Responsibility for garden - housing association

Three7six

I signed for a property with a housing association on 24th July, saw the garden needed a little work but looked doable. Since moving in however I've found out that the fence I thought was the boundary was merely the bit the old lady before me fenced off to bother with. My actual garden is huge, and so overgrown with branmbles and nettles etc at least 2/3rds of it are completely inaccessible. There are also chairs and tables and tyres that have been chucked in it. I've contacted the housing and they've said I signed for it and there are no more planned works on the property. Is there anything I can do? It'll cost thousands to clear.

marliepanda

Either use the bit the lady fenced off and you considered doable, or clear the garden yourself if you want use of the large one.

Grenage

Three7six wrote: »

I signed for a property with a housing association on 24th July, saw the garden needed a little work but looked doable. Since moving in however I've found out that the fence I thought was the boundary was merely the bit the old lady before me fenced off to bother with. My actual garden is huge, and so overgrown with branmbles and nettles etc at least 2/3rds of it are completely inaccessible. There are also chairs and tables and tyres that have been chucked in it. I've contacted the housing and they've said I signed for it and there are no more planned works on the property. Is there anything I can do? It'll cost thousands to clear.

Thousands to clear? How many acres did you get! All it should really cost is £50 for some basic tools, and some elbow grease.



It won't be that bad, just do a bit at a time. Do you have a car for trips to the tip?

macman

'Thousands' to clear? How big is the area in question?

quantumlobster

I get that it'll be a lot of work, but "thousands"? Surely not.

Big skip for a week - couple or three hundred. Sweat of your brow: free.

Edit:OP has subsequently clarified that this is not an option due to disability, so we can disregard the above.

moneyistooshorttomention

I'd be thinking "Agh! Work to do I hadnt anticipated" - but I don't suppose it'll cost that much either.

My main thought would be "Oh good - I've got more garden than I thought I had".

Three7six

Forgot to mention, it's a bungalow and I'm disabled, so as much as I'd love to be able to do it, I physically can't. Nor do I have the required family or friends I can round up.
The bungalow is set 30 metres down a path with no vehicular access and only a small side gate, there are also alongside the brambles etc, large trees which appear to be dead, rows of conifers etc, got 2 quotes to clear it all and both were over 1500 quid

HampshireH

Large dead trees on HA land will be their responsibility usually if they are higher than a house and close enough to cause damage.

Ask for them to be assessed. They may not be dead at all and quite ok.

Rows of conifers etc all part and parcel of you accepting the property.

Norman_Castle

Is there anything I can do?

Take photographs to defend yourself against future claims of neglect.
If the fenced off garden is enough just use it as it is.

tlc678910

Hi,
I think it would be worth you taking photos and writing to the housing association (asking for a written acknowledgement in return) describing the state of the land so that if you don't clear it you are not charged for clearing it at the end of the tenancy. Keep a copy of all correspondence.

I think it might also be worth making a formal complaint to the housing association. A complaint in writing, ideally a letter not email) marked "formal complaint" not a phone call. In my experience (from work) housing associations monitor complaints and do like to see them resolved.

State that when you viewed the property the real boundary was not made clear and that as a person with a disability you are not able to clear/maintain this land. What do you want them to do to resolve the issue? To allow you to move? To give the land to a neighbour? To clear it initially and then you can maintain after that? You might get nowhere but you never know.

Tlc

Joyful

You should also check and see if there are any local charities available to help with gardening. They usually can do it for fraction of the cost.