Headache, headache, headache ... new neighbours

moneyistooshorttomention

Hmm .....better be safe than sorry then I guess.

Check the Council accept that its "their" costs and they wont come chasing you for them.....

- particularly as workmen employed by the public sector do seem to charge rather exorbitant costs.

Probably just being a bit "belt and braces" about it - but just in case there's any comeback....

I guess it probably boils down to exactly who reported that the work needed doing to the Council.

There "might" be a marginal risk to OP if they were the ones that notified the Council - ie of the Council trying to treat them as commissioning agents or somesuch thing.

Back protection time - just in case....and I would think OP is safe from any risk of that if they haven't actually put anything in writing to the Council about this repair (ie because the Council wouldn't have any evidence to try and pin this bill onto them).

Oompa

This just gets better ...

Just off the phone with the council again and spoke to a manager who informed me that my neighbours have already arranged for the council's repairs team to do the work.

So they 'were' trying to get several hundred quid from me (probably to cover their expenses for all the improvements they've been doing).

Trust no one!

m1kjm

Oompa wrote: »

This just gets better ...

Just off the phone with the council again and spoke to a manager who informed me that my neighbours have already arranged for the council's repairs team to do the work.

So they 'were' trying to get several hundred quid from me (probably to cover their expenses for all the improvements they've been doing).

Trust no one!

Cheeky barstewards. So what is their punishment to be?!

Oompa

No punishment. Not my style.

Must say, it's immensely annoying to think these people who both work 9-5 have a council house when others in absolute hardship are on a waiting list. I don't even think they're the tenant/s.

What's even more annoying is, while they have managed to save up for a deposit to put an offer to buy the property that one of their parent's rents, they also, under the Right to Buy scheme, will receive a massive discount (up to 100k discount here) and then be owners of a 2-bedroom London flat at market value.

There's something really messed up about our system to facilitate this.

Pixie5740

Oompa wrote: »

No punishment. Not my style.

Must say, it's immensely annoying to think these people who both work 9-5 have a council house when others in absolute hardship are on a waiting list. I don't even think they're the tenant/s.

What's even more annoying is, while they have managed to save up for a deposit to put an offer to buy the property that one of their parent's rents, they also, under the Right to Buy scheme, will receive a massive discount (up to 100k discount here) and then be owners of a 2-bedroom London flat at market value.

There's something really messed up about our system to facilitate this.

Stop the bus!

Are you saying that the people living in the property are subletting it from parents or do the parents live there making the couple in questions lodgers?

moneyistooshorttomention

Oompa wrote: »

No punishment. Not my style.

Must say, it's immensely annoying to think these people who both work 9-5 have a council house when others in absolute hardship are on a waiting list. I don't even think they're the tenant/s.

What's even more annoying is, while they have managed to save up for a deposit to put an offer to buy the property that one of their parent's rents, they also, under the Right to Buy scheme, will receive a massive discount (up to 100k discount here) and then be owners of a 2-bedroom London flat at market value.

There's something really messed up about our system to facilitate this.

You are up against a mindset that goes "I'd be a fool not to claim it. They must mean me to claim it" about a lot of stuff. Just take a look at the statistics of people claiming money for having children - and, from memory, I think about 99% of people (yes really:eek:) that have them will claim whatever money they can get their hands on for having them (MANY years later, ie after The Pill/abortion became widely available). Most people are greedy if push comes to shove:(:mad::(:mad::(. It's just one example of that "Greed is Good" mantra....

You've just caught me in disillusioned mode again - but that IS how the vast majority of people are and, if they can find an excuse to make in their own little mind as to how its perfectly justified to take some Government money (ie OUR money) then they will do so....

This is just one little example of the Greed is Good mindset many people have - unfortunately.

Oompa

Pixie5740 wrote: »

Stop the bus!

Are you saying that the people living in the property are subletting it from parents or do the parents live there making the couple in questions lodgers?

Yes. I didn't figure it out before, but it's clear the older man who comes to the property every day at lunchtime is just here to pick up his mail and be seen coming in and out ... who is the real tenant. He does not live there, but he goes in the garden as well and has done a lot of improvements to it (decking) and generally making it look very nice.

His son and daughter-in-law live there, and it's this couple who are trying to pull one on me. They both work full-time and are about to have a child. I'm not in a block of purpose built council flats, but a moderately nice Victorian building with a beautiful stoop in the front.

It is really annoying that these people have a complete 'take the p155" mindset of clawing whatever they can. I mean don't our taxes take care of them enough when it should go to those who are really in need, i.e. [recently] unemployed people like me (I am not claiming), the homeless and the weak who don't know how to help themselves?

ellie99

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

You are up against a mindset that goes "I'd be a fool not to claim it. They must mean me to claim it" about a lot of stuff. Just take a look at the statistics of people claiming money for having children - and, from memory, I think about 99% of people (yes really:eek:) that have them will claim whatever money they can get their hands on for having them (MANY years later, ie after The Pill/abortion became widely available). Most people are greedy if push comes to shove:(:mad::(:mad::(. It's just one example of that "Greed is Good" mantra....

There's a HUGE difference between what the OP is describing (people who aren't even the tenants being able to use the "right to buy" scheme) and people legitimately claiming child-related benefits.

When I had children I claimed family allowance. I did it because the government had decided it was an allowance they would pay, so why wouldn't I claim it?

I strongly object to being called greedy for making that decision.

fed_up_and_stressed

Oompa wrote: »

Yes. I didn't figure it out before, but it's clear the older man who comes to the property every day at lunchtime is just here to pick up his mail and be seen coming in and out ... who is the real tenant. He does not live there, but he goes in the garden as well and has done a lot of improvements to it (decking) and generally making it look very nice.

His son and daughter-in-law live there, and it's this couple who are trying to pull one on me. They both work full-time and are about to have a child. I'm not in a block of purpose built council flats, but a moderately nice Victorian building with a beautiful stoop in the front.

It is really annoying that these people have a complete 'take the p155" mindset of clawing whatever they can. I mean don't our taxes take care of them enough when it should go to those who are really in need, i.e. [recently] unemployed people like me (I am not claiming), the homeless and the weak who don't know how to help themselves?

I'd be "having a word" with the councils fraud dept if i was you ...

Pixie5740

Oompa wrote: »

Yes. I didn't figure it out before, but it's clear the older man who comes to the property every day at lunchtime is just here to pick up his mail and be seen coming in and out ... who is the real tenant. He does not live there, but he goes in the garden as well and has done a lot of improvements to it (decking) and generally making it look very nice.

His son and daughter-in-law live there, and it's this couple who are trying to pull one on me. They both work full-time and are about to have a child. I'm not in a block of purpose built council flats, but a moderately nice Victorian building with a beautiful stoop in the front.

It is really annoying that these people have a complete 'take the p155" mindset of clawing whatever they can. I mean don't our taxes take care of them enough when it should go to those who are really in need, i.e. [recently] unemployed people like me (I am not claiming), the homeless and the weak who don't know how to help themselves?

I very much doubt he is allowed to sublet the property. Only the tenant(s) and up to 3 family members who have lived with the tenant for the past 3 years can apply for Right to Buy. It has to be the tenant's only or main home so unless the father, daughter and son-in-law are all planning to defraud the council none of them have the right to buy this property. No wonder they wanted you to pay for the repair to the ceiling rather than contacting the council.

You could always report the father for subletting if you feel particularly strong about this.