Advice on loft access

joe427

Hi All,

My partner and I have been offered a new build 3 bedroom house provided by a housing association through our local council.

We have had a look round the house and really like it (obviously as its brand new ).

The lady showing us around has informed us that the loft has been locked and we are NOT allowed to use it for any storage. They keys will be held by the housing association and we are not allowed up there.
Currently I use my loft for storage of the kids old baby clothes/toys and have loft boards to distrubute the weight.

My question is, is do I have any point of arguing this issue of access to the loft area? I would really need this space for storage and I think it's ridiculous that they are stopping us from using it. We are yet to sign for the property on Monday and I am not sure if it's in the tenancy agreement as of yet. Anyone else had a similar experience?

Thanks all :beer:

TBeckett100

better still, you could rent private! You cant have it all ways. Wish someone would give me a cheap new house to live in.

joe427

TBeckett100 wrote: »

better still, you could rent private! You cant have it all ways. Wish someone would give me a cheap new house to live in.

It's not far from private renting at £115 a week. Getting a new build is a bit of a lottery and we count ourselves very lucky for it coming up.

Hammyman

No you have no point of arguing. It is not your house so you cannot do what you like with it. The restriction is put in place because many muppets aren't like you and don't take into account what you have which results in ceilings needing repairing so its easier just to put in place a carte blanche condition of tenancy.

clutton_2

buy yourself a nice shed instead

poppysarah

I would want to know the reason why it's locked - and ask to inspect it to ensure that there's nothing nasty lurking in it.

Putting foot through is a good reason for not using a loft - but I'd still want to know why they think you're not responsible enough to have full access to every part of the house.

I would sign for the house though - not having loft access isn't a good reason to not sign for it. And if you want to argue the point later you can.

joe427

clutton wrote: »

buy yourself a nice shed instead

We already have a shed with the house in the garden, which I'm sure will be filled up in no time. I have two storage sheds at the moment used for tools/garden bits which I have to squeeze into the new shed

poppysarah wrote: »

I would want to know the reason why it's locked - and ask to inspect it to ensure that there's nothing nasty lurking in it.

Putting foot through is a good reason for not using a loft - but I'd still want to know why they think you're not responsible enough to have full access to every part of the house.

I would sign for the house though - not having loft access isn't a good reason to not sign for it. And if you want to argue the point later you can.

Yes I will have to enquire about it, it does seem a bit ridiculous that we aren't trusted to have access to the loft. I would sign for it either way but it'd be a pain not having access to the loft!

Thanks everyone :beer:

Owain_Moneysaver

Sign up for the house.

Then keep calling them out for scuttling noises in the loft. They may get so tired of coming out they give you a key.

If this is a terrace house then it's possible that communal TV/satellite cables run through the lofts which is why they don't like giving access.

st999

Years ago when I lived in a tenement the loft ran the length of the building, 6 flats in all, no insulation either, and if you got up there you could enter all the flats.

Of course no one had anything worth stealing after the war and we all trusted one another.

Where is the loft hatch, in your house or on an outside landing?

olly300

joe427 wrote: »

Yes I will have to enquire about it, it does seem a bit ridiculous that we aren't trusted to have access to the loft. I would sign for it either way but it'd be a pain not having access to the loft!

The likely reasons include other tenants they had dumping stuff up in the loft and moving out leaving them to clear the loft out.

When lots of people buy houses they find lots of junk in the loft which the previous occupant hasn't removed.

Radsteral

joe427 wrote: »

It's not far from private renting at £115 a week. Getting a new build is a bit of a lottery and we count ourselves very lucky for it coming up.

460, a month for a brand new house its not really good deal for you

think i used to pay 480 for a room .