Housing association letting me down!

AdrianC

You come from a "business/law background", but this is your first ever rented property and you're "just learning to budget"...?
<raises eyebrow>

jackoftrade

elsien wrote: »

You phoned the fire brigade?
if its a 2 minute job to replace the battery, then why did you not take two minutes to do it yourself? It doesn't matter that it's a mains alarm, the battery is still a quick DIY job.
And if you start bypassing the HA maintenance line and start contacting contractors directly yourself you may find yourself also getting the associated invoices.
You say you're not a nightmare - you may find your HA differs in that view if you carry on like this. You're complaining about leaves in autumn. This has got to be a wind up.

Actually, I have rights to seek independent advice and that's what I have been doing, it's set out in my Agreement. I take everything with a cautious approach, there is nothing wrong with that. It's not just the leaves I'm complaining about, it is the general state of the property along with other things as previously mentioned above.

elsien

Yes you can seek independent advice. Doesn't mean the HA has to take any notice of it though. And I suspect that if you'd explained to the fire brigade that the battery needed changing you'd have got a different response to telling them there was an issue with the whole block.

If you expect everything to be done instantly you are going to be very disappointed. Their external maintenance is generally on a schedule and it will wait until that time comes round. However many meetings or consultations you have with however many people, that is not going to change.
It's probably still better than many (not all) private rentals where the landlord really doesn't give a toss. Maybe you need to have a proper look at the alternatives (which will have a higher rent) before deciding this one isn't for you after a full week.

You need to start managing your expectations and focus on the positives otherwise you'll be spending a lot of time and effort to very little effect.

jackoftrade

AdrianC wrote: »

You come from a "business/law background", but this is your first ever rented property and you're "just learning to budget"...?
<raises eyebrow>

You are perfectly entitled to your opinion, just like I am. I do come from a business/law background, I studied it throughout university. I am not stupid and I enjoy reading about different laws/regulations during my spare time and I use it since I started a new job recently and I give clients general budgeting advice along with other things.

jackoftrade

elsien wrote: »

Yes you can seek independent advice. Doesn't mean the HA has to take any notice of it though. And I suspect that if you'd explained to the fire brigade that the battery needed changing you'd have got a different response to telling them there was an issue with the whole block.

If you expect everything to be done instantly you are going to be very disappointed. Their external maintenance is generally on a schedule and it will wait until that time comes round. However many meetings or consultations you have with however many people, that is not going to change.
It's probably still better than many (not all) private rentals where the landlord really doesn't give a toss. Maybe you need to have a proper look at the alternatives (which will have a higher rent) before deciding this one isn't for you after a full week.

You need to start managing your expectations and focus on the positives otherwise you'll be spending a lot of time and effort to very little effect.

The FB said they couldn't do anything as I needed to get a specialist in and used the contractor the HA use but went the direct approach as found a flaw in going through the HA system when reporting an issue to the repairs team. I'm not expecting things to be dealt with instantly but as a matter of urgency especially when it relates to health and safety laws as well as fire regulations. I have been gathering enough evidence, which I will present with them when I have meetings with managers of the HA. I am spending a lot of time and effort to put things right. I have the right to feel safe living here, just like the 11 other tenants who live here.

elsien

You didn't need to get a specialist in. You just needed to change the battery.

Maybe you need to spend some of the energy you're expending chasing the HA getting to grips with a bit of basic DIY.

Murphybear

Many local fire services in the UK offer smoke alarms for free, generally as part of a home visit to assess the fire safety in your property, the British Fire Services Assocation advises

We had a nice visit from the Fire Brigade recently in our HA over 60s property. (They brought their fire engine in case of a call out. :TJ. They gave lots of help and advice about preventing fires and what to do if there is one. They also offered assessments in occupants individual flats.

They are the experts when it comes to prevention of fires and they would rather visit a 1000 properties than pull someone out of a burning building (their words)

AdrianC

jackoftrade wrote: »

You are perfectly entitled to your opinion, just like I am.

Some opinions are based on theory, some are based on reality,

I do come from a business/law background, I studied it throughout university.
,,,
I started a new job recently and I give clients general budgeting advice along with other things.

At a guess, you left uni this summer, this is your first job, and you've been living with your parents all through uni?

AdrianC

Murphybear wrote: »

They are the experts when it comes to prevention of fires and they would rather visit a 1000 properties than pull someone out of a burning building (their words)

We have a neighbour who's a fireman, coming up to retirement.

He finds the job boring these days, since it's all prevention and no actual incidents.

tealady

OP for the sake of your blood pressure may I give you some advice from Judge Judy
"If you dont like where you live, move"