To just walk out my council house.

[CoconutSky]

I hate despise this flat.
I’ve ended up in an adapted property with a wet room.
It’s riddled with damp because of the wet room, I’ve spent thousands on painting and decorating, carpeting when I moved in to make it nice. I fled DV, after less than 2 years it’s all had to come up and be replaced.
Wet room is being “repaired” but I don’t hold much hope.
I’ve no worktops, 4 kitchen cupboards and no space whatsoever and I’ve just had enough. I only realised the further adaptations when comparing my flat to my neighbours and I just feel like walking out. Communal hallway also stinks of cigarettes which comes into my home, HA are aware and have done nothing but send letters out. Despite it being a communal hallway an inspectors also said that the other tenants are okay to smoke cigarettes as it’s not illegal. It might not be illegal but I can’t open my windows cos it comes in all the bedrooms. DD’s stinks so bad of fags she’s in with me and that’s with the window closed.

Im so miserable, the wet room stinks, my shoes and bags have always got mould in. Im on the mutual exchange but no one wants flats and I can’t get a managed move, property is 2 beds and I’m “adequately housed”
I even asked if the housing association had a special register for adapted properties but they don’t.
I can’t afford private rented and wouldn’t pass a credit check due to my ex getting me in debt.

I don’t know what to do, I’m sick of phoning the housing association, sick of being upset and seeing plaster and paint just fall off the wall. I’m at my wits end and I feel like I’m trapped in this place.

In the kitchen you could get a free standing ikea metal table with underneath metal shelf. I did this in my old cottage which also had a damp problem. The water was literally running down the walls at one point. My heart goes out to you , and you sound defeated. But all is not lost. Please give Shelter a call, they’re really good. You can still request a move on medical grounds, ie stress, mental health due to the mould and smoking. Would you consider a move to another area? I don’t know your financial situation but even if you could save up for a deposit on a private rental it gives you something to aim for. I really pray that your situation changes for the better soon

They’re likely to do any recharges straight away. OP can’t pay so they would probably take her to court.

Where do you live op? Which town/City?

Yes, this. Even if it takes months and months. You can rent a whole house up north for the same amount as a room down south. It's where I'm headed eventually so I can have some degree of a decent standard of living.

Do you have household contents insurance, if so check if you have legal cover. You could then take your case to a lawyer that specialises in social housing. They would be able to give you advice on where you stand, maybe write some legal letters for you to remind the HA of their statutory duties re damp, non compliance re the smoking etc. Also worth getting a Subject Access Request from the HA to see your file. This should include all internal and external correspondence, notes from phone calls etc - might help in making a case for you to move elsewhere. I know someone who was moved into a different property because of the behaviour of another tenant... Good luck.

Have you rang environmental health? They should send someone out to inspect it. If that doesn't help I'd name and shame them on Facebook. Publicity tends to get things moving with these people.

I'd join the tenancy matters group on Facebook which is good for advice as well and you can also try your MP.

Was coming back on to mention contents insurance. If you don’t have it now, take it out. Then if anything goes wrong when you redecorate with carpets etc you will be covered. Ask your HA if they have a company they use as most do. But it’s not expensive if you do have to get quotes yourself.

Looks like you have tried all the routes, but try Shelter for advice too. It IS illegal to smoke, and you can get free govt signage to put up The Department of Health is able to supply you with the Official template signs which are free of charge. For more information visit: www.smokefreeengland.co.uk. " If a person is concerned about an individual or public place / workplace not adhering to the laws surrounding a smoke free England you may call 0800 587 1667" If you can remove the smoking issue, you can perhaps get better ventilation going. Remove the rotting door and dump it in the housing reception, after you have told the local press what you are about to do.

I’ve not managed to get through over the phones to Shelter. Will try again another time. Heartbreaking knowing how busy they are, and thinking of all those people on the streets in the cold.

I have however got a viewing Saturday morning on a 2 bed house round the corner, it’s £1100 a month which is gonna be hard but I’ll just have to weigh up my incomings and outgoings and see where and if I can cut back on more. Apparently 48 people on average view each house in Manchester at the moment so I know my chances are slim but I can’t give up hope

Re the smoking in the communal area, report it as Antisocial Behaviour to your local police, mine dealt with it and got the Housing Assoication to install cameras and more sensitive fire alarms, soon as they residents thought they were going to be charged by the HA for smoking they soon moved to a corner of the shared garden, still disgusting but away from everywhere at least.

They know about the smoking. There are “no smoking” signs in the hallways, ironically there’s a fag/spliff dimp under one of them.

When I viewed this my housing officer smelled the weed and fags being smoked. People have been caught by inspectors smoking. They just send a general letter, they know who it is, they know the addresses because me and another tenant have reported it constantly since 2021. They’ve done fuck all. Greedy Jigsaw want their rent!

I involved the police wherever possible when dealing with HA/council housing issues. Mine was broken into and the council refused to do anything to secure our property. So I spent the next 18 months, several times a week, on the phone or emailing the police, community support, the council, and whoever else i could think of, including a threat of going to the press.

I made such a nuisance of myself that after 18 months of this, we got a locked gate, window locks x2, and a new front door and chain. When originally they (several times) asserted that they'd do no such thing.

Subsequently I then dealt with massive mould problems. My bathroom was completely black and of course the spores spread, so it started in other rooms. I couldn't understand why there was this problem due to airing it out. Eventually, one plumber they sent had the intelligence to take the bath panel off, and low and behold the plumbing was back to front and there was a swimming pool of water permanently under the bath. They took ages to fix the problem but again, I made an every day nuisance of myself.

It was not a good start and made me not want to live here, but what choice did I have back then. Unexpectedly, the council later sold everything to a HA who gave us a new kitchen and a brand new bathroom. My home is now semi decent and I don't hate it.

Now when I report repairs they still do it straight away because they know not to mess with me.

Your home is kind of a part of you and can make your life so miserable. Don't give up, and have a long term plan as well.

If you say you are being affected by domestic abuse now , doesnt have to be violence just threats etc .. the council have an obligation to move you … I did this and went into a hostel with my two year old whilst pregnant , for about 2 months , which was shit … but .. I now have a new build home and everything has worked. Out my sons are now 4 and 2… good luck ❤️🤗

Keep trying Shelter and your viewing sounds really positive. Even if you have to pull back on things yet again, it will surely work out cheaper than running a de humidifier so much in your current property. My prayers are with you x

Sounds a miserable situation OP, do you have a Law advice centre in your area you could approach for advice, failing that your elected Councillor.

Have you tried their website? There's a good section on disrepair including for council tenants, right to repair, compensation etc.

I have. I had a good read because I thought due to wet room and these stupid fans I’d have grounds for disrepair but there’s just loopholes to everything. It’s a nightmare. If I’m no further with private renting say by Easter I don’t know what I’m going to do. I can’t live like this anymore

2 questions:
if you walk out, where will you go?
Have you tried Citizens Advice ? They can be very helpful.

Can you live there part time so that you don't lose the tenancy but stay with your mum for breaks from it. In the meantime be saving for that private tenancy.

Or....what is the other option? You leave and go where?

If I walked out I don’t know where I’d go. But if I didn’t have DD to consider I’d have shut the door and left months ago

I have spoken to CAB, they were the ones who helped me complain but once it was closed by ombudsman that was it. They couldn’t really provide advice, according to the person I spoke to they said I’d need legal advice but I don’t know how that works. CAB told me to go on the mutual exchange, I have and it’s pointless and I dunno how to even take myself off it now

There’s no room at my mums for us, hers is only a small house too. Sometimes I feel like dropping DD off and just presenting as homeless but I know it would never work. Its just a daydream

I'm not sure how much it would cost but can you start by hiring a third entity to come and inspect the property thoroughly and write a report on the conditions and their professional opinion on what is required to bring it back up to standard.
Once you have this and then have collated your Information, photos, emails etc, you should be able to get help from https://www.gmlaw.org.uk/
Greater Manchester Law Centre. You should be able to get Legal Aid (it's as easy as filling in a form with your income). Hopefully they can then initiate legal action against your housing association on your behalf.
They can also advise regarding witholding rent (and holding it somewhere safe) until works are completed or you may be advised to use the rent to get repairs done.

I’ll speak to that Law Centre tomorrow. Thank you.

Have you contacted the Housing Standards team ( usually part of the Environmental Health Team at your local authority? Housing Standards can take enforcement action if a social landlord isn't taking appropriate steps to remedy homes with hazards.