Housing Association Repairs programme

babyemily

I posted this in Consumer Rights before I realised my mistake but I dont know how to delete the original thread - Im sorry x

I am a council tenant. Our HA is doing a massive programme where they are replacing kitchens/bathrooms etc.. I am not having these I replaced mine myself 2 years ago. I have to have the electrical upgrade though. The whole thing has been a shambles really, appointments made and not kept, contractors not knowing whats to be done etc...
Anyway on the day the electricians turned up they broke my sons sideboard, broke a candleabra and chipped some of my very expensive tiles on the kitchen wall. App nothing can be done about this.
Worse though is they installed a fan into my kitchen ceiling - I was advised it may fall out a little bit. In fact it crashed 5 feet down onto my daughters head. Shes fine thankfully but this electric fan was installed right above my sink. Had it come crashing down and landed in the sink I dread to think what could have been. But that didnt happen
So whilst I dont want anything monetary for my daughter which is what the council are afraid of I dont see how they can break things without being liable for them. Just seems so unfair when we worked hard for them
Any advice please - I have the head of the programme out at 10am and I am a bit nervous. Thank you

propertyman

Hello Mr Head of Program

Can you lie in the kitchen floor please, yes just under the hole where the fan was

Let me climb the ladder, ok, that's about five feet, you see your fan in my hand?

Oops.

Now, you were saying that there is no compensation or fault.....

Fire_Fox

[text removed by MSE Forum Team]

Use the council's complaints procedure, read their website. And read your contents insurance policy, you could well be covered for the damaged items.

babyemily

Fire_Fox wrote: »

This doesn't really have anything to do with 'House Buying, Renting or Selling'. Surprised that you are more concerned about your personal possessions than the fact your daughter could have been disabled or killed. Don't you just want to ensure this never happens again to protect other tenants?

Use the council's complaints procedure, read their website. And read your contents insurance policy, you could well be covered for the damaged items.

I am actually a little shocked at your reply Never have I been more upset by damage to my possessions. My daughter has always been my priority but my daughter was not hurt - I have stated that. There is little point in claiming to what could have happened I am just very grateful it didnt.
For your information I have already taken steps to ensure this does not happen again but its so much easier to take the moral high ground isint it?
I do not want anything. Just to clarify

bex2012

Can I suggest you phone your HA in the morning, and inform them you want to raise a complaint about their contractor. You may have to fill in some forms but they will contact the contractor and investigate. I suggest you take as many decent photos of the damage as possible. It definitely sounds like it has been a bit of a shambles....

gingergee

How awful for you all! Glad your daughter is ok though. I agree with taking pictures and complain about the contractors in writing. Hope you at least get an apology and they try to ensure they do jobs right in the future. Im in similar situation, we are due new kitchens bathrooms but put our own in this yr. Hope they dont try this with us! Good luck withit all x

propertyman

This forum takes in house renting, and as that in most cases involves repairs inside the home by a landlord, then these issues can be raised her.

The question seems clear- if they damage stuff, or people, they have so far claimed that they cannot be held liable.

The landlord, the Council or HA ( she isnt clear) is liable for the acts or omissions of their contractors. Even if damage to furniture is accidental, they can prove fault, and therefore negligence, and as for the fitting that " will hang down a bit" ...:eek:

That is a case where they do deserve to get sued by a Blame Direct Solicitor. Complete donkeys.

babyemily

Thank you for all your replies. The supervisor and manager came out yesterday and it was quite heated tbh. They assumed because I was a council tenant complaining I must want compensation I didnt.
After much debate they did finally realise this and the outcome is:
These fans will not be fitted onto the ceiling of anyone elses house.
The fan manufacturer is going to come out and look and discuss the issues raised - There is obviously a fault as the fixings cannot support the weight of them.
The electrician who left it like that has been removed from site for more training hopefully.
They did offer to fix the legs on the sideboard but I have declined.
The tiles and candleabra will not be fixed as I cannot prove the contractors broke them - but they did!
They will hopefully not be so quick to judge council tenants again.
There is now a liason officer who will ring tenants daily.
Its not perfect but its a good start.
Yes I could have shouted for compensation but all that will do is put prices up, cutbacks, people lose jobs etc... That is not what I want.
My daughter is very lucky for that I am very grateful.