AIBU to refuse temporary accommodation for external work to our home?

[allowaccess]

Recently we were informed of exterior work to be done to our home (LA property). Nothing inside the house at all. No access needed to complete any of the external work other than access to the garden which is via a side gate not through the property.

We were instructed that for the duration of the work (no specific timeframe just ‘might be a few weeks’ ) that we would be placed in alternative accommodation that was miles away from where we are now and would cause significant issues for us with school as we have two children one with severe SEN. We also didn’t want to leave the house as it would be overwhelming for him to be away from familiarity for no real reason as it’s external work??

So we refused and set out in writing why. We were told no we have to vacate on a certain day. The only reason given when we pushed was ‘it will be noisy’. I said I’m fine to put up with some noise especially as it will only be between 8 am and-6pm. Again they said we need to vacate on the day and provide keys so they have access ??? They dont need access to inside.

The day has come and gone and we have stayed. My housing officer called on day 2 and said we need to allow access to the house while the work is ongoing. I said no as theres no need the work is external. They have said we need to allow access if needed to the team working. I told them again no the said they may need access to facilities! I said in that case they need to get portaloos if that’s the issue.

I then had an email giving another date to vacate for the work and a different address for temporary accommodation? Again I’ve said no. Can they actually force this or is it unreasonable as it’s not interior work ???

It hasn’t even been that noisy at all??

External generator
External stopcock
No need to access a property for those

This is a no win for the LA though

They have work to conduct which wil be messy, noisy and dangerous.

So they try and house tenant elsewhere while this is going on - tenant kicks off and refuses.

So they carry out the work while tenant is there - tenant complains about noise, mess and intrusion around their life. Work takes longer as the workmen don't have unfettered access to get done what they need to. Complaints continue on all sides. Everyone is pissed off

So they don't carry out the work at all - tenant kicks off because work isn't done.

@allowaccess you say it isn't that bad now, but what is your proposed course of action when there is scaffold around your house, hammering all day and part of your roof off while they try and fix it all?

Would you feel differently about workmen using your loo if you were paying for the work yourself and therefore the extra cost of a portaloo. We had workmen in for the last two weeks and it would have been awful to deny them access to a loo. Was happy they left and I gave it a thorough clean but they were all respectful.

Well first of all I'd stagger the work so you are dealing with a reasonable amount of tenants at a time. And I would first assess whether we could avoid the property needing to be vacant, but if it was unavoidable, I'd have to find them alternative accommodation for the duration of the works. If I would have to arrange works at such a time that accommodation was available. We seem to find accommodation for small boat arrivals so I am sure we can manage it for social housing tenants.

But at the end of the day, if the works are essential then the work would have to be done at some point. The alternative is leaky damp and structurally unsound properties, the tenants of which I'm sure would have no hesitation to complain about.

So flexibility is needed from both sides.

yes but i ask AGAIN where do you put half an estate

Read your own post back You said yourself the asylum seekers are taking up the accomodation. I live in a small town too London it aint

@JenniferBooth this thread isn't about you though is it? The OP here has asked a question that we're trying to help with. And this is the first time you have asked me so it isn't AGAIN.

But to answer your question, wherever I could so the works could be done to restore properties to a safe and inhabitable manner and get people back in their homes ASAP. But i don't work for the council or the LA so it's not my job to arrange.

However, you seem so invested in it, so where would you put half an estate?

Don’t do it. I made that mistake and came home to find the place destroyed. Some sort of tar tracked through all my carpets, oily handprints everywhere, cigarette burns to my sofa and windowsills (with the butts still lying there), multiple breakages, along with missing jewellery, DVD’s and personal documents. The damages cost me thousands and the whole place had to be stripped and redecorated. They even stole all the food out of my freezer!

My neighbours had it even worse. They found beer tins everywhere, the workmen had clearly been using their bed and there was graffiti of male genitalia spray painted on their walls. It was horrific.

Insurance won’t cover the damage if you allow them in. I tried to sue but got nowhere because I couldn’t prove my house wasn’t a dump beforehand. These days I take full walk-through videos and photos before letting any social housing contractor in.

We should all be grateful for a safe roof over our heads but OP is not obliged to be extra grateful because she happens to have a secure council tenancy.

I had my entire house hacked off and re rendered about three years ago. It was hideous. The hacking off was extremely noisy and took longer than expected. After the hacking off the house need to “dry out” before the render was done - the house was then absolutely freezing (the work was done during the summer months), and it was colder than winter.

There were also dust, bits of render all over the place.

There was a hosepipe used daily Luckily I had an outside tap conveniently located for the work otherwise it would have needed to be through the kitchen window.

Honestly it was a nightmare and I wish I’d even thought the need to move out. As it was a private properly there wasn’t anyone else involved to suggest. The other issue was needing to move cars away from drives etc, and of course the scaffolding going up and down.

If I needed to do it again I would definitely move out for the hacking off/drying out period.

Im not the one saying ppl should decant so therefore why am i being asked to provide a solution. Surely thats for the ppl who think OP should decant and i dont You are just pissed because a decant cant be applied to half an estate at the same time and ive really spoiled the fun of the SH haters by pointing this out.

@JenniferBooth tell me what you suggest then? Allow properties to fall apart and be a slum landlord, or cause tenants some disruption to maintain their home? I am not sure what your argument is here.

Needing access to 'facilities' is a bit vague isn't it?

Jennifer’s point is clear

Works to her estate were done without any of them being forced to move out.

Jesus thats horrific. Im absolutely disgusted. And they even compounded it by saying you couldnt prove that you didnt live like that

I think she should not be awkward when she has access to a secure home at a price that isn't available to the vast majority of people. I don't expect her to bow down in gratitude every day, but she should be grateful that someone wants to spend thousands of pounds on maintaining her cheaper than market rate property so that it remains safe a pleasant and safe for her and her family without inventing obstacles at every step.

It is her property.

Great, I'm pleased for her. But that doesn't mean that will be the situation across the board.

This all sounds so inexplicable that I am thinking there must be some very crossed wires somewhere

@JenniferBooth just to be clear, I have absolutely no issue with SH.
And I never said she should leave, I simply stated it's a no win situation. But the OP isn't half an estate is she, she's one house with her own individual issues.

Her issues, by the sounds, are far smaller than the chip you have on your shoulder about social housing so maybe you should focus on that.

@allowaccess it's a shitty situation for you all round. There's only you can decide what's best for your family and I have no idea if they can enforce you having to move out. Just be aware that the level of disuption now may increase significantly in the coming days as the works ramp up. It's not in the LA benefit to spend money unnecessarily, so they have probably suggested the temp accommodation as a least worse case. But if it's not right for you, then stay where you are. Hope all goes well

She should not be expected to feel grateful for being forced out of her home, especially when it disrupts her family and is done for the landlord’s convenience.

It is not her responsibility to provide facilities for their staff. Employers are required to ensure their own employees have adequate working conditions.

The landlord is not doing her a favour or improving her home out of choice.

They have a legal duty to address the damp and mould under Awaab’s Law, which applies to all social housing providers in England.

Under this law, a social landlord cannot delay or refuse essential damp and mould repairs. If they are attempting to avoid carrying out the required work, she is entitled to open a formal complaint or claim, and the landlord may face legal consequences for failing to comply.

Yet all landlords whether private, council or HA have the same rights of access
ie
They can ask to use facilities but they do not have an automatic right to them

You sound really difficult. So you don’t want to move out but don’t want to give the workies access to your loo 🤯
Absolutely bonkers.

Funny my roof hasnt fallen apart or not been renewed just because DH and i and the rest of this side of the estate didnt and WERENT EVEN ASKED to move out.

This!

I agree with you, OP, the LA’s reasoning sound ridiculous.

I would continue to push back. They can use portaloos or surely you can let them in to use the loo as needed. They may mean things like access to water when they say facilities - in which case again surely you could just let them in as needed?

I wouldn’t want to give anyone unfettered access to my home and possessions for weeks either.