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.

I’ve been on there since March, loads of photos, put in the description that it is adapted

I’ve had no messages, not one single person has even enquired. I post on the fb pages, never had a reply, even when I’ve messaged people about multiswaps I get ignored or straight up “no”

I honestly spent hours on there working out connections, it took me about 8months the first time and 6months the last time.
You really have to put the leg work in. Don't go for where you want, work backwards and find someone who wants yours and then find another link to get to where you want.
I swapped my 2bed, with someone who had a 3bed, to get into another 2bed because they wanted a 3.
It is possible- but you really have to look at every variation- its better than an unscrupulous landlord that fleeces you then evicts you.

Hiyah, im so sorry you are having such a hard time, it can be siul destroying but please remember how well you have done to be safe and with your daughter.
I wondered if a different tack might be to contact disabled charities in your area directly and let them know you are looking for a swap/non adapted house.

If the adaptations would not fit someone who is disabled the HA would likely be forced to make changes for them.

I appreciate it is an odd way to look at your situation, but it could be a work around that helps whilst you wait those three months for the extractor to work 🙄

Other things i thought of were that damp companies such as peter cox will do free assessments in regards to damp (which might back up any legal claims)

And lastly (if you could bare it) id be tempted to shower more and let the bloody floor rot and dance on it til it disintegrates!

It must be exhausting but you aredoing a great job. Hang in there

When was the extractor fan put in? When is the flooring going to be replaced?

The housing ombudsman didnt rule against you, they obviously told the HA to do some things. You can go back when the 3 months are up.

Get a builder in to look at what really needs to be done.

I would make friends with my neighbours and ask them to smoke away from your windows. There is a lot to gain from being part of the community.

I would stay until you finish your degree and get a well paid job. Go for walks and get out of the flqt as much as you can. But if you present yourself as homeless, they're going to know you gave up a council property, they call it making yourself intentially homeless. They won't give you another one.

In a different city but a family I know handed over the keys and went to the council everyday to housing. They were housed in hotels which changed week to week until they got a flat but it was not in the area they wanted. I know how difficult it is to find rentals in Manchester.

For renting privately have you explored all the options? Renting a studio in a big family home? There are lots of people on here who like finding properties. I know others have mentioned living with your mum and you’ve said it’s too small but can you not squeeze in for a bit and do extra work to be able to save more quickly?

This may be a bit of a sideways idea, but would you not be better off working than studying for another 3 years? It seems a by being a student you cannot start to repair your credit rating, move from this awful property, save any money...is your degree really worth it?

Authorities aren't always right even though they're meant to be independent, depends on who you get looking into the problem. Just because they didn't fall on OP's side doesn't mean op is wrong. Question everything & keep an open mind. We have far too much trust in higher decisions & my own lived experience is that this isn't always right.

Have you spoken to Environmental Health in your local council and requested a HHSRS assessment?

If you literally have no worktop space at all they should consider it deficient in terms of cat 15-Domestic Hygiene.

There should also be some form of active ventilation in the wet room.

I’m sorry you are going through this OP. I have three suggestions for routes to take that either worked for me in a parallel situation (not mould/repairs but neighbour noise and antisocial behaviour) or worked for other people I know:

1. Firm called Sanctum Consultants. They really are brilliant and not expensive.
2. No win no fee lawyer.
3. Go to the media. Your local newspaper would be the place to start. Your crappy landlord will likely be spurred into action.

I second shelter as they are housing specialists but i absolutely disagree that Cit A are useless! That is a sweeping statement and the Cit A branches are all independent of each other so one office does not reflect another!!

Very good advice 5128gap..

I should add for clarification that the point about Sanctum Consultants is that they advise you who and how to put pressure on with minimum effort and expense to yourself.

Yes, most universities let you take gap years in your course, especially if there is a good reason for it. Problem is that OP would need more childcare if working full time.

I think it might be worth expiring the option of a spare room or studio in a bigger house. Look on spareroom.co.uk and see if there is anything in your area. It means sharing, but you might even find a nice family with a similar age child and they can play together. The other thing is to try your university and see if they have any emergency parent and child accommodation. They have a duty to help as it's affecting your well-being- and your studies I'm sure.

Another option might be homeshare. (Google homeshare elder) The idea is to link up people for mutual benefit: ie an older person might want company and a bit of shopping done and you get low rent and a place to stay.

100% this is your absolute best option

Second best - engage a housing disrepair solicitor (who can also reference the inappropriate adaptations)

Third best - inform yourself of all relevant legislation and force the Council Environmental Health Dept / housing team to act and enforce against your HA at the same time as putting in a fresh application for re-housing which will flare a scrutiny of your situation.

Remember your end goal is to be appropriately housed in social housing. Since you have little to no options due to your financial circumstances and being a student, then personally, I would scratch all forms of 'unrealistic' ideas such as renting privately (expensive and insecure and private landlords can act far worse than HAs) and relocating to the Outer Hebrides. IMO your best bet is stay put and chip away at it.

As someone suggested, putting down a plastic shower tray base in the wet room that directs water into the plug hole would at least alleviate the worst symptoms and being a temporary and fully removable fitting it would not be in breach of your tenancy. You could do some research and DIY that.

If you are in GM, there are plenty of areas where rents are far cheaper than you have quoted - can you look locally? Are you living in one of the more desirable areas? A 2 bed flat near here is less than £800, down to about £650.

However, I would carry on pressing the HA to make your home suitable (even if you don't want to stay there long-term - it might make it easier to swap). There's lots of support, and I know you feel you've already exhausted the system but you can start the process again if the issue has not been resolved to your satisfaction, even if the HA says it has. https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/how_to_report_repairs_to_a_council_or_housing_association_landlord
https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/is_your_home_fit_for_habitation

Try and get your local authority Environmental Health department to help. Email them with pictures. Mine have been a great help forcing private landlord to sort out mouldy bathroom

Could you buy something like this to direct the water away from walls and to the drain?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silicone-Bathroom-Waterproof-Self-Adhesive-Separation/dp/B07X7VXXC5/ref=asc_df_B07X7VXXC5

My silicone thing came today, waters just pooling over the bloody top of it so I’m giving up on trying. The layout and configuration is just awful

Housing officer still hasn’t phoned me either

ETA: Forgot to add that I sent an email about the direct match thing suggested by another poster and haven’t heard yet. All I know is I’m not getting another damp inspection

What's the problem with the silicone thing - is it too short to go round the shower area and have the drain within the contained area? Or is the water not draining away fast enough making it overflow?

If it's not long enough to create a shower area with the drain within it, can you use it to dam off a 'dry area' instead to stop water going out the door (and perhaps around the loo, you said that was a problem I think?)

https://twitter.com/JigsawNorth lol at their bio