DIY/Sort it yourself or wait for the council bill?

renowen

Hi looking for some advice.

I currently live in a council property and am due to move soon. Now there is some 'damage' to my current property - the main one is there is a crack in the living room window but there is also a damaged bedroom door and the skirting board is missing from the living room (DIY job that got started and never finished)

Now I know that whan I move I will get a bill for the damage (well the door and window certainly, not sure about the skirting board?)

My question is, would it be cheaper to fix the damage myself or just wait for the council to send me the bill? I know i'm looking at about £40 for the door but no idea about the rest.

Any advice as to which would be best? Thanks!

martinthebandit

Would be cheapest and best (from a self respect point if nothing else) to fix them yourself.

MaggieBaking

Cheapest to fix it yourself if you can to a good standard. The skirting should be ok, the door I'm not sure of as it is a skill to master. The crack I think shouldn't be your problem?

renowen

Thank for the replies

Unfortunatly all glazing and internal doors are down to the tennant.
My Uncle could do the door and skirting for me to a good standard but i'd have to hire a glazer for window. My main worry is often if not done to the standard they want, they council may well rip out the work i get done and do it again anyway! Last thing I want it to pay twice!

I'm thinking perhaps best thing to do would be get the window repaired as would probably be biggest expense and least likely to be changed as surely, a pane of glass is a pain of glass? But leave the rest as they might only want the same specific doors etc?

iamcornholio

Your council will have a set schedule of rates (ie costs) for the work they do, so if you tell them what needs doing then they should be able to tell you how much it will cost - and then you decide if it is cheaper to DIY

If you DIY and do it properly, with appropriate materials then the council can't complain about it

phill99

It also depends on how effective your council are on recovering money owed. Many councils have a very poor reputation for chasing money and it may well be that you will never get billed.

erdd2

IME do not wait on the council...not only will the work be substandard...if the work is ever undertaken...but the bill will be well over the top!

renowen

Thanks again everyone

I called council to ask what kind of costs I am looking t and was told they couldn't quote me, that they only found out after the work was done but that in there opinion getting it sorted myself would be less costly.

I'm not concerned about the standard of the work by the council as we are leaving this place, I just don't want to waste time and money fixing the problems for them to be ripped out and redone anyway and having to foot the bill twice, especially if there is a chance I may not get billed at all! Although from what I've heard from friends with experience with my council they do bill you eventually even if it takes months.

I may have found someone to do the window for just the cost of the glass, they are coming round on Saturday to have a look so fingers crossed they can do the job!

Thanks again