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.

For you miss the bit about an extension being built ? Where would this oven had gone I had no kitchen.

@threatmatrix where did you plug in your grill and microwave?
A kitchen is just a room - although it will have a sink build in. Nothing else is built in at first. Technically any room can be your kitchen. You just need plugs for the electrical bits - cooker, microwave, fridge etc.

Dear god in heaven so i should have plugged in an oven which can’t just be plugged in ( duh) it has to be hardwired in my tiny front room or maybe even my bedroom 😂😂😂😂 please stop I can’t laugh anymore tears are running down my face from your outstanding suggestions.

@threatmatrix my cooker isn't wired in - it's just plugged in.
Obviously you were going through a difficult time but 5 years without a cooker seems odd.

This thread isn't about you

@x2boys yes we seem to have gone off topic.....my fault a bit.

UK cookers have to be hard wired by law and gas inspected if the is gas. How long would it take you to pay for a double storey extension to be finished? Why are you so interested in my life?

Tell me about it but she’s made it all about me, I wish she’d just give it up.

@threatmatrix I'm not that interested tbh.
My cooker is just plugged in though. It was recently replaced by my landlord. They unplugged the old one, pulled it out and put the brand new one in - and just plugged it in to the normal socket.
Why would it have come with a regular plug pre fitted if you couldn't do that?
Anyway....off subject again.

Yet you keep blabbering on. Let’s hope you 🤐it now.

Then your oven is illegal.

You need to recognise that your oven situation is very unusual. Unless you're taking a tiny worktop mini oven, your oven is a danger to you and your landlord could be in big trouble

https://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/ct/cooking/cookers/plug-in/13a

I don't know why they'd sell them if they're illegal? Unless I've misunderstood.

@saraclara it passed the safety checks as far as I know. We have regular flat inspections and checks.
The maintenance is done via the estate agents and it's all very professional.
But I'm not an electrician so I honestly don't know the rules and all that.

@saraclara I just checked online. It's a 13amp Cooke and Lewis oven and because it's 13amp it can be plugged into a 13amp socket.
So it's fine.
Anyway....went off subject again 😂

@SENwoes

I don’t think you are being unreasonable at all and I’m very surprised by the way the voting has gone here.
You should be able to refuse and say the works can’t go ahead until there is adequate provision in place for you/your children’s needs. I’d be as difficult as possible about the whole thing. And if work does go ahead, I’d advise to raise any issues immediately and that you have a point of easy contact. I’m afraid work done recently to the council houses where I live was of appalling quality and the tenants had a huge list of issues.

Do you want or need a new kitchen? Does it work for you as a family now?

@SENwoes This is your home, and your children’s safe space. There must be a way to get support here. Can you insist that

• the works are too distressing and disruptive for your children
• you will be unable to feed your family adequately
• you need anyone entering your home to be DBS checked and considerate of you/your children’s needs
• a plan of what will happen when:will the water be turned off and how long for?
• who is your clear and immediate point of contact if there are any issues

And I’d refuse entry to your home until these points are satisfied.

Bit like what is featured on page 16 of the current issue of Private Eye.

Social housing contractors in the spotlight!!!

They were very clear when I spoke to them that it has to happen now. I’ve accepted that we’re going to manage somehow…however because I seem to be cursed I’ve come down with a horrible virus. DD2 has had it all week and now it’s got me, I’m in bed with the shivers and a horrible sore throat and I’m really sneezy and snotty, and been sleeping most of the day. So I’ve done pretty much nothing about getting the kitchen packed up, which leaves me with tomorrow to get that done. I can’t even try to get someone to help me as I wouldn’t want to make anyone else ill. I tend to go down like of sack of shit for a good while with viruses so that will be an extra bit of fun for the coming week, trying to rest while the kitchen work is happening.

Tell the housing officer that u are very unwell, and please could he/she come round with a covid testing kit, if u r positive and the contractors know u are positive, it’s their choice to enter your property.

The stress very likely hasnt helped.

@Sinuhe you really should check out page 16 of Private Eye

https://twitter.com/PeoplesAudit/status/1748319724042113215/photo/2

Pretty sure it won’t be covid as I had it just before Christmas, and also DD did a test earlier in the week and it was negative…and I’ve got whatever she’s got.

@SENwoes If you haven't done it and have a virus you can get it delayed so you can do the organising. x

don't do a test kit in front of them as it might come back negative. Just say you're ill so they can't do it for a couple of weeks, and that you haven't been able to pack/sort the stuff because you were ill.