Maintenance issue in social housing bungalow

Lily-Rose_3

So please don't have a go at me as I know I make a fuss sometimes, and I may be over-reacting. Sorry for the lengthy post: I just want to explain in detail what's happening.

We live in a fairly modern social housing bungalow, and have been here about 3 years now.

We have a wet room/walk-in shower, and it was put in new in july 2012 when the bungalow had a new bathroom,

It's a pretty decent power shower, and you can adjust the settings to lower it to a 'normal' level which we do sometimes.

Anyway, this past 3 weeks, it has started to make a loud rattling as it starts up. It started off with the rattling going for about 5 seconds. We called them on 13th March and said that although the shower's still working, we are a bit concerned about this noise, as it sounds like it's packing up.

A plumber came around on 19th March, (a Thursday) and said 'yep the shower's on its way out and it would be cheaper to replace it than to faff around fixing it.' So he rang 'the office' and it turns out it's still under warranty. The company who manufactured the shower is responsible for repairing or replacing it. So the plumber asked the girl on the phone to get them to come out. Before he went, he said if it packs up before the manufacturer comes out, we should ring repairs and they will replace it, as they can't leave us without a shower as we have no bath.

So anyway, this was nearly 2 weeks ago, and so far: nothing from the manufacturer.

I did actually ring the repairs department last Wednesday, (the 25th,) which was 6 days after the manufacturer was called, because I hadn't heard from them, and because the rattling as it starts up, was getting worse, (more erratic, and going on for about 10 seconds now instead of 5 seconds.) The girl said she would email them and tell them this, and remind them they need to call us to arrange to come around.

Another 5 days on: nothing. So I rang them again yesterday afternoon, and the girl said she would email them again!

By the end of today. Still no contact.

The shower still works, but as I said, it's getting worse, and the pressure is slower. The 'power shower' option is not as powerful as it was, and I am worried it will completely pack up any day.

For some reason despite 3 messages from the social housing landlord repairs team (in 2 weeks,) to the manufacturer, they have still not been in touch with us. The girl said all they tend to do is email them, and it's up to them to get onto us. I asked if they could ring them and find out why they haven't been in touch yet, but she says the procedure is to email them.

So I don't know which way to go from here.

Should I maybe ring the original plumber and ask him to look into it and speak to someone in repairs and maybe get them to RING the manufacturer and get them to contact us? (We have his mobile number as he gave it us.)

Should I ring the main office and bypass repairs and complain? Maybe by the end of next week if I hear nothing? I mean, it will have been a month by then (almost) since I first reported it!

Or should I wait for it to break altogether and THEN call them out? (The plumber said they will come out and replace it immediately if it packs up, as we have no bath, and they won't leave us in the position of not being able to bathe.)

As I said though; it is getting a bit worse every day, and the rattling and banging on start-up is awful. For all we know, it may be dangerous.

Please no rude answers, like 'first world problems' or I need to 'get a life,' or 'why am I whining when the shower is still working' and so on... I am just looking for advice and help.

Thank you.

laura_louise

I don't think there is anything you can do because the shower is actually working. If it was broken and un-usable then you could escalate it further and you'd have more options, as you are aware already. I'd think if it was dangerous the plumber would have told you? If you are concerned it's dangerous perhaps share that with the council and see if the plumber can get in touch to reassure you or otherwise... I get that it's really worrying you, i'd be the same, and it sucks that they would wait until it packed up completely potentially leaving you without a shower, but i don't think there's another option here.

Lily-Rose_3

laura_louise wrote: »

I don't think there is anything you can do because the shower is actually working. If it was broken and un-usable then you could escalate it further and you'd have more options, as you are aware already. I'd think if it was dangerous the plumber would have told you? If you are concerned it's dangerous perhaps share that with the council and see if the plumber can get in touch to reassure you or otherwise... I get that it's really worrying you, i'd be the same, and it sucks that they would wait until it packed up completely potentially leaving you without a shower, but i don't think there's another option here.

Hmmm yes you have some points.

Thinking about it, as 'the maintenance office' have been contacted 3 times, (and so has the manufacturer,) and nothing has advanced yet; it seems futile contacting them again... All they will do is email the manufacturer again. Maybe if I hear nothing else (by say first thing Thursday) I will ring the plumber (as you advised,) and say nobody has contacted me yet, and I was worried that the shower may be dangerous.

In turn, that is a good excuse to ring the plumber. I could ring him with the worry of the safety, and say I am concerned I have not heard, and maybe he can contact someone that the girls in the office wouldn't think of (or know about.) He has worked for them 20 years and probably has a bit more knowledge of who to contact than the girls, who probably deal with 50 calls an hour. (That's not a criticism of them BTW, just an opinion, and a bit of an assumption I don't mean to be rude to them. )

I suppose the worrying thing is, what if it gets worse and worse and noisier and noisier over the weeks and still nobody comes?

And the maintenance office did tell the manufacturer to sort it; they should have contacted me by now, as they do need to fix it. The guarantee is up end of April. But as it is still under warranty, the landlord won't fix it, as it is the manufacturers responsibility. I guess I will play it by ear, and contact the plumber Thursday, but as you said, I am not sure where I stand, as it is actually working (although it is clearly faulty, and not as good as it should be.)

I guess - as I said - I will play it by ear, and see how much worse it gets.

Thank you for your helpful and constructive advice!

eamon

I doubt if the manufacturer has been contacted at all. In fact if your HA association even has this process in place it will be poor practice and this is why:
It is an attempt by the HA to abdicate responsiblity for repairs to your home.
From the HA point of view, they lose control of the process.
From your point of view strangers will possibly be contacting you and making arrangements to come to your home. You don't know these people and if they have been DRB'd etc. The HA will have a process for its own employee's and temporary staff working on their behalf but have no control over a manufacturer/supplier of goods. Of course if you decide to invite strangers into your home e.g. carpet fitters, appliance repair people then that is your decision but the HA shouldn't do it.

You should get back unto your HA and complain about the delay.

Lily-Rose_3

eamon wrote: »

I doubt if the manufacturer has been contacted at all. In fact if your HA association even has this process in place it will be poor practice and this is why:
It is an attempt by the HA to abdicate responsiblity for repairs to your home.
From the HA point of view, they lose control of the process.
From your point of view strangers will possibly be contacting you and making arrangements to come to your home. You don't know these people and if they have been DRB'd etc. The HA will have a process for its own employee's and temporary staff working on their behalf but have no control over a manufacturer/supplier of goods. Of course if you decide to invite strangers into your home e.g. carpet fitters, appliance repair people then that is your decision but the HA shouldn't do it.

You should get back unto your HA and complain about the delay.

Thanks for the post, but I don't think the HA is purposely trying to dodge the responsibility for fixing it. And I doubt that they haven't contacted the manufacturer.

Firstly, they sent the plumber out to fix it, and then found out later that it was still under warranty, so it is the manufacturer's responsibility. And secondly, we have called repairs some 10 times in 3 years for various issues, from a blocked loo, a blocked drain, a leaky tap, a path that needed fixing due to a trip hazard, a fault with the bathroom extractor fan, and several other things.) They have actually been very good and very helpful so far.

Oh and the plumber did say that if it does pack up before the manufacturer sorts it, that they will come out within 24 hours (prob the same day,) to replace it, and then they will charge the manufacturer. But at the moment, it has to be passed to the manufacturer. They are meant to do it. But obviously, if it packs up before they get to us, and the HA has to do it, then they will do it, and charge them. But in the first instance, it is the manufacturer's responsibility.

So I think that them avoiding sorting the shower themselves purposely is highly unlikely. It's just that because it's still under warranty, it is the manufacturers responsibility. So they should do it really.

Not sure about the worry of 'strangers' coming into my home, as this is not a rare thing. We have had independent contractors and manufacturers coming in before doing repairs, and people fitting carpets and decorating etc. So that bit puzzles me a bit. It seriously doesn't bother me.

I will probably complain properly though, if no contact within about 10 days from now. (That will be a month then since I first contacted them...)

lighting_up_the_chalice

Your "contract" is with your LL, the HA. That is your business. Your HA has a contract with the shower manufacturer. That is their business.

The HA has agreed that the shower needs either fixing or replacing. Who carries that task out is not an issue that concerns you.

Your HA will have a published process for escalating repair issues through their complaints procedure. Most are on-line. Look it up and follow it, without further delay.

Complaints are something HA's try to avoid, so it may encourage them to take further actions to resolve your repair.

patman99

Do either the HA or manufacturer have a FB page ?. If so, might be worh posting a comment on their pages.

Also, not every visit needs a DBS checked person. I work as a handy man in a care home for dementia sufferes, so do have a DBS. However, I have friends who are tradespersons who work on both private and HA properties and they are not DBS checked as they don't work on houses occupied by people classed as vulnerable adults.

Lily-Rose_3

Thanks for the advice folks.

A slight update, and a semi-result; I called the plumber today and told him my concerns, and that I hadn't heard from the manufacturer yet, even after 2 weeks, and he said that was really bad, but in actual fact, this particular manufacturer has been doing the same to about a dozen other tenants over the past month or two. He said some people had been made to wait 3-4 weeks, before contact.

He then went on to say that they were talking about giving the manufacturer an ultimatum; if they don't get out to people with faults on the showers within a week, then the HA will do the job and invoice them for it, and it will end up costing the manufacturer more!

So anyway, he said he would call the HA and get them to chase the manufacturer.

Then I got a call at about 5pm today from the HA, telling me they had spoken to the manufacturer this afternoon, and they said they know what the problem is from the plumber's report, and they have ordered the part, and it should be here by Tuesday. (It would be Friday but we have Easter!) Then they will ring me with a date and time to repair the shower.

The girl at the HA said 'if they don't call you by say, Thursday morning, get back to us, and we will chase them, and then if they don't give you a date to repair it by 6pm Friday, let us know Monday (this will be the 13th by then!) and we will come do it; either fix it or replace it, whichever we feel is the better option, and then we will invoice them.'

So it looks like I will have to just sit and wait now, but at least things have moved - a touch! :rotfl:

Can't do much now as it's Easter. I just hope the shower holds out til they come!!!

Lily-Rose_3

Well it took a month to the day, but finally the shower is done. :j

I waited a week, and didn't hear anything again, so I rang the HA on Friday (the 10th) and said I still hadn't heard from the manufacturer, and so they said they would ring them and let them know that they intend to do the work now, as the tenant has waited long enough.

Then 3 hours later, I got a call from the HA saying their plumber was coming out Tuesday afternoon (yesterday!) And he came, and replaced the part. And now it's fine.

Only took a MONTH after first reporting it! :rotfl:

Evidently, this particular manufacturer is notorious for messing the HA, and the tenants around, and I was one of about a dozen in the last 6 weeks who had been kept waiting ages.

All sorted now though.

Thanks for listening to my whingeing.