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

[bettyfreddy]

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?

Have you asked THEM to replace the front door? I think that's something they should do.

I'm having a check on Monday apparently- first one in 6 years. Wondering if they'll pull me up on anything 🤔.

I had a stock inspection a few months ago. Is not the council, they hire a firm to do it and they come around and take photos of everything and assess the cousin etc. they do this every ten years. Other than that no, not unless somebody twists a breach of tenancy etc.

That's how I started out but they told me no. They said it would have to be something I do myself with permission so I went down that route and they still said no.

I hope it goes ok, have you done much to your home yourself?

Ending a starter tenancy is pretty easy comparative to fully assured tenancies. It isn't worth the risk.
However I agree with others, if the door is insecure they should be repairing it.

I've been in council housing for over 15 years as an adult. 3 properties and 2 different councils. I have never had an inspection related to my tenancy conditions. The only inspections I've had are the (outsourced) 12 month gas safety check and the required assessemnt if I have notified them of a repair.

I've done everything by the book (I'm not on a starter tenancy though). I needed to put an electric socket in a place where it really should have had one all along which would make life easier without trailing cables in the kitchen. Got permission in writing and had to get the electrician to provide the appropriate certificate which I sent on the the HA.
But I haven't asked for permission to remove a kitchen cupboard to fit a dishwasher (plumbing was already there).
The front door is a security and safety issue and if you raise it through the right channels and are polite but persistent you should get that addressed.
As frustrating as the other issues are, unless they fall under the cosmetic and you can deal with them yourself without causing any real change to the property, then just grin and bare it until you are secure.
Mind, I'm a virtuoso complainer but in a way that doesn't look like I'm being difficult and I tend to get things sorted.
Try and see the bigger picture in that you have a secure tenancy and one way or the other you will get all these issues sorted. If you were in private rent you could have the same issues and a landlord who would never deal with the problems.
I hope you can enjoy your new home and can see the onwards and upwards.

Take before and after photos of the things you have mentioned in PP and are replacing, incase they do mention it to you. I highly doubt they will though.
My friend replaced all of her kitchen cupboards as they were falling apart, housing refused to change them, and wouldnt let her change them. She just took the before and after photos and kept the old cupboards stored away incase she moves and they want to put it back the way it was before so they can't charge her (despite the massive upgrade🙄)

My sisters a huge HA company do 5 year checks
it’s is mainly to check the roofs / guttering and doors and windows and to see if anything needs upgrading like bathroom - kitchen

My DS has changed her bath to a walk in shower and has a beautiful expensive kitchen
They didn’t say anything when they checked
She’s also got a Pergola which isn’t allowed but they have never said anything

I think they only do stuff when they get complaints

We have a few HA in my street and it’s the same every 5 years they do what they call a property survey takes about an hour.

i would just change it
it’s unlikely they will say anything as long as you have improved the property

Thanks for all replies. I won't do anything without permission as it really doesn't seem worth it but I will be putting in a complaint.

I can live with the house as it is and I don't mean to sound ungrateful. It's just a shock when you see how bad some of these properties are. I never expected it to be immaculate but I didnt expect it to be so bad either.

No. The only time they've done a property inspection was when we were transferring from one home to another.

We had to replace the living room window because the door was too narrow for our settee. We couldn't afford the same style window frame and glass so had to get the cheaper version from a local glazier/frames bloke. They've never said anything.

(I've worked in social housing for over 10 years) Ask for permission in writing and don't do anything unless they've granted permission in writing.

Regards the front door though, thats definitely the responsibility of you HA/Council (whichever owns the property) and you should report it if it's not up to standard - particularly if it's a fire door.

If your property needs repair then put the request in writing.
Chase up after the time they allow for enquiries to be responded to and ask for an expected date for the work.

Report the door as a repair, pointing out it is unsafe. Btw.. unsafe things do tend to deteriorate further... document that... don't just leave it and hope.

If it doesn't get done then I'd replace it with a matching one, on the grounds that when the inspection team come round they will not know the difference between a council replaced door and a tenant replaced door unless you tell them!

It shouldn't have to be down to you but if they're dragging their heels over repairs, you feel unsafe and you can afford to do it... for an easy life, its probably worth it.

That said - don't be shy about nagging the repairs team to come out and inspect and sort - this isn't private rented, you absolutely will not find your tenancy ended for nagging over repairs (and you shouldn't in private rented but we all know it happens!).

bettyfreddy my conscience is pretty clear. I did take a door off but it's stashed in the understairs cupboard. Two years after I started storing stuff in the loft I read a reminder in the HA newsletter that we shouldn't store stuff in the loft 😳 - wonder if I'll get told off for that?

Morning, thanks for all replies. Much appreciated. A mix of replies but I think I'm just going to have too keep on at them. It's very tempting to just do it - I think I might replace the sink as I doubt they would ever notice that but I'll just play it safe.

@bettyfreddy why can't you store things in the loft? That's bizarre.

That was @crackofdoom who said that but I have no idea. I've been told I can use mine, just need to be careful what goes above where the boiler is below.

I haven't looked in it yet though....I'm scared what I might find!

My HA are fine. I've torn out the kitchen and bathroom and had refits. They do insist that work is done properly, and want to know who's doing it,nand copies of public liability insurance, etc. Any new fittings/equipment etc are not their responsibility to maintain.

Mayflower I honestly don't know why we're not supposed to store stuff in the loft! Did the article omit to say, or did I forget? My menopausal brain is terrible!

The house is a timber framed new build, so has a lot of supporting trusses in the loft space- which means it could never be used as an actual room....There's also about a foot depth of rock wool rolled out there, over which I've put boards, obviously, but maybe they're worried about dopy tenants getting up there and getting covered with nasty irritant fibres? Lowest common denominator and all that!

In 22 years I’ve had one check and I was told that was because I hadn’t reported any repairs for a couple of years so they just wanted to check that everything was ok. She came in, walked straight past the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom without even poking her head in, sat in the living room for 20 minutes chatting and then left. I mentioned that I’d like to install a shower and she said it was fine and to contact the office, who would give me permission in writing.

One of my neighbours painted her front door and was very promptly told to return it to the original colour.

I used to work for a HA and usual process would have been that you put the request in writing and confirm who you are intending to do the work (this is so they can check the person doing the work is legitimate and insured as I've seen new bathrooms fitted that have ruined flats beneath with plumbing issues). Alternatively you could request that the HA does the work or you pay their cobtractors. Most of the time things are approved in my experience so I'm surprised they said no unless the house has been made accessible/ they've just invested in it and you're wanting to change that. Maybe go back to your HO and ask why you've been turned down. You could argue that the door is a safety issue and it would make you feel more secure.

I have lived in my HA house for seven years we have never had a check
Regarding doors ,the whole estate had the front and back doors replaced about five years ago ,but if your door isnt safe the HA need to do something .

@MayFlower22 really standard these days. Insulation damage in newer properties.. Ceilings coming in. Belongs being left in loft.

I work for a HA, I would say replacing the sink is fine. Just be aware that they wont do any repairs on it.

If the door really is unsafe and not securing effectively you need to report it. That should be done as a 24 hour make safe repair and then a follow up for any more sturdy repairs or a replacement door (door replacements take weeks as they are made to order).

Do not do your own door!

It's not that it's faulty, there's nothing wrong with it in that way. It's just so old and flimsy that as a single mum of 3, I'm concerned that anyone could just kick it in so easily and be inside. I'd prefer something a lot more sturdy.