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.

Definitely ask. We do works for councils and tenants have been decanted for 2 days jobs. If you don't ask you don't get.

In my experience it's those that shout loudest that get what they want. Works may be delayed until they find somewhere but if they have contractors booked etc they will want it done so will do everything to make it possible.

You will manage I promise. We knocked through from our kitchen into dining room, discovered that the floor joists were rotted and had to replace the lot so didn't actually have a floor in ours for about a week and then had to step on each individual joist. No kitchen, no floor and no ceiling at one point for weeks! My husband did it al himself after work and at the weekends so it took months to finish. We got paper plates and a mini oven. It was shit. But we didn't have the money to bugger off to a travelodge either so you just have to accept it's gonna be hard work for a bit.

I'd have been loving life if it had only taken 2 weeks!

It’s normal they won’t get a choice re sockets but I believe HA / council tenants do get some choice re bathrooms/ kitchen fittings. Some owners are dealing with kitchens that are falling to bits so guess they get a bit riled up about posts like this wanting to be housed in a hotel at tax payers expense whilst it’s done. That’s not me saying the tenant doesn’t have a right to fee inconvenienced but I do think if you choose to move out for 2wks it should be at your own cost.

Try living with a disability and two kids with SEN and see how you feel, when you are just asking for help to cope. What a horrible post.

Bet you vote Tory.

We recently had our kitchen renovated, used a microwave and air fryer for cooking. The old fridge became a new designer island, workman used it to balance their tools whilst it kept foods chilled. We took the kettle and microwave into bedroom and they sat on bedside tables/ bedroom flooring. Bath was used as a washing up station.

We had days when we were trapped in bedrooms whilst new flooring was laid.

We have 2 kids, 1 asd and our renovation got moved due to a supply issue so began just before half term but all in took 7 weeks to complete. We got cooking facilities after 6 weeks with no kitchen. There is never a good time to have no kitchen, but being at home with the kids able to escape to their rooms and have good WiFi and access to gaming was definitely easier than I imagined and with the amount of ultra processed foods cooked in the airfryer with microwave frozen mash, they were very happy!!!

You also get to choose what to have in that kitchen, when the work will be done and if you or your children have SEN then you can arrange for the work to be done at the most convenient time.

You also have the option to not have the work done.

If, when it is fitted there are problems you can also withhold payment or get a joiner of your choice to come in and repair it.

I had almost 2 years with nothing but sludge for a kitchen floor because the wet room wasn't sealed and the shower 'tray' was higher than the floor but the only drain was in the actual shower tray.

In that time I had multiple 'repairs' that did nothing to make things better.

What's that got to do with the price of fish? 🤔

I think there are a few things here:

A). You lose nothing by (politely) setting out your reasoning and asking.

B). If they say no, you lose nothing by asking if it could be delayed until after March - they might just be able to swap you round with 2 people who would be delighted to have it done earlier, so you could go and stay at your mum's place.

If neither of those work then sucking it up is the only option.

I think the thing I would be keeping in mind (given all the people saying no, suck it up) is that if it was you choosing this then you'd pick a time when you could go and stay with your mum or when her caravan was open. Given the needs of you and your family you're in a different position from most people and as long as you aren't desperate for it to be done immediately you lose nothing by asking.

It is worth talking to the HA. They may have an empty property between tenants or some kind of fund to help cover your extra expenses.

@trubones what a horrible comment.

@Zanatdy Absolutely not disputing that fact at all. It should be at your own cost 100% 😊 I haven’t once suggested otherwise.

You’re right, there are usually a choice of kitchen/bathroom fittings (choice of 3 styles if I remember rightly). I was purely pointing out sockets/radiators being moved and flooring not being relayed to highlight the level of redecoration that was expected on £20 per room.

I’m a homeowner myself but grew up (and parents still live in) a council property

Paper plates and cups
Microwave set up in your bedroom - don't put it on a wooden surface (as I found to my cost)
You'll have running water
Plan meals based on the microwave now and shop accordingly
Can you ask a neighbour if they have any storage you can use for two weeks

If necessary, forget about healthy eating for two weeks and just get through somehow.

Enjoy your lovely new kitchen 🙂

If the kids are teenagers then they can take themselves off out with the dog for nice long walks and a McDs. I know it's winter and a bit gloomy but we don't live in Siberia.

I’d ask them to put back the date they start work to a date when your DMs work has finished, then stay with her for the duration. That way, you’re presenting them with a solution to the problem.

The council here have a rotation on one empty property - people are moved into it whilst they do the work - they move home and the next one moves out.

They might have something similar.

Can you hire a storage unit to put stuff in so that you still have use of the living room? Or would a family member with a car be prepared to put it in their garage or something?

Can you think about things your kids will eat that do not require cooking and sort out some non-cook meals that you and the kids can live on for a bit? It's OK if it's not nutritionally perfect. Fruit, cereals, peanut butter sandwiches, milk, plus a few meals-out a week in an affordable place, even fast food, will keep people going for a couple of weeks.

It sounds like your family has got some long-term challenges going on. Are you talking to SS and others about the non-school thing?

I don't think you can ask to be rehoused; there is an acute shortage of housing and councils are going bankrupt all over the place.

I think you’re misunderstanding how this goes, you won’t be left without a kitchen for 2 weeks. They have to ensure your cooker etc is functional and you can access cooking spaces. The workmen will be in 8-2 (if you’re lucky, they might bunk off early) and they’ll be wanting to avoid you all as much as possible. You’ll have your home back to yourselves in the evenings/weekends.

Edited - have a HA property and had a new kitchen fitted too.

Surely you all being trapped in one travelodge room would be worse than being in your own bedrooms with access to basic cooking facilities?
i’m afraid this falls firmly into the category of suck it up buttercup!

2 bedrooms and a bathroom would still be preferable to a caravan @SENwoes . Set it up for camping up there for 2 weeks.

I doubt the fitters will work past 5 or 6, so you should have quiet evenings. If the caravan is £36 per night, you can takeaways for less than that if necessary.

In my experience it's those that shout loudest that get what they want.

Same, and I hope that this attitude ends soon! It's the front line staff that get the shouting and abuse!

This brings back memories...had to do the washing up in the bathroom in the bath.

Yes I can imagine that being overwhelming.
Try and get organised today and you will feel more prepared.

Make up a table in the living room with the air fryer toaster and kettle. Try to fit the fridge in there too. Use paper plates.

Imagine the kitchen as sealed off completely today and make a list of what you could eat, noodles, cereal, toast etc.

Good luck.

They should do, it is called a temporary decant. As it’s only a new kitchen and shouldn’t take too long they may offer a travelodge or B&B.

I work for the LA - have worked in benefits and housing depts.

My colleague (she owns her home) had some fire damage and her insurance is covering a b&b stay even though she could stay there by using a microwave/kettle in another room/ bottled water.

It’s worth a go OP.

When our kitchen was redone last year (owner occupier, not a HA), we had a kettle and microwave in the bedroom; washed up in the bathroom; storage (food, crockery) every available space in lounge; Fridge in hall; washing machine, etc outside under tarpaulin.
Yes, it was difficult, and we survived on pot noodle, cup a soup, and 'easy food'. Hardest was finding stuff, and moving between lounge bedroom bathroom, etc
My own suggestion would be to use up as much as you can in the way of food beforehand.
In our case it was longer than 2 weeks, as we had some major alterations.

I think it’s unlikely that you won’t be able to use the kitchen for the full 2 weeks. We had our kitchen replaced and floor and it was only really about 5 days it was completely unusable. We used a table top stove set up in our lounge (appreciate you don’t have the space), used paper cups and I batch cooked a load of meals before hand that were frozen into portions and then could just be microwaved. washing up was done in the bath.

it wasn’t ideal, but it also wasn’t as bad as I had expected. Good luck OP