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 my area this shared ownership scheme is available from the same HA that I live in.

It's open to people or families whose maximum income is £90k pa and who already live or work in the borough.

There's also something called an 'intermediate rent' scheme but I'm not sure what that is as we don't have it in our estate.

I believe providing this mixture of living is vital. Sadly in my area they it's been gentrified for the ultra wealthy and at least 50-75% (conservative estimate as it's maybe even 95%) of property is sitting empty - that is the issue that people who worry about the state of the world should be jumping on.

It has nothing to do with the thread (respectfully)

Believe me, I have. In student halls of residence, private rentals, privately owned flat and now out privately owned house. Contractors are busy people and not always the most reliable.

My updates boring. Housing officer hasn’t phoned and I’ve called everyday this week asking to speak to her. I have however got a free hour with a solicitor tomorrow, if nothing comes of it then at least I can say I’ve tried. I’m still depressed but me and DD have been out a lot, plenty of walks and trips to the park. So there’s one positive!

Glad to hear that you are coping OP.
Take lots of pictures on your phone to help the solicitor to understand the issues.

Oh this is great news! Make the most of your free hour and maybe record it if you can. Solicitors think fast and talk even faster sometimes.

I can guarantee you whatever they say, is the best course of action. They cut through all the BS and get to the point.

Make sure you tell your solicitor their plans for your white goods

Eh?

Wrong thread maybe?

@Fallenangelofthenorth oh shit yeah you are right that was meant for another thread Ignore it OP

You 100% will have an Environmental Health department with your local council.
This is the same through all of the UK.

Someone EHORB registered or CIEH chartered (as in the qualification that legally permits you to act as an Environmental Health Officer) should be employed within the local council.

If you make a formal complaint to this department, not your housing association, they are duty bound under Chapter 1, Section 4 of the Housing Act 2004 to conduct an inspection.

If you actually have no counter space, they should take action in accordance with HHSRS category 16 Food Safety.

If you have external wall insulation, and you heat your property twice a day and ventilate, this wall shouldn’t have excessive signs of damp unless the EWI has failed; which does happen if the roof works weren’t up to scratch E.g they’ve used a plastic cover instead of extending the eaves.

The disrepair to the bathroom sounds largely aesthetic.

Well my half hour with a solicitor didn’t happen as they had to cancel. However I phoned housing standards and ended up in tears down the phone and just said I can’t cope anymore at all.

I’ve been accepted on the transfer list, housing standards have said they’re going to propose the highest band with a move as soon as possible. Whether that will work I don’t know.

Thank you for all input. However the damage in the bathroom is not aesthetic it absolutely stinks of damp and rotting wood. Hardly aesthetic when my home floods everytime I have a shower.

@CoconutSky there is NO WAY you would have got the aesthetic comments had you posted as a home owner. Im glad you are a bit further forward. I know the smell of damp rotting wood .....its yuk

Social housing contractors here being exposed in Private Eye.

https://x.com/PeoplesAudit/status/1748319724042113215?s=20

@CoconutSky that's brilliant news.

Hire a proper professional industrial size dehumidifier. In fact the council should provide you with a few.

@DogLover24 RTFT

Thanks for your update OP,
I hope things move quickly for you.

This is great news OP! Well done.

If you can still get the appointment with solicitor then please try to because you're probably still going to need a solicitor to enforce what the council has just promised you.

Until it's done, and in writing, or you're on that system with the points and the banding etc, anything they say may not be followed up.

Did you get the name and contact details of the person you spoke to in housing standards? If not, find out and follow the phone conversation up with an email.

Good advice re getting a name and following up. Hope things start to move for you soon OP.

A senior Environmental Health Officer wrote my previous post. I asked him if he could help you with any advice.
He’s advised the regulations to quote to get action and procedure to follow. They are duty bound to respond and inspect.
I’m sorry if you didn’t like the aesthetic comment but it’s best to hear what he had to say in its entirety.
Hope it’s of some help.

Good luck!

That's great news @CoconutSky I really hope they find you something soon. And that they don't put some other poor bugger straight into your flat, disabled or otherwise! Imagine needing those adaptations and being so chuffed to have been allocated something, and then get this place. Anyway, not your concern. Hope you can hang on in there now you know you'll be moved out. I hope you've got it in writing. If not, it might be worth following up with an email confirming the conversation you had. Then keep hassling them!

I’ve got to post this cos it’s so absurd it’s funny.
So they told me to stay on the mutual exchange, I got a message on Tuesday asking for a viewing. I explained the situation w the size etc and the person said no problem they’ll come and view it.

They came today and asked me if I was taking the piss 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I said to them I told you it was small and the woman’s now shamed me on the exchange Facebook group hahahahaha

lol that is funny 🤣 joking aside I do hope you get moved, I've been following your thread with interest.

@CoconutSky screenshot it and pass the shame on to the HA

Great idea @JenniferBooth .