Housing association replacing like for like?

Gavclaremont

It’s not for free though is it? It’s part of the planned maintenance works in order to keep the bathroom to decent living standards, and planned maintenance works are costed into the rent and service charges I, and previous tenants have paid for the last 30 years.(since the last bathroom was fitted.)
sounds like you think I should be grateful for anything as I’m just a poor HA tenant. Snobbery

Gavclaremont

I would be amenable to paying the cost of the extra tiles as it happens and that was the sort of advice I was asking for. Not just “you should be grateful no mater what” posts

Chandler85

The options are usually, that you can refuse to have the work done unless your current bathroom is dangerous and they'll usually accept this and you could do you bathroom up yourself.  What people are saying is that, yes you pay rent, tax and a service charge, but other people pay a mortgage, tax, service charges but still need to pay for the bathroom.

The comments about tax payers wanting value for money, is the usual comments because a lot of housing association tenants get benefits of some description, that then pays their rent, which the housing association uses to update the properties.  There is a lot of people in social housing who pay affordable rents, social rents etc and aren't on benefits of any kind but they aren't acknowledged really.

Guiness are a massive housing association, they will mass buy the bathroom fixtures, tiles etc and get a big discount on them.  This gives you the problem of them probably being less willing to not do the "normal", you can ask them if you can pay for the extra tiles and their tiler to do the whole room instead and they will probably quote you a price for i (I know the smaller HAs will).  So good luck with asking them.  If they send a surveyor round to look at the job, then ask him.

TripleH

Apologies if I missed it, but had the HA/ their predecessor tiled the bathroom completely last time they did it or was it you / previous occupant or is that unknown?

Do you know if any of your neighbours' (HA tenants) bathrooms were also fully tiled?

I suspect the HA will argue that they are obliged to give a finish of equal standard to all their tenants (subject to specific disability requirements).

Unless you can demonstrate a specific need for your bathroom to be fully tiled as an exception to everyone else's, they will most likely turn you down, you can only ask though.

Gavclaremont

@Chandler85 and @TripleH thank you for your kind and much more reasonable replies. As far as I’m aware the bathroom is the original fitted by the HA circa 30 years ago,( fully tiled).

I fully expect it to be an uphill battle but I will speak to the surveyor and see what he says.

some people on this forum need to have a word with themselves though. Not everyone in social housing is a dole dossing scumbag. My partner and I both work full time, claim no benefits and pay our taxes the same as you do. God forbid some of you should ever fall from your high horses and need social housing.

babyblade41

Unfortunately I was never able to apply for social housing , the waiting list was huge especially as we din't have any children as we couldn't afford it .

What I'm saying is that why would a council or housing association spend more than is necessary it would be  mis appropriation of funds .

You say you spent 2k on flooring so perhaps pay to have the rest of the bathroom tiled to your specification.. Result all round then.  You are happy and the HA don't have to spend more than they need . 

TripleH

My mother came from council housing (a nice little village), my father's family were refugees. My parents achieved a good life style, it's not the start but the journey.

Anyway, I don't think you will get the tiling done beyond what the HA state (being to the point), that shouldn't stop you asking.

When we had our bathroom done 4 years ago, we had cement board rather than plasterboard on the walls, so make sure they don't use anything that could disintegrate easily.

Our current bathroom isn't tiled (it's also an older, colder house) completely but we have less of a fight with mould compared to the completely tiled brand new flat we kivedcin before.

Make sure they do use proper bathroom paint if they do paint, you might even be able to get them to paint a different colour if they won't bludgeon the tiles?

Skiddaw1

wilfred30 said:

I think you should just be grateful that you're getting a brand new bathroom.  Tiling the entire room unnecessarily is a complete waste of time and, more importantly, money.

Of course you can ask but it is almost certain that your request will be denied, quite rightly IMO.

Ouch! Not the most tactful comment ever. 'Deserving Poor' and then some. I expect the OP keeps his coal in the bath too.

TripleH

We kept our coal in't outside toilet.

But that's Yorkshire in the 1980's for you.

theartfullodger

Have you carefully read your tenancy to see if such things are mentioned?? and Landlord's website for standards & complaints process?? 'umbly suggest this is worthwhile....