc in good working order.

OP I'm rather concerned that you are paying £25pcm service charge and they dibt appear to be telling you what it is for.

Didn't you get the details in your rent increase letter?

Service charges and rents for social housing are very tightly regulated and them telling you what the money is for it crucial.

It's not free, it's an upgrade of the council's housing stock paid for by tenants rent.

Then maybe your mum can explain how you are wrong

As an aside if my mum was a heart surgeon it doesn't mean I would know how a heart bypass is done

Seriously something wrong with people if they are think it’s free.

Bathrrom and kitchen were the originals from when the building was built in a the 50’s.

By 1999 the rent was £650ish pcm.

The kitchens replaced in 2010, and roughly 60 years old. And the rent increased every year since.

A portion of that rent to pay for maintenance and upkeep. You would think that kitchen cost £££’s. It didn’t. I was mistakenly given a print out of the kitchen cost. Sink and unit, flooring, and 7 units came to a total of £350. 😂 Now if rent over the decades didn’t contribute to that cost then why do tenants pay rent?