Housing association saying I’m unreasonable I don’t think I am !!!

[HAunreasonable]

The HA need to do planned repair/upgrade work. The appt slots are 830-1230 or 130-530.
I asked them to book mine around school runs but twice they’ve turned up when I’m out ? Now saying that if they are ‘refused entry’ a third time it will lead to further action???

Surely they have to be fair about this and come at a time that works for everyone

the further action is forced entry..i was threatened with this also after them repeatedly turning up at 9.05 am whilst i was on school run

Even if a job isn't able to wait and knocks appointments back by an hour or so with a normal contractor there is the option to reschedule if that means you'll no longer be available. I've never had a time slot like 8am-2pm given for anything other than deliveries.

Would be a bit silly for them to do this when the OPs offered to leave them a key though, wouldn't it? Can't see that one standing up in court!

That would be ideal for OP to be honest, she's happy for them to do it when she's not there and she'd likely be back by the time the locksmith got it open anyway.

Which is pretty daft when the OP has offered to leave them a key.

What are so many people asking questions that OP has already answered and made clear that breakfast club/elderly neighbour/child carer aren't options?

The OP says she doesn't need this work doing.

I work alongside HA and Councils, I’m assuming as it’s planned work , the work required will be of a compliance nature.

Therefore its irrelevant if the OP doesn’t “need” the work done, if the work is compliance related, then as per the OP tenancy agreement which is a legally binding contract, the OP is legally required to give access, at the times stipulated.

If the HA is unable to offer different times , then the OP will have to find a way to allow access , if not she faces court action for breaching her tenancy agreement and therefore facing a fine (one HA court paperwork fee is £495) which the OP will be responsible for.

I know people who'd give their right arm for a housing association place so if I were you I'd suck it up and count your blessings.

The OP has found plenty of ways to allow access, they've just refused them all. They could wait 10 mins, use the key she's offered them, come during half term week...

You are being unreasonable I'm afraid, I live in HA house as well and they are the time slots we are given too. Either make sure someone can pick up/drop off your DC or keep them off school for that day if it's a massive issue for you.

Further action will be forced entry on which you will be charged for the locksmith and the new locks, plus a fine on top of that. It could (rarely) go as far as eviction. So even though you say these works aren't necessary they will be compulsory for the HA so your just going to have to find a way to sort it out I'm afraid.

That assumes they will be there at 1.30. They can turn up any time in that slot. So they could turn up just after she has left to get them from school.

The HA need to do planned repair/upgrade work

OP said this in her 1st post, the way she is speaking makes me believe it’s the EIRC, as that is planned and repairs where required.

Hopefully tho the HA will reply with a solution that both parties will be happy with.

And you took time from your busy day to write this helpful post. Bless.

Ask for the afternoon slot. Tell the school your kid has a dental appointment and pick them up from school at lunchtime.

You can't expect them to turn up to suit clients, it isn't practical. You wouldn't expect hospital appointments to be booked around the school run would you?
Those of us who own our houses have to take days off for this kind of thing and use our annual leave and organise collections for children.
You are being very unreasonable.

Here we go yet again. Repairs aren’t “free”. They are paid for by the tenant as rent. The landlord has a duty to do an annual boiler safety check. HTH

This is where being in a HA property is actually a downside compared to a private rented property.

My DH has a property that he lets out and if there's any repair work to be done, they'll try and arrange it so that the tenants are there, but if they aren't in, the agents can arrange for it to be an unattended visit. If the tenant doesn't want it to be unattended, the agents arrange a visit around their timeframe.

I totally understand why the HA want someone to be there (ultimately they probably did do unattended visits in the past, but there is probably a history of accusations of theft, etc), but the inflexibility must be infuriating.

Do you have a housing officer you can speak/write to?

I'd respond their threat of "further action" with an email or letter saying:

"As you are aware, I live alone with my DC, one of whom has special educational needs [make sure you add this bit in as it will hopefully trigger something]. Furthermore I have no local family or friends that are able to be in the house while I take my DC to school. I have, therefore, no option but to take and collect my children from school myself, even on the days where your engineers are booked to call.

I have repeatedly told you this, yet the engineers continue to come when I'm not in and you won't allow me to leave a key somewhere for them to get in and start work before I return.

I have considered every possible option for being able to be at home within the time frames booked, but it is impossible for the reasons mentioned above.

Please do not continue to send engineers when I have told you I am not at home."

you might have to keep DC off school for a half day then, just make up a dentist appointment

Compliance work is time lined , if not done within a certain period then it goes out of compliance!

So in all cases , the work cannot wait several months as then HA is complaint with the regulator!

There is a strict policies and procedures in place to meet the timelines, this includes when legal action will start and court action applied.

As the OP has missed/refused access twice, she will be breaching her tenancy agreement, in most cases the first appointment to court application is 3 months , 4 month for a court date.

I think this is probably your best option @HAunreasonable to be honest. Unless, of course, your school needs proof of the appointment!

Either that or an illness that only requires one day off (i.e. not D&V).

Suck it up how? She's tried twice to be there in their slot, but they've turned up when she's on the school run (that she warned them about). She's now getting threatening correspondence, which a private rent or home opener wouldn't get, as tradespeople would be more patient (they're not on a contract so don't want to waste their time turning up when the householder isn't there).

It's appalling that the only thing that is available to her is to keep her child off school. At which point the same council that had made that the only option, would be on her back about his absence.

Yes, getting an HA place is fortunate, but it also means that unlike those of us who own our homes, she gets no control over this kind of situation. It's swings and roundabouts.

@Cattery they're free in the sense that you don't pay for them on top of your rent.

Book the slot, if you need to leave, put a note on the door asking them to call you. You can tell them where a key is and/or how long you will be before you are home. They can enter your property or sit in the van.