MNHQ here: Sign in for a FREE advice clinic about housing issues from Shelter

[AnnaCMumsnet]

Mumsnet and housing charity Shelter are teaming up to provide a specialist housing advice forum for one week.

From Monday, housing adviser Andy will answer questions and advise you on your rights if you’re renting from a private landlord, a council or housing association tenant, or if you are homeless or facing homelessness.

The clinic will take place on this thread in the form of a 'Q&A' session from Monday 16 September to Friday 20 September. It will cover issues like: landlord disputes, tenancy deposits, overcrowding, eviction, getting repairs done, homelessness applications, mortgage arrears and eviction. We will do our best to provide all answers during the week but, at the latest, by the Monday of the following week.

Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through advice, support and legal services. And they campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to them for help.

Important The advice provided is based on the information provided by the poster, it is meant for general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. You can read Shelter’s Legal Disclaimer in full here.

Support Shelter There are lots of ways you can support Shelter. If you can spare 30 minutes you can help test and improve the advice and information on their website. Email [email protected] for more information. You can also visit the website to find out about other ways to support Shelter.

Brilliant idea! I have a few questions so I will come back to this

Do we just post a question and refer back to the thread after Monday? I have many!

@lovelychops - yes just post your question(s) here and from Monday Andy from Shelter will answer as many as he can. Come back to this thread to see the answer(s). Hope that helps.

When can you leave a message from, thanks

@MNHQ Thanks for doing this. It could help a lot of tenants

Especially as the traffic through this site is so large.

Thanks to Shelter too.

@plantlife

What are your thought on the tenancy fee ban raising rents?

Why are disabled tenants either being shoved in ground floor flats or having to wait years for bungalows to be vacated because most councils aren't building new bungalows? (Vacant existing bungalows are rarer than flying pigs for obvious reasons; one of which being Right to Buy. Meaning one only ever becomes available when some poor soul passes away).

This is my situation. Harrogate currently has like 10 different new developments of houses. 20% of each will be come social housing. NONE are bungalows. All 2/3 bed houses.
Yes, bungalows take up more land, but why shouldn't disabled people be entitled to at least a small Garden? Some of us have kids! Most of us also NEED driveways.
Also places like Newcastle are building hundreds of new bungalows yet my local council and most others won't even consider it.

Landlords aren't interested because I (& many other Disabled tenants) am on (disability) benefits and as such, they simply won't consider an application.

I'm stuck in a 3 storey house when I should be in a wheelchair. The council's allocation department are giving me an estimated time frame of between 6-12 YEARS before a bungalow becomes available, yet able-bodied families are being handed brand spanking newly built houses with fabulous kitchens etc within days of joining the waiting list. It's just not fair...... Why is this happening?

I thought the government would be the very last ones to discriminate against the disabled.

Why are housing associations allowed to continue using the same contractors time and time again in cases where there has been shoddy and in some cases dangerous workmanship. (i have quite an extensive posting history of these issues on here both pre and post Grenfell) And not turning up to gas safety checks but lying and saying they did and the tenant did not let them in. This was even covered in Dispatches back in March. The contractor is automatically believed and the tenant automatically disbelieved. The residulisation of social housing over a number of decades has ensured that tenants are oppressed seen as vulnerable which means that they must need nannying, And automatically seen as liars or as making vexatious complaints when raising issues. On the day of the Grenfell fire i said on here that during the investigation it would come out that the Grenfell tenants would have been classed as making vexatious complaints Later on Emma Dent Coad did tweet that this word WAS used about them.

Things will only improve when derogatory attitudes towards tenants change. These attitudes arent only coming from some politicians and the media but from within the sector itself.

How can this even start to change?

What can be done about a housing sector and culture that sees it as simply policy to tell a disabled tenant to get rid of their mobility scooter or they will take it away and sell/destroy it.

I have two questions regarding my current private rental in Scotland.

We rent through an agency but all repairs are carried out by the owners husband. We have had birds nesting in our walls, baby beaks would poke out at your feet when you were going in and out the front door. There were small gaps in the front steps. The husband came round and promptly cemented over the gaps, that was the entirety of his actions.
Is this acceptable? If not where can a complaint be made to? Things are not great between us (see next question) so I’ve no interest in approaching them myself, but would like to ensure they know it’s not right if that’s the case.

We are currently being evicted with a leave date of 24th October. This is our 3rd move in 3 years (leaving military, ll selling, ll selling) so we are going for council for security this time round. I understand we don’t need to move on the 24th and can let them take us to tribunal to try and buy us more time. This is my plan as with 2 kids and pets I need to avoid temp accommodation if I can.
Do I need to tell the agency that we may not move out on the leave date?

How many under 10's would the council expect to share one bedroom?

Hi Andy,

We currently rent, in the process of buying a house and we have a few issues with our landlord.

We started a 6 month AST (i think that’s the name) and then went onto a rolling one month rental, about 6 months ago now. Our landlord made a lot of concessions for us - he wanted a 12 month minimum, we knew we were buying this year. We also have pets which we paid double our deposit for AND the landlord charged more monthly rent than the property was advertised for.

The landlord carried out an inspection awhile ago and has accused us of things like changing wall colours, and he told us that we ‘piss him off’. The property is riddled with problems, such as a massive hole in the roof meaning that we cannot use the entire upstairs of the property, no gauge for our oil tank so we don’t know when our oil is going to run out, the boiler hasn’t been serviced in the 12 years the landlord has owned the property.

It is clear that we are moving - we have boxes everywhere and told him we have bought a house but aren’t putting notice in yet.

He has informed us that he wants two months notice when our contract says one, that he wants a professional clean done (he said it is in the contract but it isn’t) and we are worried about him accusing us of changing a wall colour. The only thing in the inventory is a picture of the wall paper on one side of the room, not the magnolia on the other. I do randomly have video evidence of the magnolia always being there in the background of a YouTube video about a month after we moved in.

Phew that was a lot. My questions are:

Is it one month’s notice or two?

Can he verbally demand a professional clean after we leave?

What about this weird paint colour situation? I don’t really want him to know about the YouTube video but I do have that evidence.

Thank you

How can I make myself more desirable to a landlord?!

I am a fulltime wheelchair-user currently privately renting a basement flat. I don't work since my accident in 2014, and thus rely solely on benefits: before that I was a professional, with a doctorate etc etc.

I desperately need to move: to leave my flat I have to drag myself on my bum up the external concrete stairs. However, landlords won't take me, and so far, I haven't even got as far as viewing a potential property.

I have no problem paying the rent, and have been doing it solo and on benefits since 2014. A relative has offered to put down 6-months up-front, and I have said they can have that either as an enhanced deposit and I will continue to pay monthly (my preference), or I continue to pay in 6-monthly instalments. Sadly, this hasn't been enough: some landlords would take me with a U.K. guarantor, which I don't have, but most have said that I need 'to be able to pass the credit checks on my own merit', which I can't do as they do not consider benefits.

What can I do? I can't even apply for council housing until I have lived in the area for several more years, but I can't continue living trapped in my home. What more can I do to make a landlord/estate agent want me?!

Yes, great idea. I’ll be back later to ask a question.

Hello everyone,

Firstly, thanks to Mumsnet for arranging these sessions. All of us at Shelter work hard to help as many people in housing need as we can, and this is a great opportunity to offer even more support.

Also, thanks so much for all your posts so far. I’ll be sending some responses soon. If anyone has any questions, please do post a message in this thread and I’ll be happy to offer whatever advice I can.

You’re also very welcome to get in touch with our housing advice services directly if you need to. I’ll be posting links to services and organisations that can help throughout the session, but if you need to contact us you can do so here: england.shelter.org.uk/get_help

Have a good day, and I’m looking forward to hearing from you all!

Andy @ Shelter

@4under4our

How many under 10's would the council expect to share one bedroom?

Hi @4under4our,

Thanks for your question.

Usually, council overcrowding rules will allow for two under 10s to share a bedroom. Any more than this could be considered overcrowding.

However, if there are more than two children under 10 sharing, the circumstances in which they came to share can often affect how a council might respond. For example, if ‘natural growth’ has occurred, such as new children being born or a child reaching the age of one or ten years, this is often considered to be ‘permissible overcrowding’.

Whether you rent from a social or private landlord can also affect a council’s position. Council or housing association tenants will often have more options to deal with overcrowding than private tenants, and a council’s own policy will often outline how overcrowding should be dealt with.

You can also read more about how many people can share a home here: england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/check_if_your_home_is_overcrowded_by_law

I hope this information helps.

Kind regards,

Andy @ Shelter

Contact Shelter's housing experts online, by telephone, in person or on social media: england.shelter.org.uk/get_help

@Sparklesandpasta

Hi Andy,

We currently rent, in the process of buying a house and we have a few issues with our landlord.

We started a 6 month AST (i think that’s the name) and then went onto a rolling one month rental, about 6 months ago now. Our landlord made a lot of concessions for us - he wanted a 12 month minimum, we knew we were buying this year. We also have pets which we paid double our deposit for AND the landlord charged more monthly rent than the property was advertised for.

The landlord carried out an inspection awhile ago and has accused us of things like changing wall colours, and he told us that we ‘piss him off’. The property is riddled with problems, such as a massive hole in the roof meaning that we cannot use the entire upstairs of the property, no gauge for our oil tank so we don’t know when our oil is going to run out, the boiler hasn’t been serviced in the 12 years the landlord has owned the property.

It is clear that we are moving - we have boxes everywhere and told him we have bought a house but aren’t putting notice in yet.

He has informed us that he wants two months notice when our contract says one, that he wants a professional clean done (he said it is in the contract but it isn’t) and we are worried about him accusing us of changing a wall colour. The only thing in the inventory is a picture of the wall paper on one side of the room, not the magnolia on the other. I do randomly have video evidence of the magnolia always being there in the background of a YouTube video about a month after we moved in.

Phew that was a lot. My questions are:

Is it one month’s notice or two?

Can he verbally demand a professional clean after we leave?

What about this weird paint colour situation? I don’t really want him to know about the YouTube video but I do have that evidence.

Thank you

Hello @Sparklesandpasta,

Thanks for sending this through.

I’m sorry to hear about the issues you’ve had in your home, and I can understand your concerns.

In terms of the notice you’d need to serve, one month should be enough from what you’ve mentioned. Usually the notice must end on the first or last day of a period of the tenancy (so if your tenancy started on the 20th of the month, your notice would need to cover the period of from the 20th of one month up to, and ending on, the 19th or 20th of the next month).

You’d only need to give two months’ notice in circumstances like this if

• Your tenancy agreement stated that your tenancy would become periodic when the fixed term ends, and
• Your tenancy agreement clearly stated that 2 months’ notice is required.

You can find further advice on how to end a periodic tenancy including a sample notice here:
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/ending_a_periodic_tenancy

With respect to professional cleaning, tenants are only responsible for leaving a property in the same condition as it was in when the letting began, allowing for fair wear and tear through reasonable use of the home. If the property was professionally cleaned when you moved in, your landlord can request that you ensure the property is cleaned to this standard when you leave. However, if it wasn’t professionally cleaned, this should not be something you’re required to do. If there is any dispute over this, your landlord should be able to provide evidence of what cleaning was undertaken before the tenancy started.

When it comes to the paint colour of the walls, again you’re only responsible for leaving the property in same condition as it was when you moved in, excepting wear and tear. The landlord should be able to prove that the wall colour has changed, if they believe this to be the case.

If you do end up in a dispute, many landlords seek to make deductions from a tenant’s deposit to cover the costs of issues like the cleaning and wall colours, and to cover ‘unpaid rent’ if the tenant hasn’t given what the landlord believes is the correct notice. If this happens, most assured shorthold tenants should have their deposits protected in one of three government approved schemes. The schemes offer a free service for resolving disputes if the tenant doesn’t agree with deposit deductions proposed by the landlord. If you’ve paid a deposit, you should have received information about deposit protection around the start of the tenancy. If necessary, you could use the YouTube evidence you’ve mentioned in negotiation with your landlord, or submit it to the scheme protecting your deposit if you raise a dispute.

The other issues you’ve mentioned in the property sound very unpleasant. Landlords should arrange to carry out repairs within a ‘reasonable time’. While roofs may take time and the appropriate conditions to repair, if the hole has been present for much of your time in the property it’s unlikely the landlord is acting within the necessary timescales and you may be able to take further action over this. For example, you may be able to claim compensation for breach of contract. If your landlord tries to claim extra money from you for issues he’s accusing you of causing, you could also make a counterclaim.

I’m assuming you have an oil-burning boiler rather than a gas boiler. There are regulations that apply to gas appliances (for example annual gas safety checks) but unfortunately the same doesn’t apply to oil-fired boilers. However, your landlord should still ensure that the boiler is safe and well-maintained. If you have concerns about its safety, you could contact your local council and ask the environmental health officer to get involved. They can carry out an inspection under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System to assess if there are any hazards in your home. The same would also apply to the hole in the roof if the landlord isn’t taking action to arrange repairs.

If you need more information about these issues, please do get back in touch for additional advice. In the mean time, I hope this information helps and best wishes for when you’re ready to move to your new home.

Kind regards,

Andy @ Shelter

Contact Shelter's housing experts online, by telephone, in person or on social media: england.shelter.org.uk/get_help

@LouLouLoupee

I have two questions regarding my current private rental in Scotland.

We rent through an agency but all repairs are carried out by the owners husband. We have had birds nesting in our walls, baby beaks would poke out at your feet when you were going in and out the front door. There were small gaps in the front steps. The husband came round and promptly cemented over the gaps, that was the entirety of his actions.
Is this acceptable? If not where can a complaint be made to? Things are not great between us (see next question) so I’ve no interest in approaching them myself, but would like to ensure they know it’s not right if that’s the case.

We are currently being evicted with a leave date of 24th October. This is our 3rd move in 3 years (leaving military, ll selling, ll selling) so we are going for council for security this time round. I understand we don’t need to move on the 24th and can let them take us to tribunal to try and buy us more time. This is my plan as with 2 kids and pets I need to avoid temp accommodation if I can.
Do I need to tell the agency that we may not move out on the leave date?

Hi @LouLouLoupee,
Thanks for getting in touch.

I’m sorry to hear about your experiences, and I can understand why you’re seeking clarification on these issues.

You’ll need specialist housing advice on Scottish law to make sure you have accurate information on your situation – I’m afraid that Shelter deals with English law, and there are many differences in the relevant legislation. However, please do contact Shelter Scotland. They have their own webchat service and helpline which you can access here:
scotland.shelter.org.uk/about_us/contact_us

I'm sorry that this isn't something we can cover during this advice clinic, but I hope you’re able to get the advice you need. Very best wishes in dealing with your situation.

Kind regards,

Andy @ Shelter

Hi everyone,

Just to clarify how we work and what we can advice on through these sessions, Shelter operates to provide housing law throughout England. If you’re in Wales or Scotland, our affiliated services should be able to assist. There are also services that can provide help elsewhere in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

If you’re in Scotland, Shelter Scotland can help. They have their own webchat service and helpline which you can access here:
scotland.shelter.org.uk/about_us/contact_us

If you’re in Wales, try Shelter Cymru. You can call them on 0345 075 5005 or you can visit the Shelter Cymru website here:
sheltercymru.org.uk/

If your property is in Northern Ireland, you can contact Housing Rights where an adviser trained in the housing legislation covering Northern Ireland may be able to help. You can call them on 028 9024 5640 or visit the website here: housingrights.org.uk/

Finally, for those in the Republic of Ireland, Threshold may be able to help with rights about renting here:
www.threshold.ie/advice/
Alternatively, Focus Ireland provides advice on homelessness in the Republic of Ireland. You can find their website here:
www.focusireland.ie/

Thanks again for your posts; I’ll be responding to all of them as soon as I can.

Kind regards,

Andy @ Shelter

@oxcat1

How can I make myself more desirable to a landlord?!

I am a fulltime wheelchair-user currently privately renting a basement flat. I don't work since my accident in 2014, and thus rely solely on benefits: before that I was a professional, with a doctorate etc etc.

I desperately need to move: to leave my flat I have to drag myself on my bum up the external concrete stairs. However, landlords won't take me, and so far, I haven't even got as far as viewing a potential property.

I have no problem paying the rent, and have been doing it solo and on benefits since 2014. A relative has offered to put down 6-months up-front, and I have said they can have that either as an enhanced deposit and I will continue to pay monthly (my preference), or I continue to pay in 6-monthly instalments. Sadly, this hasn't been enough: some landlords would take me with a U.K. guarantor, which I don't have, but most have said that I need 'to be able to pass the credit checks on my own merit', which I can't do as they do not consider benefits.

What can I do? I can't even apply for council housing until I have lived in the area for several more years, but I can't continue living trapped in my home. What more can I do to make a landlord/estate agent want me?!

Hi @Oxcat1,

Thanks for your questions. It sounds like you’ve had many difficulties finding a property, and I’m sorry to hear about your circumstances.

I’m sorry to say that the issues you’re facing aren’t uncommon, and unfortunately there’s no single straightforward thing that can be done to make you attractive to landlords or agents beyond what you’ve already done, particularly if you’re in an area of very high housing demand.

However, there may be a few additional things that could help. If you have good references from your current or previous landlords, this can be useful. As you’d expect, most landlords’ main concerns are that you’ll be able to pay the rent and will look after the property. If you’re able to show that you’ve done this in the past it may persuade landlords to let to you.

Additionally, trying to contact landlords directly rather than going through agents can often help too. Agents are more likely to have relatively strict requirements when considering new tenants (like the credit checks or a UK guarantor that you’ve mentioned) which can be difficult to get around. They may also have to refer back to a landlord for permission to let a property if a prospective tenant doesn’t meet these requirements, which can affect whether they’re willing to let to someone.

Landlords might advertise their properties on local notice boards, in the local press or online. Some areas have internet forums where residents can post messages online about events or items for sale in the local community. Landlords may advertise properties to let on these forums to avoid the costs of using an agency. You could also place your own advert on a website or social media, or in a local newspaper, shop window or noticeboard. This could say what you're looking for and how much rent you can afford to pay. Landlords can then get in touch directly.

We have some advice about ways of finding private rented accommodation here: england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/ways_to_find_a_private_rented_home

Additionally, the page below has links to property websites where housing benefit or the housing element of universal credit can be accepted. Tips are also given on how to encourage a landlord to rent to you here: england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/benefits/how_to_rent_when_a_landlord_wont_accept_housing_benefit

While you might not qualify for council housing yet, you may be able to look into housing association properties. Some housing associations run their waiting lists jointly with the local council, whereas others will allow you to apply directly to them. You can contact housing associations in your area to find out how best to apply. Your local council should have the details of any housing associations in your area or you can search online or in your local telephone directory. You can read about applying to housing associations here:
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/council_housing_association/how_to_get_a_housing_association_home

It may also be worth speaking to your local council about any other things you could try. Many councils have a housing options or housing advice service who can give you more information on what is available in your area. If your property is considered so unsuitable for your needs that it’s very unreasonable to remain there, it’s possible that you could be considered legally homeless and this may give the council a duty to provide some assistance in finding somewhere else. (However, bear in mind that you may need evidence from a relevant professional, such as a doctor or occupational therapist, to show that your current home isn’t suitable to remain in.)

You can read more about the different ways in which someone may be considered homeless here:
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/homelessness/rules/legally_homeless

I hope this information is useful and gives you a few new ideas to try. I wish you all the best in finding somewhere else, and thanks again for your post.

Kind regards,

Andy @ Shelter

Contact Shelter's housing experts online, by telephone, in person or on social media: england.shelter.org.uk/get_help

Hi, and thanks for this. I a nutshell, way is the landlord allowed to do when inspecting the property, and how often are they allowed to come? The back story... (long!) . I'm renting privately. The estate agent is used as a tenant finder by my Landlady, and she manages the property herself. She is so very peculiar. She wanted to make an addendum to the tenancy agreement allowing for monthly inspections but I never actually signed it. However, I thought I'd humour her and have agreed to her coming the 5 times she has requested since December 2018 when I moved in.

I've not had much bother from her but her visit in July was bizarre. She looked in my (fairly) clean oven and told me she wanted it cleaning. ("it makes it easier for me") Then went into the back garden and started tearing up plants shouting that they're weeds THEY'RE WEEDS!! I'm no percy thrower but I just saw them as pretty purple flowers that the bees love, so I've asked my gardener to work around them. I was in tears as she wantonly destroyed the worked the gardener had done. I told her to stop! "You're distressing me"!

After she left, I called the estate agent and cried down the phone at her! She said "that's just her, don't take it personally". It took me some time to calm down.

On Tuesday last week, LL messaged to say that she wanted to come on Thursday teatime to which I agreed. I was dreading it and feeIing stressed. I have children and I was doing normal Thursday teatime things. She came, had a look round and told me
the electrics needed fixing and the guys will be coming next week. Phew, I breathed a sigh of relief, she was calm and was fairly unobtrusive. Then I get an email telling me she wanted to come again in three weeks' time, when there are 'fewer people in the house', 'when it's less hectic'!!

What do you think she's actually looking for? I'm starting to feel harassed! Can I tell her not to come? I can't relax in my own home. Of cotse she holds all the cards, she can give me two months notice whenever she chooses, which will disrupt my family further. Property around here is notoriously expensive and difficult to find.

There is a long, fairly outing backstory but I really don't want to move again!

Where do I stand telling her to leave us alone? (the house is fine BTW! I'm looking after it!)

@ProhibitedRodent

Why are disabled tenants either being shoved in ground floor flats or having to wait years for bungalows to be vacated because most councils aren't building new bungalows? (Vacant existing bungalows are rarer than flying pigs for obvious reasons; one of which being Right to Buy. Meaning one only ever becomes available when some poor soul passes away).

This is my situation. Harrogate currently has like 10 different new developments of houses. 20% of each will be come social housing. NONE are bungalows. All 2/3 bed houses.
Yes, bungalows take up more land, but why shouldn't disabled people be entitled to at least a small Garden? Some of us have kids! Most of us also NEED driveways.
Also places like Newcastle are building hundreds of new bungalows yet my local council and most others won't even consider it.

Landlords aren't interested because I (& many other Disabled tenants) am on (disability) benefits and as such, they simply won't consider an application.

I'm stuck in a 3 storey house when I should be in a wheelchair. The council's allocation department are giving me an estimated time frame of between 6-12 YEARS before a bungalow becomes available, yet able-bodied families are being handed brand spanking newly built houses with fabulous kitchens etc within days of joining the waiting list. It's just not fair...... Why is this happening?

I thought the government would be the very last ones to discriminate against the disabled.

Hello @ProhibitedRodent

Thank you for getting in touch.

I’m very sorry to hear about what you’re going through. It must be a difficult and frustrating time for you.

I’m afraid that some of what you’ve asked, particularly with respect to local council, housing association and government policies, are matters that go beyond what we can realistically comment on. As an organisation we provide advice and support with housing law; although we work hard to campaign and improve policies we can’t realistically explain many of those policies that are in place already.

However, the issues that you’ve addressed are incredibly important and relevant, particularly to the millions of people for whom the private sector is difficult to access either because of affordability or suitability, and for whom home owning may be unattainable. Shelter is actively campaigning to build more social housing so that more people such as yourself have the opportunity to live in a safe and suitable home. If you want to read more about this, we have further information here: england.shelter.org.uk/support_us/campaigns/demand_social_housing_funding

There may also be things you could try to be allocated a property more quickly. Firstly, make sure you’ve been given the right priority on the council waiting list. This could affect the amount of time you have to wait for a suitable property. Each council has their own policy, detailing who can go on the waiting list and when more points or priority can be awarded. This is known as an allocations policy. You can usually ask to see the allocations policy of your council or find a copy on their website. This will allow you to compare the policy to your own circumstances, to ensure you're in the correct band or have the correct amount of points. If you feel you have not been assessed correctly, the following link explains how to challenge the council:
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/council_housing_association/challenge_a_council_waiting_list_decision

If you feel that your council aren’t handling situations like yours properly, you could also consider making a formal complaint. While one complaint alone may not change council policy, it may help to raise more awareness of your situation. Enough complaints may also help influence how the council operates in the future. You can read our advice about what you can do if you wish to complain to the council here:
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/council_housing_association/complaints_about_councils

You could also contact your local councillor or MP who may be able to put pressure on the council to act differently. You should be able to find your local councillor’s contact details by entering your postcode here:
www.gov.uk/find-your-local-councillors

You may have already considered this, but you may also be able to join waiting lists for housing associations. Some housing associations run their waiting lists jointly with the local council, whereas others will allow you to apply directly to them. You can contact housing associations in your area to find out how best to apply. Your local council should have the details of any housing associations in your area or you can search online. Housing association tenants who find properties through this route may not have the full rights of social housing tenants in some situations, but they may have lower rents and landlords may have more responsibilities than elsewhere in the private sector. You can read about applying to housing associations here:
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/council_housing_association/how_to_get_a_housing_association_home

I hope this information is useful, and that things improve for you soon. If you need more information, please do get back in touch.

Kind regards,

Andy @ Shelter

Contact Shelter's housing experts online, by telephone, in person or on social media: england.shelter.org.uk/get_help

It's great that agents and landlords are now banned from charging fees - having moved several times in the last 4 years it makes a big difference.

BUT I'm looking around at properties available locally and the rents seemed to have shot up - do you know why? There's stuff available but rents are £50+ a month more in most cases and this seems to have happened recently. I asked an agent this q and they said landlords fees had increased so the rents had increased to compensate - really?

Any insight you can offer would help - shall I move to another area or is this the same everywhere? Many thanks.

@HelenaDove

Why are housing associations allowed to continue using the same contractors time and time again in cases where there has been shoddy and in some cases dangerous workmanship. (i have quite an extensive posting history of these issues on here both pre and post Grenfell) And not turning up to gas safety checks but lying and saying they did and the tenant did not let them in. This was even covered in Dispatches back in March. The contractor is automatically believed and the tenant automatically disbelieved. The residulisation of social housing over a number of decades has ensured that tenants are oppressed seen as vulnerable which means that they must need nannying, And automatically seen as liars or as making vexatious complaints when raising issues. On the day of the Grenfell fire i said on here that during the investigation it would come out that the Grenfell tenants would have been classed as making vexatious complaints Later on Emma Dent Coad did tweet that this word WAS used about them.

Things will only improve when derogatory attitudes towards tenants change. These attitudes arent only coming from some politicians and the media but from within the sector itself.

How can this even start to change?

What can be done about a housing sector and culture that sees it as simply policy to tell a disabled tenant to get rid of their mobility scooter or they will take it away and sell/destroy it.

Hello @HelenaDove,

Thank you for getting in touch and sharing your concerns.

You’ve mentioned several issues that affect many people, and I can well understand why you’re seeking clarification on these matters.

I’m afraid that some of what you’ve raised isn’t easy to address here. While Shelter is active in trying to improve policy and the rights of anyone in housing need, it’s very difficult for us to comment on current policies. However, if you’re directly affected by the issues you’ve mentioned, I’ll try to give you some advice that may help you as an individual. If you need additional information, please do get back in touch.

With respect to the standard of work expected from a landlord, when building work is carried out it should comply with building regulations. This would apply both to new builds and extensions or conversions to an existing property. If you have concerns about whether or not a landlord or contractor is abiding by building regulations, you could contact your local authority or the LABC (Local Authority Building Control).

You can find out more here: www.labc.co.uk/about-labc/what-are-building-regulations

When it comes to repairs, any work should be carried out to a decent standard. Contractors should use materials that have been tested, licensed or certified by an independent body such as BBA or BSI (British Standards Institution). If you have concerns about the standard of repairs that have been undertaken, you could contact your local council and ask the environmental health officer to get involved. They can carry out an inspection under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System to assess if there are any hazards in your home.

You can read about the role of environmental health here:
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/complain_to_environmental_health_about_rented_housing

With respect to tenants with a disability who require mobility aids, such as scooters, any social landlord should act with care. If a landlord suggests that a tenant’s personal belongings, such as a mobility scooter, are to be removed or destroyed this should only be done in very extreme circumstances where this is the only option and there is very clear justification for doing so.

Even if there are policies in place that could theoretically affect mobility scooters and, under the Equality Act 2010 some landlords may need to carry out reasonable adjustments to their properties or procedures to make sure that tenants are not put at a serious disadvantage because of a disability. You can read about what's reasonable here: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/discrimination-in-housing/taking-action/asking-for-adjustments-to-help-with-your-disability/

If a social landlord refuses to allow a mobility scooter where there is a clear need for one, or has failed to make changes to the way they manage their properties, it’s possible that discrimination is taking place. Discrimination in housing is a very complex issue, but you can find out more about discrimination on the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) website here:
www.equalityhumanrights.com/en

If you feel that a landlord may be acting in a discriminatory way, you may need specialist help to check if the treatment you’ve experienced is unlawful and if it is, what action you can take. You could contact the Equality Advisory & Support Service (EASS) helpline on 0808 800 0082 or visit the website here:
www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/

If your housing association is either allowing poor standards of work, threatening to remove or destroy someone's property without justification, or is refusing to accept a tenant's side of a dispute (such as when a gas safety check has failed) you could consider making a formal complaint. We have information advising what you can do if you want to make a complaint to a housing association here:
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/council_housing_association/complaints_about_housing_associations

Tenants who have complained about repairs or other issues to their housing association could then consider making a complaint to the Housing Ombudsman Service. This may be appropriate if a response isn’t received within a reasonable time or if the landlord's response is unsatisfactory. The following page has more information:
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/complain_to_the_ombudsman_about_repairs_in_social_housing

I hope this helps give a general overview of some of the rights relating to the issues you’ve mentioned. Best wishes for resolving any of these that may apply to you, and if you do have further questions, please do come back.

Kind regards,

Andy @ Shelter