Can I be evicted for this?

[HolidayHolidayHereIAm]

Live in Housing Association flat – top floor of 3 floors (so I’m 2nd/top floor - there's 2 flats per floor) lived her over 8 years, always paid my rent on time (I actually overpay slightly by £5-10 a week so I’m a little ahead if anything), never any complaints about me.

I have a balcony for my flat that was causing structural issues 2 years ago, they came out and did an emergency repair to make it safe and then changed my balcony door and took the key away with them to stop me using it – they did this with the other 4 balconies in the block, so only the ground floor now have access to theirs.

They’ve decided now that they want to come and do the repair on the only week of the year I am on holiday.

I’ve told them I’m on holiday but I am happy for the person feeding my pets to let them in and stay while they carry out the work – no it has to be the tenant and we can come anytime that week. I offered to leave a key with a neighbour or the housing officer – no the tenant has to be present. I’m a single parent and the only person named on the tenancy, so I can’t even leave someone here in the flat.

I’ve repeated that I am on holiday that week, I can work from home so I can be in any other day or week but I am not rearranging my annual leave, plus it’ll be a noisy repair so I’d like my DC to be in holiday club or school when it takes place as they have SN and struggle with noise.

Apparently they can evict me for refusal to allow important works to take place. I have literally offered any other week, day, or time apart from the one week I am away but apparently it could be anytime that week and they need me to be in when they turn up.

Can I be evicted for this? If so I'll cancel my holiday but I won't get a refund so I'll be out of pocket.

This seems ridiculous! Will the people doing the work be aware that your pet sitter is not actually the tenant?

@Lessoftheold Sometimes when HA come to do repairs they ask me for ID but not every time but I thought they were just checking I was over 18 not that I was the tenant.

Nope. They would need to apply to the court for eviction, and they would get laughed back out, because you have been more than reasonable, and have no history of not allowing access.

The eviction threat is a standard line used, as health and safety compliance checks are regularly made difficult due to access issues, and the housing association is liable for anything that may of not been safe ( gas, electrics etc )

Advice to you would be send them a firm email. Explaining your situation and offers of reasonable ways around it, but stating you will still be going on holiday during the dates already given.

Good luck!

Isnt there also a right to quiet enjoyment (or something)

If they are not willing to do the repair while you are not there, then they have to wait until you are

Ask to speak to their manager

@Gemmanorthdevon Thank you very helpful

As I said I am happy to leave a key with the pet sitter or a neighbour or they can come at any other time or day apart from the week i'm away if they insist I need to be there.

Thought I'd update to say they only needed access to my flat for about 30 minutes the rest of the work was all externally. So they just came back once I was home from holiday.

So they stressed you out and made you fear losing your home for nothing.