Council Repairs during lockdown

emdlpt

I am a Council Tenant living in a studio flat paying full rent. Back in March as lockdown happened my bath leaked from underneath, I phoned the Council they came out and said your bath needs to be replaced and also there seems to be a blockage. The Contractor said he will go back and write a report and request that you need a new bath but at the meantime do not use the bath (as it is rusted underneath and the pipes are so old).  I have since rang the Council every week and 1st call. they said this is on hold due to the lockdown which i understood totally.  2nd call gave it a few weeks they said ok its been agreed by all departments but it is still on hold due to lockdown and i will be contacted by the contractor when the appointment can be made. 3rd call this is well into June they said sorry its not an emergency and its on hold. 4th call into July Sorry but are all working from home and the contractor will not be coming to replace your bath until after lockdown !! I would just like advice as I think this is an emergency ? as its now August and I feel they have not helped me, I understand about lock down and I would never want anyone to be in danger, I just had a smart meter put in no problem I dont understand why my bath cannot be replaced ? 

SpreadableToast

Presumably, they have quite a backlog after the lockdown.

If you have an alternate means of bathing yourself (separate shower) then it's definitely not an emergency. Even if you don't you could just use a small towel and soap. Not ideal admittedly but that doesn't make it an emergency.

emdlpt

I understand these times of trouble believe me, (I don't have a separate shower) I do wash my hair in the kitchen sink and I use a small towel and soap. 
I shall wait for them to call me and let me know. 

ripplyuk

Your council must have different rules to mine as, in my area, your situation is one of the few classed as an emergency (Since you don’t have a shower as an alternative). I would keep reporting this and maybe make a complaint, although my own council say they are not dealing with complaints ‘due to the coronavirus’ which I think is just an excuse for poor service. 

sweetsand

@ OP

Can't you flannel yourself, wash yourself at a basin, bowl of water? It is not an emergency!  In the one aprtment we own for rental, the tennant put a crack in the bath - via our letting agents it took several weeks just for a quote this was in early March - could not get a quote and one they did was over 2k for a steel bath and new taps remove old - as lock down easing got another quote for 1200 quid for a nice steel bath and to be installed in a few weeks - we are paying for it, we are having to wait as is the tenant.

It is not an emergency and every coucil has a different situation as covid has truck diff parts of the UK at different severity levels.

so, please wash down etc as many can't do this as they are frail and try to understand that many others have a real emergency hence the counicls stance.

macman

It should count as an emergency if the OP has no other means of bathing.
OP: stop phoning them, write a letter of complaint and copy in your local councillor, this can often get a result.

rosiesposies

Main source if bathing, water and heat are all classed as emergency according to ofgem which a lot of
these councils and companies model
their vulnerable customer policy. I would certainly agree it’s main source so a priority. 

ripplyuk

sweetsand said:

ripplyuk said:

Your council must have different rules to mine as, in my area, your situation is one of the few classed as an emergency (Since you don’t have a shower as an alternative). I would keep reporting this and maybe make a complaint, although my own council say they are not dealing with complaints ‘due to the coronavirus’ which I think is just an excuse for poor service. 

Can't you flannel yourself, wash yourself at a basin, bowl of water? It is not an emergency!  In the one aprtment we own for rental, the tennant put a crack in the bath - via our letting agents it took several weeks just for a quote this was in early March - could not get a quote and one they did was over 2k for a steel bath and new taps remove old - as lock down easing got another quote for 1200 quid for a nice steel bath and to be installed in a few weeks - we are paying for it, we are having to wait as is the tenant.

It is not an emergency and every coucil has a different situation as covid has truck diff parts of the UK at different severity levels.

so, please wash down etc as many can't do this as they are frail and try to understand that many others have a real emergency hence the counicls stance.

It’s not me who has the problem. I was advising the OP. 

Washing at a sink is fine for a few weeks but leaving someone for almost 5 months without a bath or shower is unacceptable, imo. 

sweetsand

macman said:

It should count as an emergency if the OP has no other means of bathing.
OP: stop phoning them, write a letter of complaint and copy in your local councillor, this can often get a result.

I disagree and am aware how many councils operate EG, if you can have a wash at the basin or sink, then it is not an urgent matter and that is a fact.

sweetsand

ripplyuk said:

sweetsand said:

ripplyuk said:

Your council must have different rules to mine as, in my area, your situation is one of the few classed as an emergency (Since you don’t have a shower as an alternative). I would keep reporting this and maybe make a complaint, although my own council say they are not dealing with complaints ‘due to the coronavirus’ which I think is just an excuse for poor service. 

Can't you flannel yourself, wash yourself at a basin, bowl of water? It is not an emergency!  In the one aprtment we own for rental, the tennant put a crack in the bath - via our letting agents it took several weeks just for a quote this was in early March - could not get a quote and one they did was over 2k for a steel bath and new taps remove old - as lock down easing got another quote for 1200 quid for a nice steel bath and to be installed in a few weeks - we are paying for it, we are having to wait as is the tenant.

It is not an emergency and every coucil has a different situation as covid has truck diff parts of the UK at different severity levels.

so, please wash down etc as many can't do this as they are frail and try to understand that many others have a real emergency hence the counicls stance.

It’s not me who has the problem. I was advising the OP. 

Washing at a sink is fine for a few weeks but leaving someone for almost 5 months without a bath or shower is unacceptable, imo. 

I know. I was making a factual statement how councils operate.
About the 5 months, coucils like every other public service have to prioritse and that is a fact. We have never lived in social housing and our cobi broke down years ago and it was covered by a 5 year grantee by  ???? We paid a lot of money to have it installed via that company as it had a great reputation but it was a very hard winter and we did not get the first visit until a week on as we were a high prority as we had young kids - then it took another three weeks for it to be fixed ie waiting for parts - we had paid thousands for that boiler we were not happy but accepted the fact that it was a hard winter and parts, etc were being held up because of poor weather and high demands. So even when you are paying good money, you can't click your fingers and get what you want.

x

nicechap

ripplyuk said:

sweetsand said:

ripplyuk said:

Your council must have different rules to mine as, in my area, your situation is one of the few classed as an emergency (Since you don’t have a shower as an alternative). I would keep reporting this and maybe make a complaint, although my own council say they are not dealing with complaints ‘due to the coronavirus’ which I think is just an excuse for poor service. 

Can't you flannel yourself, wash yourself at a basin, bowl of water? It is not an emergency!  In the one aprtment we own for rental, the tennant put a crack in the bath - via our letting agents it took several weeks just for a quote this was in early March - could not get a quote and one they did was over 2k for a steel bath and new taps remove old - as lock down easing got another quote for 1200 quid for a nice steel bath and to be installed in a few weeks - we are paying for it, we are having to wait as is the tenant.

It is not an emergency and every coucil has a different situation as covid has truck diff parts of the UK at different severity levels.

so, please wash down etc as many can't do this as they are frail and try to understand that many others have a real emergency hence the counicls stance.

It’s not me who has the problem. I was advising the OP. 

Washing at a sink is fine for a few weeks but leaving someone for almost 5 months without a bath or shower is unacceptable, imo. 

You're quite correct, it wasn't you but they don't care, just be careful you don't get your posts deleted by entering into an argument with them.

And I'm sure Shelter would agree, 5 months without a shower or bath is not acceptable in a modern society.