Some advice... Please read...

[newdad]

Hi,

I know this may seem a little unethical, but I was wondering if someone could please give me some advice?

As you can see from my username I am about to become a Dad for the first time and I live in a house that is owned by a housing association. I have been a good and honest tenant for 15 years, I have recently had a letter saying that they are planning kitchen works on some of the properties, a complete refit, including floors, walls, tiles, units, sinks etc. In the letter it states that homes that have recently had work done in the kitchen or are in a good state will not be considered for the work. We have looked after our house but the kitchen really needs modernising, it is tired and starting to look a bit tatty.... I think you may see where I am going here...

Just before I found out that we were expecting I had looked into getting the kitchen refitted myself but now it is just not possible. some of my neighbours do not look after things and as such I know they will end up getting a spanking new kitchen which if I am honest I do not think they deserve and we will end up with an old kitchen, worse is that it has taken them all this time to replace these ones, I fear we will be stuck with this for many years to come.

My question is this to the experts or diyers as I am quite frankly useless... Is there anything I can do to to help in the decision process going in my favour without it being too obvious...? To the units, under the sink or the floors etc? The HA have a budget for this work and I have NEVER asked for any work to be done that has not needed to be done,

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[wine~o]

Sadly that seems to be the way things work...if you graft and do your best then you can't claim anything..

leave school and pop babies out every 5 minutes and live in "Virtual" luxury...

I'm sorry that I can't give you any useful advice...

[newdad]

Many thanks anyway...

[big-all]

loosen a few doors so they look uneven remove a couple off doors
place a shelve at an angle
DO NOT DAMAGE ANYTHING
make sure things are grubby and play up the fact that its a dirty un-hygenic kitchen for you new baby

but also remember improvement allow them to increase the rent

[moderator6]

I used to sub to a firm that did maintenance for social housing and it really got my goat when an elderly lady (late 60s) had to keep her 30 plus year old kitchen just because she looked after it and the druggies next door that made her life hell used to have all the internal doors replaced every couple of weeks after they got kicked in.

I hope the wastepipe under your sink isn't leaking it could ruin all the base units

Just be aware that any deliberate damage could well be rechargeable but that doesn't count things like the odd door falling off!

[newdad]

Thank you, I didn't really want to damage anything anyway To be honest I would probably end up getting nothing and have to live with any damage...

I thought about the grubby thing but I find it hard have looking down at us when they come into our house... I also thought about loosening things but I am sure these surveyors have seen it all before. My Mrs is ready to go all out and wreck everything but I am putting that down to hormones and trying to be the voice of reason :)

[newdad]

I used to sub to a firm that did maintenance for social housing and it really got my goat when an elderly lady (late 60s) had to keep her 30 plus year old kitchen just because she looked after it and the druggies next door that made her life hell used to have all the internal doors replaced every couple of weeks after they got kicked in.

I hope the wastepipe under your sink isn't leaking it could ruin all the base units

Just be aware that any deliberate damage could well be rechargeable but that doesn't count things like the odd door falling off!

Interesting :)

[big-all]

I thought about the grubby thing but I find it hard have looking down at us when they come into our house...

you need to put that to one side is it not better that someone may judge you unfairly who you will never see again against a new kitchen

[moderator6]

When the surveyor comes round they will have already agreed how many kitchens are in the budget to be refitted, it might as well be yours.

Grubby will only make them think that you're slobs it just needs some fair wear and tear.


And a leak under the sink

[Bikergirl]

My OH is resident rep for out HA block and has looked into housing law, and our HA's policies. In their policy documents, it states that the life of a kitchen or bathroom is 20 years. After that time they have, by law, to be replaced, regardless what state they're in. If you want a hand finding out what your HA's policy is, shoot me a message via my website (link below). If your HA has a policy that they have to replace things after a certain number of years then you have the right to demand they do it, without having to break anything.

Housing associations don't expect us lowly tenants to know the law!

[Pooneil]

I used to have a contract replacing the vinyl flooring on a large council estate. There was the occasional glaring difference in attitudes – a 70 year old woman might completely clear the kitchen and be very apologetic about not be able to shift the fridge freezer, while a couple with teenage boys wouldn't even bother to move the dog bowl (or on occasion dog sh!t) – but most reasonable people have a sense of what's right and you just need to hope your surveyor is one of them. There will always be 'scumbags' (for want of a better word) and there will always be some injustice but it's your own attitude to life that you have to live with and it sounds like you should be happy with that.

Hope you get a decent result. If not throw the hormonal wife into the council offices and bolt the door.

[BillyGoat]

I used to have a contract replacing the vinyl flooring on a large council estate. There was the occasional glaring difference in attitudes – a 70 year old woman might completely clear the kitchen and be very apologetic about not be able to shift the fridge freezer, while a couple with teenage boys wouldn't even bother to move the dog bowl (or on occasion dog sh!t) – but most reasonable people have a sense of what's right and you just need to hope your surveyor is one of them. There will always be 'scumbags' (for want of a better word) and there will always be some injustice but it's your own attitude to life that you have to live with and it sounds like you should be happy with that.

Hope you get a decent result. If not throw the hormonal wife into the council offices and bolt the door.

they obviously liked the dog sh*t. You should have either put it under the new floor, or under the fridge - to keep it out of harms way!

[haveagohero]

Make the survayor a bacon butty and a brew. I've lost count of the amount of times i've done a job a bit cheaper because i liked the customer or felt sorry for them

Failing that, give him 50 quid to pass you! haha