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.

And also are out at work and DC at school unlike OP.

Completely agree. Why do people get so jealous that a disabled family may get some help??

A travelodge won't have building noise and muck, strangers in and out, cold (from having doors wide open to bring stuff in) or anything else related to having a kitchen ripped out!

@SENwoes I don't think they will be able to do that. No harm in asking, I suppose.

I feel your pain. Currently undergoing complete refurb of downstairs, not on kitchen yet but eventually.

My suggestions, move basics for eating and cooking upstairs and wash up in the bathroom. But cut your washing up by using disposable items for a few weeks. Don't worry overly about what the kids are eating and take the easy options as much as you can so e.g. chicken nuggets 3 days running isn't going to cause disastrous harm in the long term. Beg or borrow an airfryer for cooking.

They are not noisy the whole time and if the music or radio is an issue - compromise and ask them for a quiet time at a fixed time that helps you and your kids. Explain to them you would like an idea of what is happening each day so you can manage your rest time and the kids ND issues around that.

If you can go out try a morning in the library, look for activities there that could occupy the boys - not sure what age they are etc. Ask around for inexpensive cafes for eating out or ones that do a good evening tea. Morrisons I know do inexpensive kids meals so maybe combine a small shop trip with tea out.

It is all overwhemling until it starts and you can work out whats where and how to cope.

Good Luck

I know it sounds daunting and it will be tough but honestly you can do it. We had to live in our house during the whole modernisation process during the 90s. We had walls down, walls put up, bathroom moved upstairs, downstairs toilet installed, new kitchen, new bathroom, stairs altered, everywhere taken back to brick, rewired, replumbed, replastered and fully redecorated.
We lived there the whole time. We spent the majority of the time in the living room while they worked around us. They plumbed our gas cooker into the corner of our living room and we used that, we didn’t have a washing machine at that point as we couldn’t afford it so we used the launderette.
We lugged our mattresses from room to room and we washed in buckets, ourselves and our crockery. We had to collect water from a tank in the street and fill bottles to keep in our living room. This went on for months. We were all aged 8 and under, three of us and mum. It lasted during our entire summer holidays so we spent the majority of that time outside thankfully.
Looking back I don’t know how my mum managed but she hid any struggles well, including a major injury caused to my toddler sister by the builders which, looking back, she should have hauled them over the coals for!!!

I think the suggestions of paper cups and plates is a good one especially as you will struggle accessing the bathroom easily with loads of washing up. Get some boxes and pop away all your kitchen stuff in corners of other rooms and set up a table with microwave and kettle in your living room. Have a really good think about what meals can work for your children, I have two autistic children so I appreciate this is a huge struggle. Would any neighbours/friends kindly host you for any meals and/or let you use their oven a couple of time per week? If you offered them a bit of cash for their trouble. Would be cheaper than eating out.

Some days will be noisy but not every single day. It will really just be about pushing through and making the best of it. Good luck with it all and try to keep the end result in mind, it will be lovely when finished.

How about your BF pays for a dog friendly cottage for 2 weeks to repay you for having him stay at your home most weekends?

Entitled for asking for help as you are disabled?! That's a ridiculous thing to say!

When l had mine done.. l was given the option of moving.. but refused the house they offered was disgusting.. l simply could not put my bum on the filthy loo or shower in there.. it smelt of smoke and rats in garden... but yes if you're disabled they should have a vacant house.. but it means waiting for Internet etc .
I ended up staying put.. l was able to keep my fridge in living room and took my kettle and microwave upstsirs.
( I'm disabled). Some days l stayed over with a friend.
Please don't say you're getting it free.. you've probably being paying rent for years.
I was born in this house.. my parents had it before me.. so my family have been paying rent for 70 plus years on it.
Also they are the cheapest of kitchens.. I'd already had mine own put it which was far superior.. but that had to come out .
Also when l ask for some things and they say it's my house and l need to do it and pay for it myself.. l have to remind them it's their house and l only rent it.

When we had ours done, we had the microwave in the living room with the toaster, bought lots of ready meals and bread, and sucked it up for a few weeks. Ate ready meals from the tray and toast off paper plates or napkins. It's only for a short time, and it'll be more than worth it. And, like you say, you're getting a kitchen for nothing. We had to pay £8,000 for ours and work for every penny of it, plus deal with the mess etc, so no, you shouldn't get a spare home while the work is done for you.

First of all the Op isn't asking to be rehoused she's asking if anything can be done in her situation
And contrary to what you have made up.in your head about how housing Association work
Sometimes they can help.
The IOp is getting the kitchen for" Free" because c she DOESN'T OWN THE HOUSE and tenants don't pay for kitchens in a house they don't own HTH.

Hi , I’m have previously worked fitting kitchens in HA houses and flats (am a joiner ) . We always worked on the remit that the sink , water and electrics were left on each evening for the household to use . The two weeks covers measuring , painting and tiling etc so the kitchen is only really unusable for about 3 days of that whilst the units are put in and any wiring and plumbing done (one day each ) . Most families I worked with ate fish and chips or similar on this days . I can answer questions if you are worried x

It sounds awful, OP and would fill me with dread, too and me and my son don't have any health issues at all.
Ya boo to all the people putting you in your place telling you how lucky you are and most people have to just get on with it.
If it had been in summer it would have seemed a little less daunting.
You WILL get through it and I hope you've got some good advice here.

I would definitely speak to your HA. Also, is there somewhere you can go during the day?

I am in a similar situation to you. I am disabled, have chronic pain and am autistic . My children are autistic and have other disabilities . My husband cannot work because he has the three of us who he has to care for.

We had 4 weeks of chaos because the kitchen was ripped out and the whole house was rewired at the same time.

Yes it's nice it gets done, we are suitably grateful , we understand how lucky we are, we bow down before the Better People as the social housing scum we are but the thing homeowners seem to forget is that when they get this stuff done it's because they want it done. They get to choose their kitchen, they get to decide the company that comes and does it, they choose when they do it. And they don't get treated like shit by the workmen who have the same attitude towards social housing tenants as you see on here. My rent is just over 100 a week, but I pay it. From the money I earn through home based self employment. Which I have fought to do even though I am housebound, in constant pain and have two disabled now adult children, one of whom is violent. What I've learned is that nobody gives a shit about your struggles, all they can see is Free House!! And they hate you for it unless you are on your knees before them, thanking them for the gift of their Taxpayers Money. 🙄

So don't waste your time or energy trying to explain or justify yourself to such people. You owe them nothing and they don't deserve it! Do not give them the power to upset you.

If you can't get help it will be bloody hard but you will get through it. When you have been hospitalised, who took care of your children then? Could they help again? I don't think you said but if you did and I missed it, my apologies.

The main problem for my children was the noise. I wish I could tell you there's a magic trick you can use that will remove issues but there isn't. It's better to be realistic. The effects will last for weeks and weeks after it's all done and it's going to be shit. But it will end.

Lower your standards is my advice. Nothing matters beyond getting everyone fed. Everything else can be sacked off. No matter how important you think it is, it's not more important than hunkering down and getting through this.

Hilarious that you a housing Association kitchen is worth anything like £8000😂😂

Plus the fact that most housing associations and councils did no improvements in 2020-2022 and only the most essential repairs. Yet tenants were paying rent during that period which includes an element for regular upgrading. The improvements cycle where I live is currently running five years behind due to lockdown.

If you're a tenant, you aren't allowed to do many improvements involving plumbing or electricity, so even if you wanted to pay, you probably wouldn't be allowed to. I'm not allowed to touch my bathroom even though it dates from about 1952.

Now this is the sort of response OP will find useful.

A kitchen that you CHOSE to have and save for. OP actively doesn't want a new kitchen, but it's being foisted on her. An entirely different situation.

Buy one of these and the gas canisters that go with it. Set up a kitchen station in one of the bedrooms with that, a kettle and a microwave. Use paper plates and wash up in the bath.
We managed easily for two weeks doing this.

No help OP but I am very jealous you are getting a new kitchen, my HA keeps telling me there is no money for new kitchens despite the cupboard doors coming off on my hands, edgings falling off and actual skeleton of the cupboards are rotten

“We actually pay for the kitchen.”

🎻 Having money gives you choices.

It is hell. I wish I had thought of disposable crockery. Not HA, but DH refitted kitchen, open plan bungalow,no where to hide, because he was working with a long commute,took 3 months, and he re did and levelled the floor. Had to dig up the concrete floor to relay pipes. My youngest son is disabled, when we had a LA house, I worked ft nights. Had a sign on the door, proper laminated one. Saying NIGHT SHIFT PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB , council used to send workmen...many times. I told them they had to ring and make appointment,it never happened. Son was given HA bedsit, kitchen off. Very stressed during kitchen refit,no where else to hide. He wouldn't come back home, because he's not leaving strangers in his place. (He has rapid cycle bipolar and severe depression. DD has a HA place,you couldn't call it a kitchen,a couple of cupboards, hanging off the wall and floor. Told her if she wants a kitchen she has to buy it herself and fit. Her flat is very cold and damp, just waited exactly a year for both the bedroom window and outside door to be mended,neither actually closed.

Apols if someone has already suggested but if you can't remove yourselves, could you remove all the crap that will have to come out of the kitchen - either to a relative/ friend (or split between several) or by renting a storage unit?

That way you wouldn't lose the sitting room as well as the kitchen. Just have kettle, toaster, air fryer and microwave in there.

Also, she sounds effectively disabled, as are her children. Shall we throw people like this away if they can't work, @ManchesterLu ?

@SENwoes I'm having kitchen and bathroom refurb (with council) soon. If it's any consolation, they've said it'll take four days max.

They provide us with a cooker thingy like a baby belling.