Can't move into housing association house until January

[reallifeboogie]

Wasn't sure how to word the title.

My cousin escaped domestic abuse and stayed at a women's refuge for a while but her mental health was struggling around other people in similar situations so she moved in with a friend, along with 2 preschoolers and 2 dogs. Housing association put her in the top band/priority.
After 15 months!! she's been offered a property and went to see it last week after having to wait 3 weeks from being offered it due to the keys being misplaced!

Lovely 2 bedroom house with small garden. She knew she would be accepting it so both her and her friend loaded up their cars with cousins belongings, expecting to get the keys same day. This is how it normally is, you get the keys the day you view.

Unfortunately upon entering the house, it was discovered there was a leak in the bathroom and water was dripping through to the kitchen below. So the housing officer said they'd get it sorted. Cousin said OK thats fine, ill move my stuff in and I'll be careful in the bathroom.

Nope. Housing officer said sorry you won't be able move in until its been sorted. It'll need somebody to inspect the damage and do any repairs.

Yesterday she got a phone call from housing to say the inspection would take place on December 3rd and then it'll be another 2-3 weeks for the job to be completed. So due to Christmas it'll be January!

Cousins friend lives in a 3 bed house with her own 3 children and 2 dogs so 2 adults, 5 children and 4 dogs in a 3 bed house and it's been that way for 12 months at least

Surely being top priority means repairs should be top priority too??

Come on!! A year without TV because you were too lazy to sort out a satellite dish. That is entirely on you.

Surely being top priority means repairs should be top priority too??

Top priority has got her the lovely house. It can't magic up more workforce and resources to fix unforeseen damage. Even in a private house paying for repairs yourself, you often can't get trades to sort it without a delay. There's more people who need things doing than there are skilled people to do it, it's that simple and your friend's unfortunate circumstances don't make any difference. By definition, virtually everyone getting a new place in HA will be a priority, whether it's others like your friend or people even worse off with mobility issues etc. Getting angry and impatient won't help. Looking forward to the lovely house being fixed and a fresh start in the new year is better. It's not that long.

I don't live in a housing association property but I had a leak in my toilet cistern (a long standing leak that the previous owner had not spotted so the damage was extensive) last year in my new house and the water came pouring down the ceiling and one wall below.

It took a while to get sorted because after the initial emergency repair to stop the leak:

• the insurance company sent someone to inspect the damage
• the plumber had to come back to fix the leak more permanently
• the insurance then arranged for a company to install drying equipment in that had to be in place for two weeks
• I then had to send a builder quote to the insurance for approval before they could start to repair the damage to the ceiling and re-plaster part of a wall
• I had to wait for approval and then wait on the builder to start the work and the work involved two different stages, cutting off and replacing a part of the ceiling, the re-plastering on one wall.

Basically my point is that sometimes water damage takes time to sort out so the timeline is not unreasonable.

The end is in sight and it is such a positive step to have a housing association property to move into that it is best to let them fix everything so she can move into a property where everything has been checked, repaired and is working fine.

And yes, your friend should be pleased to have a safe home coming her way where she does not have to pay for repairs. That is not diminishing what she went through, it is just pointing out that there is a real shortage of social housing in this country and many people who rent privately have to chase their landlords to get any repair done (and run the risk of being evicted for doing so...) and home owners even with insurance have to pay for repairs.

As for the person who is moaning about their housing association not prioritising repairing their TV satellite dish. Give your head a wobble.

Lovely 2 bedroom house with small garden. She knew she would be accepting it so both her and her friend loaded up their cars with cousins belongings, expecting to get the keys same day. This is how it normally is, you get the keys the day you view.

I've never heard of the viewing and move in on the same day. It's generally 4-8 weeks here.

I had to wait 2 months between viewing and being given keys to my previous HA property.

Sounds par for the course.
I was offered a HA property in March, and wasn't able to move in until June.

Thankfully I wasn't staying with anyone, as that sounds cramped. Wonderful friend though and I hope your cousin is suitably grateful.

Waiting another 3 months for an affordable secure tenancy is not the end of the world. It shouldn't be this way, but she is lucky to have been offered anything so quickly, let alone a house with a garden. She's had a safe roof over her head with a generous friend, she's been able to keep her dogs - it could have been far far worse.
Everyone in/waiting for social housing is "top priority".

Not if it's a communal dish.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/help-guides/freeview/who-is-responsible-for-my-sharedcommunal-aerial#:~:text=If%20you%20live%20in%20a,faults%20with%20a%20communal%20aerial.

Why did she assume she'd be moving in the same day as viewing it? That never happens. When we viewed our housing association house we didn't assume we could move in straight away.
January is actually bloody quick. We accepted the house that had nothing wrong with it and still had to wait a month. Of course she can't move in id it's not safe. If something happened to her or the kids she could sue them.
She could get rid of the dogs, she could stay in a B&B, she could move in with someone who has space. I can't believe she left the shelter and was given top priority on housing association. She is very lucky in that respect.

I've never heard of anyone getting the keys on the day they viewed, I've heard waits of several weeks as they use the vacancy to do essential upgrades. Most recent person I know through work who was rehoused in similar circumstances had to wait 6 weeks from viewing to getting the keys

Have a search for my thread called Successful bid on council property. I was also in the top priority band for disability. After just over 3 years of bidding I was offered the property on 8th May. I moved in 30th September.

This is a crap situation but I would say better than moving in and being charged rent for an unsuitable property, having to wait in for workmen, getting your stuff damaged by the leak. Better they get it sorted whilst property still empty.

The HA will be trying to do it quickly as will be money (rent) lost for them. I assume it is a big job or waiting for parts or something.

Very unusual to sign tenancy the day you view. Most people have properties they need to give notice on anyway. (I know this is not your friends situation)

Exactly

@Viviennemary I don’t think it’s a case of not being pleased. I’d say she’s disappointed that she’s unable to move sooner. Repairs take time. HAs have a duty to make sure their properties are fit for habitation. Most are. Some haven’t been in the past but I believe all that is being rectified

I get what your saying op. Your friend has Been through alot . And felt the end was near just to be disappointed.

I also get why she wanted to move in and just be careful. After all had the leak happend after she had moved in. They would not have told her to leave would they.

A leak should be prority so it really should not take as long as they are saying . I would email and question it . Also maybe explain why your friend needs to move faster . You may not get any where but there's nothing to loose by trying .

It's a communal dish. I live in an apartment building. And pay a service charge for these things.

@TheFlakyPoster
My comment was reported!!
Seriously? I point out ppl are being vile and it gets removed!
SH posts bring out the worst of snobs and nastiness.

I'm not MOANING about them not prioritising it, I'm letting OP know how long these things can take when living in HA.

@Viviennemary @VeronicaWouldntStandForThat
Do you feel better having made those unnecessary snotty remarks?
Can you imagine being desperate for a home after fleeing abuse? she's allowed to be disappointed, find her own home? do you think she'd be living with family if she could magic up a house?
Talk about out of touch!!

Ahhh yey you're in!!! I was thinking of your thread when i was reading through this one. So happy for you!!

Probably a bit late in the day, but the Dog's Trust runs the Freedom Project to foster the dogs of people fleeing domestic abuse. Other charities participate to care for other pets.
I'm surprised the refuge the woman stayed at didn't signal her to that.

Just as well she wasn't searching for a private rental with two dogs to accommodate.

And she's been given one. She just has to wait for it. If that isn't good enough for her then she should get out the queue, let someone that will appreciate it have it, and provide for herself 🤷‍♀️

Our neighbours also had a leak in their bathroom that damaged the kitchen (they own the house). With all the faff of insurance companies, assessors, getting quotes, finding trades etc it took 6 months to be fixed. Three months is fast in any circumstances, let alone with a housing association involved.

This should be prioritised, contact your local Councillor to get them to speed it up.