Rewiring of house

[Galaxy27]

Wonder if anyone can help me, I’m in a council house and been told it needs rewiring, they came to take pics of light fittings and sockets, and was told it would take 3 days but I’d still be living here, which I find impossible, have 3 children who are all homeschooling, we are in the house 24/7 they’ve said all furniture needs to be in the middle of the room or moved out the room 🤷🏼‍♀️ Don’t know where to, can I refuse it? I know it needs doing but the thought of it is stressing me out, especially seen as we are in a pandemic, not comfortable with workmen in and out, and it’s only my parents who are in my ‘bubble’ but they are 70, so don’t wanna be going there and putting them at risk, what can I do 😫😫😫😫

I think the only option is to find somewhere else to stay during during rewire (cheap hotel / air bnb) as its too disruptive and there's likely to be loads of dust. We lived through a rewire but didn't have children and was really bad even then.

I don't know what you expect. Firstly has it occurred to you that when the sparkies come in you will have no electricity?!!
If your electrics needs replacing it's a major undertaking, floor boards removed, chasing of terminals.
If you refuse to have the work done you are potentially endangering yourself and your family.
Please understand faulty electrics can be and are very often fatal!
Never mind the pandemic and the home schooling that is the least of your worries. You need to take this seriously.
Also why are you not comfortable with workman coming in and out? Is it Covid related or something else?
Three days out of your life is nothing, compared to the potential consequences of having faulty electrics.

I am taking it seriously, seen as everything’s getting reviewed in Feb, could they not wait, my point is, I can’t live here, which is what they’re saying I can, with no problems, very blasé about it all, just said, oh yea, there’s a bit of dust? Not what I’ve heard from others, or go an stay at a hotel where people are getting quarantined? And I can’t afford to do that, there is no where for me to stay, regarding parents/friends, especially whilst all your hear is cases going up, So do I have the power to at least postpone it? Only been here 2 years, I’m no electrician but shouldn’t there have been signs before I moved in? and would of been easier to do it when it was void? Know I can’t change that, but would it be that bad now that needs siding ASAP, read some signs are you can smell burning, or electric cut off, iv had none of that, so if you’re only gonna comment to try and tell me how uncaring I am, don’t bother 🤷🏼‍♀️

Also no underlining reasons about workmen coming in, it’s literally, iv had no outsiders at my home, and I see my parents regularly, so don’t want to put them at risk

If you see your parents regularly can’t you go and stay with them?

There was a change in the law last year re electrical requirements for rental properties. Changes need to be made by April so this is probably why they're pressing ahead.

You cannot be in the house with kids whilst a full rewire is being done. Tell them to postpone or to find you alternative accommodation whilst the works are being completed.

I don’t remember a terrible disruption when we were rewired years ago and when my elderly neighbour had hers done. Bound to be some dust but not so much we had to move out. I would definitely get it done and sort it out at the time. It’s only three days.

We had our house rewired before we moved in so it was unfurnished, and yes it made a massive mess. Every wall and several ceilings had holes drilled in/channels chased out up to switches/sockets etc, floorboards up in every room. Dust EVERYWHERE. I would not do it with my belongings in the property, you’ll need to pack everything away and have it under covers etc piled in the middle of rooms. Also 3 days sounds somewhat optimistic to me, but maybe this is a team very used to doing the same style of property and have a tight protocol down pat. Does the 3 days include making good all the holes/channels in walls, replastering etc? Cleaners in afterwards?

As to whether you can refuse/delay, I guess that depends on your tenancy agreement - can you check?

I can’t, there is no room for us all, it’s me, my partner and 20, 15 and 7 year olds, not so easy, especially now, only asked on here to see if anyone had advice on where I stood if asked for them to postpone, know it’s safety reasons, but there is not a time in the day when house is totally empty for a long time, so why not wait and see what gets said in feb, regarding schools at least, know 3 days isn’t a lifetime, but do you really think it woukd only take 3 days? maybe it could 🤷🏼‍♀️ But she wasn’t convincing and everyone I’ve spoke to has said it takes at least a week, but seems I’m only getting an answer stating what woukd I’d been my first thought 🙄

I’ve literally just had 1 woman come out and say, ‘oh I’m not gonna lie first day is dusty but you’ll be fine’ said everything’s gotta be a metre away from the walls, so yea in the middle piled up, but we can still live here, I just don’t get how, and 3 days is only for the rewiring, not the work after, it’s council so don’t know where I stand tbh, but feel like I get fobbed off if I ask questions, hence why I came in here

Presumably the electricians are being employed by your housing association to do this work, so you would need to speak to the housing association about whether it can be postponed.

Thank you for the advice I was looking for, I’m gonna ring them tomorrow