To ask to be temporarily rehoused whilst new kitchen installed?

[SENwoes]

I will preface this by saying I KNOW I’m very lucky to have a HA house, and I KNOW I’m very lucky to be getting a brand new kitchen for free.

So as above, I have work commencing on 22nd January to rip out the old kitchen and replace it. I don’t have a choice in this, according to the documents, I am unable to say no it’s fine, I’ll keep the old one. I’ve been told the works will take 2 weeks, as it also involves taking up the tiled floor and replacing it with lino.

It’s just dawning on me what a nightmare this will be. I have to completely empty the kitchen obviously, but there’s not really anywhere to put the stuff, it’s a very small house (just living room leading to kitchen/diner downstairs). The big appliances will go outside in the back yard apparently, but everything else will have to be boxed up and kept somewhere. I’ll have no cooking or washing up facilities, and no way of washing or drying clothes.

That’s all pretty standard I know, but my main concern is that I have a disability (CFS) and also both DC are diagnosed with ASD and currently in the house all the time as neither in education. We will essentially be trapped in our bedrooms for 2 weeks as we won’t be able to move in the front room as realistically that’s the only place everything from the kitchen can go. I need to rest…a lot, and the works will be noisy, which will also affect both DC as they struggle badly with loud noises and not being in a calm environment. They’ll also struggle with a team of workmen being in their space for 2 weeks, They both have completely different food aversions and neither of their limited range of foods is conducive to being able to batch cook and set the microwave up somewhere. Realistically it will mean a lot of eating out, but that’s not really affordable for 2 weeks.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and WIBU to ask the HA if there’s anything that could be done to move us while the works are going on? The only family member I could stay with is my DM but she’s a long way away and having works done on her own house which means she doesn’t have a functioning bathroom, so that’s not ideal really.

“Again do you understand we do pay for the kitchens through rent increases (a 3% increase was added to mine above the annual increase). I'm sorry that is to difficult a concept for you to grasp.”

No it isn’t.

It's do-able, but a massive upheaval. When we had our kitchen replaced a few years ago, we just lived in the chaos!
We set up a mini kitchen in the corner of the room, with a microwave, toaster, a kettle and one plate, mug, knife, fork and spoon per person. We also kept a few microwaveable containers for cooking in. We also had the fridge and freezer in the same room.
Once the kitchen sink had been removed (it was the last thing to go) we did washing up and got our water from the bathroom.

We mostly ate salads, beans on toast and fruit, with some ready-meals from "Cook" which are admittedly a bit pricey but much better than the cheaper ones.

I must admit, I definitely wouldn't want to do it again. Hopefully the current kitchen will outlive me!

You’re very lucky to have housing associates provide for you and very lucky to be getting a new kitchen.

You need to just make do, so many people have it worse. You’ll still have a roof over your head and running water, it will be fine!

There is no harm in asking op worst case they say no.

can see why you would want to stay elsewhere I rent privately and house needed a full rewire a couple of years ago, no offer to reduce rent for the two weeks we had to find somewhere to stay ended up spread over 3 houses as not enough space for the 5 of us to stay with one person.

got back in 2 weeks later and every rooms paint jobs were damaged all for us to deal with and a letter from landlord due to the cost of the rewire, a month later rent would be increasing £80 a month!

Haven't read the whole thread.

You would need to check what your legal rights are with regard to being able to access a functional kitchen. Usually, one is only 'legally homeless' when there's no hot and cold running water and no flushing toilet.

I remember when the borough I lived in did the 'Decent Homes' work which meant everyone allegedly got a new kitchen and bathroom.

Some people were 'decanted' = that is the legal word for when you need to be temporarily put somewhere else in order for vital work to be done to your home. I was once decanted for major repair works that were court ordered and these were never done so I was left abandoned in the decant property (long story)!!

Now there's issues around this idea of a decant as in reality I'm sure you'd rather be in your home when a bunch of work persons come and go in and and out re your personal possessions and having some agency over the situation.

Also for security reasons, the housing would possibly want you to pack up all your possessions and vacate for the duration of the decant (that's what I had to do but my decant was for 8 weeks for major works throughout the whole flat).

IMO, you'd probably be able to argue a legal right to be decanted or put up in a hotel for two weeks - if so, you'd need to hire a solicitor to argue this for you and in the current climate, that would be near impossible to achieve.

Your best bets in my vast experience of dealing with these types of experience is one of three things -

1. Approach your local Councillors / MP and council Head of Housing. Explain your situation and ask what they can do to ensure that your kitchen is refurbished but your welfare and disability needs are also respected.

2. Take legal advice - you will probably need to pay for a one off session with a Housing Solicitor specialising in Housing Disrepair. Some do offer free one off sessions. They will 99% certainly not take your case on a CFA or 'in the public interest', I can assure you that much so don't waste your time. Get a free one off, if there is one on offer, session or pay.

3. Reconsider your stance - it's totally understandable and I do 'get it' -but- having gone through similar, worse in fact, myself, you'd be far better off to lean into the situation and gain as much agency over it as possible. Stay in your home, doing as best you can, whilst work persons come and go at agreed times only. They work quickly. They'll be on the job. You can 'supervise it' and have some control over it. They'll also be able to help you a bit with logistics and practicalities. If you vacate your home, god only knows what they may or may not do (seriously!!) and they could be 'no shows' for the greater part IME.

What a bloody nightmare, really feel for you especially with SEN kids who it's going to have a major impact in their well being. I had a similar situation in my flat 20 years back when my kids were a baby and toddler with kitchen/bathroom/re-wire and radiators all done in the same timeframe - months of workmen and our flat being like a building site.

I doubt much has changed in HA's or Council offering alternative accoms but it can't hurt to ask them @SENwoes
What i really wanted to post for was to share some items that helped us cope with the cooking side of things. We had no cooker/washer for nearly 5 weeks due to some issues and setbacks.

We spoke to friends and family and managed to borrow a gas camping stove, my grans 1970's electric frying pan & slow cooker - the frying pan was a large square thing with a lid and a dial control but an absolute godsend at the time. Electric grill/griddle like a george foreman was also used alot and then now adays you have things like air fryers which you might be able to borrow or multi purpose equipment ones like a ninja or instapot that can also pressure cook/saute/slow cook/air fry. Then obviously toaster, microwave, sandwich maker.

An obviously depending on how your kids cope outside of your home seeing if there is any emergency respite care or a drop in somewhere you can all go spend time in a safe environment even a relative or friends home for a few hours - might be the lesser of two evils in terms of how much it effects you all . Really hope that you are able to get some things in place to minimise the impact's of the disruption on your family though.

Everyone else gets to choose whether they get a new kitchen or not, and to schedule the work for when it's convenient.

When I had my kitchen redone I set up my little camping stove in the sitting room so I was able to make pasta etc.

I have something like this…

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Taylor-Brown-Portable-Compliant-Automatic/dp/B0BQNB312P/ref=asc_df_B0BQNB312P/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=641740681148&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10209523250235305147&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006886&hvtargid=pla-2200440988212&psc=1&mcid=ab67361ef1c638e8a952bd9eb2658749

I am super disappointed to see that, as per, this thread has brought out all the social housing haters.

Social housing (Housing Associations) and Council housing (property stock purchased / built / owned / managed by the council) self funds and pays for itself. It is not 'tax payer funded', it has to pay for itself or it would be unlawful.

Housing Association rents are far higher than council rents. Repairs, maintenance, cyclical decorating (every 7 years - never gets done), and renewal of bathrooms and kitchens (every 26 years - sometimes gets done) is all built into the cost of the rent. That is why, when people are living in disgusting, derelict, falling to pieces homes with kitchen cabinets that long since fell off the wall, they have actually been robbed. Because their rent has already paid for those issues to be cyclically addressed and they weren't.

Councils bought and built the vast majority of their housing stock many decades ago at very low cost. The value of the stock is enormous and the rents have to cover all management, repairs and maintenance. However, councils run their housing stock into the ground, even deliberately creating swathes of derelict and uninhabitable property where it wasn't before and wouldn't have become.

People are so very ignorant and hateful. I get that not everyone is a socialist but for the love of god why hate people on false grounds and false information? It's prejudice and ignorance is what it is.

They won't rehouse you for a kitchen OP. You can ask though. When we had the house ripped apart it took a month and we had to live through it. The rewire was fun.... I had to set up an electric hob and microwave and whatnot in another room while the kitchen was replaced.

You wouldn't though, would you?

you need a kettle/microwave/some containers and paper plates

my kitchen took a week and that was ripping up tiles and putting down lino/skpping it/replacing radiators etc literally brand new room!!

i mean this kindly,... you will have to make the best of it!

Being rehoused would also be a hassle and is unrealistic.
If you haven’t got one you could ask to borrow a friends microwave oven or air fryer for a couple of weeks.

I think some excellent points being made here, that will help the op. There is a pile on of outrage and virtue signalling which is derailing the thread.

op, things to check. Getting temp accommodation, does it mean you need to move all your possession out, if not who is responsible if something is damaged or stolen. Do you habe contents insurance? You need to check with them, if they tell you to move all your stuff out, is it feasible?

do you get meal vouchers or money, if not can you afford to feed your family without using a microwave or air fryer for two weeks ie on fast food or restaurants as it is costly.

will the hotel allow you to cook in your room if you decide to bring cooking facilities with you.

thr practical elements of what you’re asking need to be considered.

Thanks for the replies (well some of them anyway 🤣). Some very useful suggestions.

To answer a few questions:

1. we kind of have SS involvement, someone came over to do an initial assessment a few weeks ago on my request, they took details and we are now on a waiting list. I did get a call last week from a SW and she said she would ‘probably’ come and see me this week but I haven’t had confirmation of that yet.

2. staying with BF isn’t an option - I couldn’t do a 5 hour drive and he shares a house with his brother, they only have 2 bedrooms so there wouldn’t be room for us lot. As for ‘repaying’ me for kindly letting him stay most weekends - he does a 10 hour round trip after working 12 hour days all week to come and see me and is very helpful and kind, and I’m not exactly particularly exciting company with everything going on. I don’t feel he owes me anything at all, it’s definitely more the other way around.

3. when I say ‘caravan’ - I’m talking about a static caravan, so separate bedrooms, not a small touring caravan. The weather isn’t ideal but I lived in a static caravan for 5 years when I was a lot younger and they do heat up quickly. It will be freezing here, my thermostat is right by the front door and the fitters will be in and out all the time (only access into the house), so either I have the heating off or I’ll be paying a fortune to try and heat the garden too.

4. I am the only person in my row of houses to be getting a kitchen. Some are privately owned, my NDN is still HA and the irony is that their kitchen is falling to bits whereas mine is fine, but they can’t get theirs done for another 7 years.

Can’t remember what else was asked but will go back through the thread. Thanks to everyone who gets it and is being supportive. To those that don’t, and are being arsey about my ‘free house’ - admittedly I am not paying my rent at the moment as I’m unable to work but until quite recently I was paying the full rent. Lording it on benefits isn’t quite the treat you’re imagining, stop reading the daily mail and watching those channel 5 programmes. And I only got my house in the first place because I was a victim of severe domestic abuse, I was given the option of a HA house in the area or me and kids being given new identities and moved to somewhere far away. I am thankful every day for a secure place to live. But I’m maybe not as lucky as you think I am.

**and have to pay for it, the important bit your forgetting!

fwiw i would (and have!!) lived upstairs while i had my kitchen done, with kids, dog and cats. NIGHTMARE but i also paid for mine!!
if it was free id have done it with a smile on my face

In social housing, kitchens and bathrooms are expected to 'last' 26 years before cyclical work schedule demands they should be replaced.

I'm not sure if a person can decline a new kitchen / bathroom as it's not their property, it's the landlords - ie council / HA - to keep in good order.

Some tenants wreck their homes and by the time 26 years has gone past, multiple tenants can have left kitchens and bathrooms in horrific condition but the next person is meant to move in and just live with the poor standard. If lucky the HA / council does put a new kitchen and bathroom when the property was vacant but it has to be pretty bad for that to happen.

The work is usually done in whole areas, ie streets / estates in a certain time frame and it's not a matter of saying oh please do mine in January or don't do mine until August but obviously there has to be agreement and planning with the tenant.

Oh and as for being here while work is carried out, no I don’t have to be, they are installing a key box so can come and go as they want.

But how much is 3 percent, on 500 quid that’s 15 quid a month, it would take longer than the kitchen life expectancy to pay for it..

Have you seen the crappy kitchens council's and HA's install? They won't be paying much at all for them and as a PP pointed out, kitchens and bathrooms are only replaced every 25-35 years.

You have to be kidding, it’s not just the kitchen it’s the contractors to fit, it costs a fortune at the best of times to have a kitchen ripped out and fitted.

Why are many people wittering on about home owners staying put when they have kitchens fitted? It is the absolute opposite thing.

A half decent comparison would be someone in private rented, and you can guarantee the poster would be told to expect more notice, help with storage, suitable accommodation or at least some recompense.

Choosing to do something to your own property, of your choosing, and on your own time frame is the complete opposite of what the OP is being asked to do.

OP, you will get through this. Air fryer, microwave, kettle and washing up etc in bathroom. It'll pass.

Yes, and ALL OF THAT is paid for by the housing association or council because it's raised in revenue from rental income.

The landlord has a legal obligation to keep the property in decent habitable order.

So, what's your problem exactly?

Oh you're jealous? Or you thought it's coming out of your taxes? Such hate, such ignorance.

There's council estates I could bring you to and you'd be aghast that it's lawful for the local authority to force people to live like that. People in prison have a far higher, cleaner, and safer standard of living. But you just want to hate hate hate because you think someone's got something from you even though you're not sure what. Grow up.