Compulsory upgrade i can't afford public landlord

Daisy_fresh

I am currently renting from a public landlord via housing association.
They are pushing me to have my gas central heating system upgraded as the old gas fire needs upgrading to comply with their standards of housing and other housing stock .
Where I am not completely opposed to the idea a few issues have come up which means this upgrade will leave me severely out of pocket.

The upgrade requires me to move out of my home for up to 10 days in order to carry out the work. Floors will be lifted and all my furniture has to be moved out of the property. My home is a 1 bed flat with very little storage space. the new installation will mean the new boiler has to be fixed to an external wall of which there is only one place to put it. that space is currently a built in shelving unit which i need for storage as there is nowhere else to put my possessions which are currently there. And taking away floor space in an already cramped flat.
I have applied to another council for a house move. I would like my partner to move in with me but we decided to hold off as my flat is too small for both of us and having applied for a move anyway, thought we would just wait.
Following any upgrade carried out I will have to foot the bill for replacement flooring throughout my home, pay for storage of my furniture and move into temporary accommodation while the work is carried out.
the main issues I have with this that is causing me stress and struggling to understand what my rights are are:

I have just decorated after 9 years in the property having been told year after year they had no plans to upgrade (i held off decorating for this reason as other properties in the area had been done recently) Now after 9 years of saying no they want to upgrade which will leave me out of pocket due to having to redecorate.
Floor space being taken away in an already small flat and the one shelf unit i have for storage being used to house a boiler which I cannot use to store anything else for health and safety reasons.( i already live minimally with no clutter)
Having to pay the costs of redecorating when there is a chance I will be moving in the near future.
Being placed in temporary accommodation for the homeless which also accommodates drug users and alcoholics ( surely I cannot be placed where i feel my safety is at risk?)and has an 11pm curfew, no visitors and id be unable to stay out overnight which does not accommodate my shift patterns.
I will need to take unpaid time off work to keep an eye over the work being carried out as I am not happy leaving the property unattended due to previous bad experience with upgrade work.
Should I refuse to allow the work to be done, my landlords will issue a warrant to have the work done as compulsory by condemning the old system, leaving my home uninhabitable due to lack of basic amenities. Therefore making me homeless and forcing me into the temp accommodation anyway.
The council from the region I wish to move to have said that I will not be classed as homeless until the warrant is served.
In the meantime myself and my partner are having to live apart as there is just not enough room for both of us here.
Should the system be condemned as I said before I will have to go into temporary accommodation but I really don't feel this should be forced when we are waiting on a house move anyway. At my current landlords suggestion, they have said they could move me somewhere more permanent within my current district until somewhere in the new regional area becomes available but, without trying to be difficult, this is my home! Id rather not keep moving home and should I have to I would prefer it to be in the district in which I have applied.

I know it seems I am being difficult. I have discussed all this with my current landlord and they are not willing to compromise at all. I will be left grossly out of pocket, less space, higher rent due to the upgrade and having to live in homeless accommodation for up to 10 days.
Finally, on top of financial and the stress of the inconvenience I have health issues currently being investigated and such upheaval would only serve to make my health worse.

hazyjo

Not sure they can they force you to leave the property with nowhere to go. Surely you'll either be entitled to a rent free period, or you can stay and they can work around you?


Speak with Shelter if you haven't already.


Is the current system dangerous in any way? Does the whole lot need replacing, or can they just do something with the fire?


When you first took over the flat, what flooring was there and was it mentioned on an inventory or lease?


Never advisable to decorate a rental - that's the LL's responsibility. I assume you got permission...


Good luck!


Jx

45002

Daisy_fresh wrote:

I am currently renting from a public landlord via housing association.
They are pushing me to have my gas central heating system upgraded as the old gas fire needs upgrading to comply with their standards of housing and other housing stock .
Where I am not completely opposed to the idea a few issues have come up which means this upgrade will leave me severely out of pocket.

The upgrade requires me to move out of my home for up to 10 days in order to carry out the work. Floors will be lifted and all my furniture has to be moved out of the property.

My home is a 1 bed flat with very little storage space. the new installation will mean the new boiler has to be fixed to an external wall of which there is only one place to put it. that space is currently a built in shelving unit which i need for storage as there is nowhere else to put my possessions which are currently there. And taking away floor space in an already cramped flat.

I have applied to another council for a house move. I would like my partner to move in with me but we decided to hold off as my flat is too small for both of us and having applied for a move anyway, thought we would just wait.

Following any upgrade carried out I will have to foot the bill for replacement flooring throughout my home, pay for storage of my furniture and move into temporary accommodation while the work is carried out.
the main issues I have with this that is causing me stress and struggling to understand what my rights are are:

I have just decorated after 9 years in the property having been told year after year they had no plans to upgrade (i held off decorating for this reason as other properties in the area had been done recently) Now after 9 years of saying no they want to upgrade which will leave me out of pocket due to having to redecorate.

Floor space being taken away in an already small flat and the one shelf unit i have for storage being used to house a boiler which I cannot use to store anything else for health and safety reasons.( i already live minimally with no clutter)
Having to pay the costs of redecorating when there is a chance I will be moving in the near future.

Being placed in temporary accommodation for the homeless which also accommodates drug users and alcoholics ( surely I cannot be placed where i feel my safety is at risk?)and has an 11pm curfew, no visitors and id be unable to stay out overnight which does not accommodate my shift patterns.

I will need to take unpaid time off work to keep an eye over the work being carried out as I am not happy leaving the property unattended due to previous bad experience with upgrade work.

Should I refuse to allow the work to be done, my landlords will issue a warrant to have the work done as compulsory by condemning the old system, leaving my home uninhabitable due to lack of basic amenities. Therefore making me homeless and forcing me into the temp accommodation anyway.

The council from the region I wish to move to have said that I will not be classed as homeless until the warrant is served.

In the meantime myself and my partner are having to live apart as there is just not enough room for both of us here.

Should the system be condemned as I said before I will have to go into temporary accommodation but I really don't feel this should be forced when we are waiting on a house move anyway. At my current landlords suggestion, they have said they could move me somewhere more permanent within my current district until somewhere in the new regional area becomes available but, without trying to be difficult, this is my home! Id rather not keep moving home and should I have to I would prefer it to be in the district in which I have applied.

I know it seems I am being difficult. I have discussed all this with my current landlord and they are not willing to compromise at all. I will be left grossly out of pocket, less space, higher rent due to the upgrade and having to live in homeless accommodation for up to 10 days.

Finally, on top of financial and the stress of the inconvenience I have health issues currently being investigated and such upheaval would only serve to make my health worse.

Hello Daisy fresh

How long have you been living there for, date you 1st moved in ?

Do you know what type of tenancy you have and is there a written tenancy agreement at all .

marksoton

Daisy_fresh wrote: »

I know [STRIKE]it seems[/STRIKE] I am being difficult.

I can't possibly imagine what gives you that impression....

teddysmum

Your landlord has to make sure the properties, let out, are up to standard and I'm sure they would prefer to not have to go to the expense of upgrading, but must, by law, as they can't house people in a dangerous situation.


I don't think that removing a gas fire and installing central heating will cause much need for decoration. I had my system upgraded and the boiler moved to another wall (in the kitchen) and all that needs doing is a repaint of the small area previously covered by the old boiler.


You are likely to have a long wait for property to house two of you, as allocation is done on the basis of need and you already have a home that suits your purpose.


A completed redo of central heating and boiler, usually only takes a couple of days and I don't think workmen will appreciate your overseeing their work. There will be none of your possessions to be damaged, so why be there ?


On the bright side: a new system will be more efficient and cheaper to run, so you will eventually save money, as a move, unless you find somewhere yourselves, is unlikely to be imminent.


I don't know what your position is regarding somewhere to stay and store possessions, but when my in-laws house (which they owned) had some subsidence work done by the 'Coal Board', the latter provided temporary accommodation. However, the work took several weeks.


Perhaps help with storage can be obtained and a couple of days in a b&b won't cost a lot.

45002

Now i am confused

OP posted on 22-08-2016, 1:34 PM

Daisy_fresh wrote:

I have recently moved into social housing provided by a housing association.

I am currently researching contents insurance. I have been told that buildings insurance is not necessary as liability for this falls with my landlords, the housing association.

However, a lot of insurers will not provide insurance at all for rented accommodation that belongs to a HA. The ones I have found are pricey and will only provide cover for both.

I have a friend who lived in a housing association accommodation and had a house fire. The HA said she was liable for the damage as the fire was found to be caused by her hair straighteners.

Generally, I am careful of these things but is it worth the extra expense of buildings insurance? My lease states that the company are liable for building damage including fire and flood but in my friends experience it seems all to risky to not have it if the conditions of my lease can be overturned?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/71185260#Comment_71185260

But posted in this thread Today 23/09/2016.

Daisy_fresh wrote:

I have just decorated after 9 years in the property having been told year after year they had no plans to upgrade (i held off decorating for this reason as other properties in the area had been done recently) Now after 9 years of saying no they want to upgrade which will leave me out of pocket due to having to redecorate

Am I missing something !

xylophone

I am currently renting from a public landlord via housing association.

You should count yourself fortunate given the shortage of such housing?

They are pushing me to have my gas central heating system upgraded as the old gas fire needs upgrading to comply with their standards of housing and other housing stock .

They have to comply with regulations and you would be complaining if they weren't?

And why do you have to move out? I knew a couple who lived in a small flat who stayed in residence throughout while a new central heating system/boiler and gas fire were fitted.

marksoton

45002 wrote: »

Now i am confused

OP posted on 22-08-2016, 1:34 PM

I'm not. It's a complete load of tosh. No individual could be so entitled.

Could they...?

Daisy_fresh

45002 wrote: »

Now i am confused

OP posted on 22-08-2016, 1:34 PM



https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/71185260#Comment_71185260

But posted in this thread Today 23/09/2016.



Am I missing something !

No. My sister has posted that one re insurance using my computer and obviously hasn't signed out of my account. I didn't even realise the post was there until you pointed it out.

moneyistooshorttomention

I am surprised they are taking this attitude.

When I was in a similar position my HA landlord was most accommodating. I asked if they could leave doing the work until I moved on and they agreed with no problem at all about it.

That - despite the fact that I hadn't the faintest idea myself when I would be moving at the time (or even if I would be able to move). I just knew I'd always expected to buy my own house and that I would be moving when I did so - but I honestly couldnt have told them when (or even if) I'd get the chance ever.

But, having said that, I really couldnt fault them as a landlord. I always found them very accommodating and helpful and maybe yours are just more "difficult" generally?

45002

Daisy_fresh wrote:

No. My sister has posted that one re insurance using my computer and obviously hasn't signed out of my account. I didn't even realise the post was there until you pointed it out.

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