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.

a friend of mine has just been given a studio flat. The neighbours are pleased that a sixty something year old woman with no drink or drug issues has moved in because the previous tenant had exactly those. Her flat is gorgeous, brand new bathroom, new kitchen cabinets, new flooring all the way thru, and freshly painted walls. It’s beautiful.

the bungalows opposite me get the same treatment when a tenant leaves/dies.

councils, just like private landlords cannot expect you to put up with damage that was done by tenants years ago these days - those days are long gone.

Is this based on reality and experience or a delusional idealistic dream?

Just wondering because if I were a work person, I'd tape the area off / door closed and forbid anyone to go in the area for health and safety reasons. Because I do not want someone suing me when their disabled child had a half fitted cupboard fall on their head or tripped over some uplifted flooring, grabbed an electricity cable, ripped some new tiles off the wall and then hit their head on a baton of wood, requiring A&E. Just my personal nightmare vision LOL.

@ScroogeMcDuckling kind of depends on whether the house was obtained vacant or done through an exchange. If exchanged the HA won’t do anything to fix problems left by previous tenants, as in the case of my NDNs who exchanged and have not been able to get any help to sort out the mess left by the people
there before. Yes they chose to exchange but they needed to live in this town and there’s very few HA properties.

They do though my housing Association sometimes give a decorating voucher if its in a dire state but they certainly don't replace an bathrooms and kitchens as a,given when tenants move out nor will they paint walls or put flooring in throughout.

Whilst my own mums kitchen was being done by the HA-she had 5 kids in the house at the time-it was an absolute shit show. We were washing dishes in the bath, cooking in the sitting room on a an electric stove-take out was also an option-stuff was EVERYWHERE! But we got through it. Might be worth asking if your HA can provide you with an electric stove, they should have them for situations like these. But I agree, paper plates/cups for the win. It’s not ideal but as you’ve said you’ve got outside space maybe use some waterproof containers for things you don’t need readily available? That might free up a bit of space inside. Before you know it you’ll have a lovely new kitchen.

Completely untrue.

How many social housing tenancies have you taken?

I have had four in the last 15 years.

One good example does not a general standard make. Happy for your friend. What type of state do you imagine previous tenant left it in? And also likelihood was that it was coming to a schedule of repairs anyway.

Also when housing an older person, more funding can be released to make the place a bit nicer than when housing 'general needs'.

Trust me, I know housing inside out and back to front and have vast experience, even being allocated two flats where one had already been condemned (not one of my 'four' as the tenancy was scrapped before I moved in when I complained the whole house was in fact clearly falling down, evidenced by 6 inch wide cracks in the walls) and the other upon inspection by Env Health was written off as unfit for human habitation on every single point - electrics, water, sewage, safety, damp, entrance / egress... the whole freaking lot and I was already living in that one!

When our kitchen was re-done (not HA so it was ££££!) we set up a temporary kitchen in the next room with a microwave, the fridge etc and just made do. Yes, it was a massive pain in the arse having to carry stuff up and down stairs to wash it in the bath, but we just had to get on with it. We used a washing up bowl to store the dirty stuff downstairs and took it up to wash it once it was full. There was no money for a 2-week holiday and no one to 'house us' as we are just on our own. It was pretty tough but worth it in the end for the lovely new kitchen and I'm sure it will be for you too!

My friend is currently having hers done. She bought an airfryer and has a microwave, her dc have additional needs too. Just like those of us who own houses, you put up with it for 2 weeks

Clearly our local council treats the tenants well. I was with my friend when she went to see this studio and the builders were in there. She accepted the flat and was delighted when she was given the keys. It’s beautiful - truly beautiful.

i will stress this was not an exchange, it was a brand new tenancy given by the council, not housing association, to a lady who is over 55 who was in dire straits.

@Lanyardqueen do 100% of the people living in your house have disabilities?

We had a new kitchen recently... It's absolutely horrendous...but it's worth it. I set up the air fryer and kettle and microwave in the living room. We used paper plates and had a lot of ready meals. Not fun at all but just something you need to get through. I doubt living in a hotel room will be any easier

It’s honestly worth having a conversation with your tenant liaison officer.

I had a new kitchen fitted last year and was moved into an AirB&B for several days as I work night shifts and need to sleep during the day. The noise from having a kitchen fitted plus my own safety of being asleep in a bedroom whilst a whole crew of kitchen fitters trekked in and out of the house meant that it was impossible for me to remain at home during the works.

The process of finding the AirB&B was all done by the HA who checked with me how suitable all options were as they narrowed the search (there were lots of factors, including being close enough to my Mum due to being her main carer, and being suitable for both myself and my at the time 18yr old son, as well as being close enough to home to be able to pop back to feed the cat). During these conversations , it was very clear that booking accommodation was something they were used to doing.

So, have the conversation as follow up with email to the CEO for housing etc - you may well be lucky.

As an aside - try to negotiate having your appliances stored more appropriately. My dryer was waterlogged from its AUGUST adventure in the garden and the housing association ended up reimbursing me for a new dryer despite having signed a waiver that any damages were my responsibility.

Good luck with it all (and don’t be too shocked if it takes longer than 2 weeks!) x

To many on this thread:- Tell me you have no disability without telling me you have no disability.....

I would at least try on the basis of 'don't ask, don't get'. 3 disabilities might make a difference - your Cystic Fibrosis in particular is serious - you shouldn't be put in a position to be exposed to potential cold and damp.

Assuming they say no, I would:

1. Ask if there is someone who'd like to have theirs done before you so you can stay with your mum when yours gets done. or
2. Put your kitchen stuff in storage (somewhere like Big Yellow Storage Co' would be cheap for 2 weeks - much cheaper than going away, even for a night or two. I think under £50.The you can at least use the living room.

We had a huge building project and months and months of disruption, daily clean ups around work, kids etc. We could only afford to move out for 2 weeks due to saving money for the project. If you can get anything for the 2 weeks (or even the first week which is likely to be the messiest week), then I would pay for anything your budget can afford (caravan if you have holiday parks near you). It sounds like you are dreading it and it probably will be even worse than you expected (plaster dust gets everywhere).

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.*

Have you any idea why this is? Could you contact the HA to ask and push for NDN to have a new kitchen instead?

@JeremyJordanseyebrows thank you, that’s useful to know. They did make a point of telling me that my appliances would need to go in the garden and they would do their best to cover them up but if anything happened to them they weren’t liable. I really hope they survive it as I really can’t afford a new cooker, dishwasher, tumble dryer and washing machine. Forecast here is a lot warmer for next week but lots of rain :/

They do sometimes. Rarely.

More so in over 55s sheltered schemes.

It's the exception not the rule.

Don't be nervous to have the conversations. They will be aware that their tenants often have additional needs. And don't be scared to speak up if something isn't right.

My experience of having a kitchen fitted was exceptionally bad (and a VERY long story which I've not got time to go into as I'm meant to be asleep between night shifts). It was all ripped out once as the quality was so poor and I ended up being compensated for my dreadful experience by having a new bathroom.

I'm not on here much but feel free to direct message me if you have any questions.

One tip I would give is to ensure you know the email addresses of your tenant liaison officer, the CEO for housing, plus your local councillor.

@Winterday1991 you are a vile excuse for a human being.

Are you just nasty for the sake of it?

I was making a suggestion, not giving legal advice.

I have AI with CF but never lived in HA. When I had my kitchen done I bought an instant pot and a microwave (the latter I hated and gave to my sister) and we ate a lot of sandwiches and soup. Ask them to keep the dishwasher and taps plumbed in for as long as possible so you should only be without those temporarily.

@SENwoes your appliances really shouldn’t be left in garden. More appropriate storage is needed.

Also you can refuse to have this work done if it really doesn’t work for your family. It’s not a safety issue but a planned schedule of asset improvements.