My council house is freezing!

darkruto

I have been living in my council house for 7 years and when i first moved in my house had no heating and hadnt been cleaned and prepared for me to move in. I had a three year battle with the council to get radiators put in but they finally installed radiators in our home. If you look at my home next to my neighbours you can see that the house hadnt had any repairs carried out for many years before we moved in. The skirtingboards by the front door is rotting and there is damp growing on the wall despite decorating 3 weeks ago, they put a hole in the wall when they came to try and fix my door and filled the hole with silicone so i couldnt even paint over it, they came to fix my bathroom floor but didnt ever finish the job so we ended up repairing it ourselves, The gas fire surround needs replacing as it has rust on it, there is hole in the floor and the list goes on and on. The councils excuse for this was that the tenants who lived here before me didnt want anything done but are still unwilling to carry them out now. My house is freezing cold and has a bit of damp but the council just said that i have to keep the windows open at all times which doesnt make sense as the house would be unbearable. To say there is a draught in my house would be an understatement the curtains blow all over the place and if you put a piece of paper on the floor it moves across the room. My daughter is often freezing cold despite 2 duvets two jumpers and pyjamas. I can put the heating on but the house never seems to feel warm. I have phoned the council repeatedly over the last few years requesting double glazed windows and pvc doors as i have been promised theis would be carried out on all council properties last year but keep being told a date and they have even measured my windows but nothing ever happens. i have now been told i will get them fitted in the next few months but i doubt they will turn up. If it wasnt for my daughter i wouldnt care as much but letting a child live in a damp cold house that is falling apart feels unfair but i am in no position to move. I take pride in my home but feel embarrassed by the state of the house i can decorate it and it still looks awful due to the terrible job the council has done repairing the house over the years....they literally fix everything with silicone!!! I pay the same rent as everyone else my house should be of equal quality what are my rights? I have been going through this for 7 years but am just getting ignored, the list of problems with the house just keeps getting bigger...

missprice

Have you got your local MP involved?
If not email or write them with everything you have put here and see if they can chivvy up the council. Include photos of the various things you describe here. Add when and who you have contacted in the council.

Although I believe that things like double glazing get done to all houses in a set area at a set time. This may be just the local council area to me though and from what i have noticed happening. Have you got thick curtains at the worst windows? Does your heating system even work?

darkruto

Thank you for your reply yes i did contact my local MP when i first moved in and described everything to him. I was invited to his house to talk it over and he seemed very helpful contacting the correct people and everything but they still only put the radiators in after i contacted the ombudsman. Which i am grateful for as it made a big difference i just fear there is so many issues with the house due to the previous tenants not letting the council carry out any maintenance. As for the doors and windows i can confirm that they carry this out in set areas at set times but my street was due for these repairs early last year. Its not as bad for my neighbours as they already have double glazed windows and all mod cons from before i moved to the street. For example all of the other houses in the street have been fitted with energy efficient boilers but i still have an old back boiler, when i have asked for the same boiler they just say they cant do that any more...

maninthestreet

I have the same problems with my council - despite numerous requests over the years to upgrade/replace my kitchen/bathroom/CH, they still have not done a thing. Their excuse is that as I own the property then it's my responsibility - how useless is that??

bebewoo

You are very very lucky to have a council house, some people would do anything to get one.

missprice

darkruto wrote: »

Thank you for your reply yes i did contact my local MP when i first moved in and described everything to him. I was invited to his house to talk it over and he seemed very helpful contacting the correct people and everything but they still only put the radiators in after i contacted the ombudsman. Which i am grateful for as it made a big difference i just fear there is so many issues with the house due to the previous tenants not letting the council carry out any maintenance. As for the doors and windows i can confirm that they carry this out in set areas at set times but my street was due for these repairs early last year. Its not as bad for my neighbours as they already have double glazed windows and all mod cons from before i moved to the street. For example all of the other houses in the street have been fitted with energy efficient boilers but i still have an old back boiler, when i have asked for the same boiler they just say they cant do that any more...

You went to his House? New one on me, was it also his surgery?

I honestly don't have any other ideas, I suppose you could take them to court, but I just don't see that getting very far and costs will mount. Have you looked for a swap?

darkruto

I agree i am lucky to live in a council house but it wasnt easy getting this house. If it wasnt for my daughter i really wouldnt care....I can just suffer through it but i cant expect my daughter to. I pay my rent and other bills the same as any private tenant i am not on any benefits and we have made many improvements to the house ourselves If this was a private tenancy then the work would have been done before i moved in but because im a council tenant everyone assumes i just get everything paid and done for me and i sponge off of the government.

Raggie

having grown up on a council house where most winters had ice on the inside of the bedroom windows, I have some sympathy with the op.


You do have some form of heating but are losing that heat through doors/windows..


Try the old Clingfilm trick across the windows, stuffed tights as draft excluders, and curtains up against the doors..


It doesn't look the best but this is about staying warm..


Can I also suggest investing in some Ski base layers.. I make the kids (an myself) wear them, they are really quite cheap, and brilliant at helping retain body heat. They wash clean and dry in hours so a couple of sets it all that's needed..


somewhere like http://www.mountainwarehouse.com/ski/base-layers/?n=0&lp=&hp=&size=&colour=&g=&s=price-up&gclid=CJ-o8ZzUwbwCFYUIwwodnn8AUA


does them from £7 a pop..


Rags

giraffe69

1. If you got your MP involved a while ago (several years?) and nothing has happened since the radiators then have another go.
2. Seems a good move to inform and get your local councillor involved also. He can probably get the department concerned shaken up a bit.
3. Might the local press be interested in a story to put the pressure on the council?

andrewf75

darkruto wrote: »

I agree i am lucky to live in a council house but it wasnt easy getting this house. If it wasnt for my daughter i really wouldnt care....I can just suffer through it but i cant expect my daughter to. I pay my rent and other bills the same as any private tenant i am not on any benefits and we have made many improvements to the house ourselves If this was a private tenancy then the work would have been done before i moved in but because im a council tenant everyone assumes i just get everything paid and done for me and i sponge off of the government.

Feel for your situation, but your situation is not the same as a private tenant. You probably pay half the rent of a private tenant and have your house for life. Many private landlords are the same and don't carry out improvements either.

Keep hassling them and in the mean time block the gaps around windows and doors with insulating tape, put curtains over doors etc. As you have a tenancy for life at least you can make improvements. A private tenant can't.

wssb

People are ridiculous on this forum, this person is just looking for advice not a lecture. No one knows their circumstances, people should keep unhelpful comments to themselves. And anyway, who wants to spend a fortune on a home they do not own.

My advice would also have been to contact your local MP again. Is this situation having an adverse effect on your daughters health? Good luck.