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AIBU?

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Original poster

Those who are in council/housing association homes...:

55 replies

bettyfreddy · 28/10/2022 19:02

Have the your housing association ever come round to do a check? As in check how well you are looking after the property and the condition etc?

There's a couple of home improvements I've asked to do in my home which I have just got the keys for but I've been told no.

Both my neighbours have told me just to do it but I'm worried I'd get into trouble for it. It's nothing major - literally a kitchen sink and a new front door (the current one is falling to bits and I don't feel it's secure enough)

I've been told to ask again in a year. I just wondered if they ever do checks?

OP posts:
EmeraldShamrock1 · 28/10/2022 19:04

I don't think it is an issue as long as you remove on departure.

RatSlave · 28/10/2022 19:04

With our Council it's fine to make whatever improvements you like as long as you can return it to the original when you move out. They've never come round and inspected anything but we have a secure tenancy.

mayaknew · 28/10/2022 19:05

I would just do it I've been in my council house for 5 years and the only time anyone from the council has been in it is when I've asked them to for repairs.

It might be one of their properties but at the end of the day it's your home!

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 28/10/2022 19:05

Thank you.

I'm on a starter tenancy. I have asked them if they come and do checks but they didn't give me a straight answer and I didn't want to press it further.

OP posts:
mayaknew · 28/10/2022 19:06

What's a starter tenancy ? I've only ever heard of secure tenancies in council housing

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 28/10/2022 19:08

mayaknew · 28/10/2022 19:05

I would just do it I've been in my council house for 5 years and the only time anyone from the council has been in it is when I've asked them to for repairs.

It might be one of their properties but at the end of the day it's your home!

Thank you. They have a huge back log of repairs and are very short staffed so I'd be really surprised if they did actually send anyone round.

I'm just frustrated, the door is so old and not secure at all. I've said I will pay at my own expensive to do it and feel after for my and my kids but they've said no because I'm a new tenant.

OP posts:
ScottishAngryBird · 28/10/2022 19:10

I don’t think you can put your own door on in a housing association property, but they don’t do checks but if you’re in a flat then the cleaners that come daily, may see your new door & report it to the housing.

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 28/10/2022 19:10

mayaknew · 28/10/2022 19:06

What's a starter tenancy ? I've only ever heard of secure tenancies in council housing

It's for new tenants in the first year of housing. After a year you get moved onto an assured tenancy.

It's ridiculous because it basically says you can't do anything for a year to your property expect paint and carpet it. That's it. I've actually replastered parts of mine that desperately needed doing and put new skirting in. I doubt they would ever notice that but it needed doing.

OP posts:
Sorebackandibs · 28/10/2022 19:11

I was on a starter tenancy for the first year. They came round after 3 months, 6months then 12 months. After that I moved on to a secure tenancy and I've not seen them since.

The only things they really checked were smoke alarms and fire doors. I removed my living room door and put it in the shed and they just said to put it back before I left.

ghostsandpumpkinsalready · 28/10/2022 19:11

They check every 5 years around here but do let you do improvements

popperoo · 28/10/2022 19:11

I'm in HA and they don't do checks but they will charge you if you need repairs made to anything that you've done, so if you put in a new front door and the lock goes on it you'll be charged for a new lock to be installed.

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 28/10/2022 19:13

Sorebackandibs · 28/10/2022 19:11

I was on a starter tenancy for the first year. They came round after 3 months, 6months then 12 months. After that I moved on to a secure tenancy and I've not seen them since.

The only things they really checked were smoke alarms and fire doors. I removed my living room door and put it in the shed and they just said to put it back before I left.

Oh that's good to know, thank you for that.

OP posts:
Boomboomboomboom · 28/10/2022 19:15

Don't risk your starter tenancy by doing improvements.
You'll have no rights to do improvements for the first 12 months.
Once you've passed your starter period you can do improvements with consent which cannot be reasonably withheld.
By breaking your tenancy in the first 12 months you are putting it at risk. Not worth it in my opinion.

MayFlower22 · 28/10/2022 19:15

Starter tenancy checks are usually every three months until the 12 months is up.

Wishitwasntsohard · 28/10/2022 19:17

If your door isn’t secure, they should be replacing it.
Maybe Log it as an issue and tell them it would be dangerous if your kids managed to get out & you will hold them responsible?

CornishTiger · 28/10/2022 19:18

Ex housing officer here. If a tenant improved their property in the starter period I really wouldn’t care!

However from the sound of it the home hasn’t even been let to a decent homes standard. Why is the front door so bad? Skirting and plastering.
That’s on the HA. Not you!

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 28/10/2022 19:18

Boomboomboomboom · 28/10/2022 19:15

Don't risk your starter tenancy by doing improvements.
You'll have no rights to do improvements for the first 12 months.
Once you've passed your starter period you can do improvements with consent which cannot be reasonably withheld.
By breaking your tenancy in the first 12 months you are putting it at risk. Not worth it in my opinion.

This is exactly my thinking too. My neighbours are both with the same housing association and say it would be fine but I don't think its worth the risk.

OP posts:
CornishTiger · 28/10/2022 19:19

Ending a starter tenancy is not easy. These issues wouldn’t even be on my radar to end a tenancy. However the HA should be fixing it. The sink - if it’s functional no.

Singleandproud · 28/10/2022 19:20

Before I bought mine any internal doors we took off we put in the shed as would have to replace them if I moved out.

However, in terms of your front door I would not upgrade that as a tenant as they could decide to come round in a year and upgrade the front doors and remove your one etc, you can appeal but it would be very annoying if you spent £££ they put their own there instead. Even though I'm now leasehold replacing things like windows is still risky as it's there building. Although kitchens etc is fine as long as it's not structural.

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 28/10/2022 19:22

CornishTiger · 28/10/2022 19:18

Ex housing officer here. If a tenant improved their property in the starter period I really wouldn’t care!

However from the sound of it the home hasn’t even been let to a decent homes standard. Why is the front door so bad? Skirting and plastering.
That’s on the HA. Not you!

The whole house is absolutely horrendous. It's all been painted but they've sprayed it all, my front door is absolutely covered in white paint! Now all the nicotine stains are coming through the walls only weeks after it's been painted.

The door handles are falling off the internal doors.

The skirting is half wood and half plastic in the bedrooms and totally uneven.

The floors are also so uneven that I've had to order some caber deck to even it all out before I even think about carpeting it.

I don't expect the house to be immaculate for a second but it's so much more work than I ever expected.

OP posts:
CornishTiger · 28/10/2022 19:24

I’d complain about the relet standard formally.
It won’t count against you and your starter tenancy.

Lennybenny · 28/10/2022 19:24

My HA does. I've just had my property survey.
There are some things that aren't an issue to be changed as long as you're prepared to put it all back if they request it when you move out(unlikely that it's soon but that's how they put it)
They may also replace those items in a normal yearly basis anyway so find out when yours is due. For example my kitchen is due to be replaced in 2024. My front door was replaced in 2020.
They are generally happy as long as those items are done professionally and add to the property.

MarigoldMoonStone · 28/10/2022 19:30

Surely if you replace like for like they won't even be able to argue it, they shouldn't leave things in such bad condition - especially a front door!

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 28/10/2022 19:55

MarigoldMoonStone · 28/10/2022 19:30

Surely if you replace like for like they won't even be able to argue it, they shouldn't leave things in such bad condition - especially a front door!

I feel like I can't win really. I think I need to put in a complaint and see where that gets me.

OP posts:
MarigoldMoonStone · 28/10/2022 19:58

Yeah I would because if the door is not secure that is surely a health and safety hazard.
with the sink, I would just replace it - how would they even know

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