Housing association turning up and coming in home without prior warning or permission advice needed

[Deleted User]

I wonder if any one can give me some advice, I apologize if I'm posting this in wrong place. I rent a house from housing association. Always pay my rent and rent is up to date, look after the house and am a good tenant.

At the end of last year we had a big storm it caused a tree to fall down, that hit back of house, and rolled off roof cashing down in to garden and smashed shed. It caused  extensive damage to garden.

We Contacted housing association at time and they refused to help or do any of the repairs and told us It was all our responsibility.

After a lot of arguing we gave up and ordered a skip to start cleaning up. Skip  was delivered and we  filled it up, I then arranged for it to be collected but each time skip company said they would come they never turned up, I have rang every day for nearly 2 months trying to get skip collected as need another skip so can carry on finishing cleaning garden.

Any way today a lady turned up from housing association to say a neighbor had made a complaint about the skip and mess in garden.

We were given no warning that she was coming, she looked in garden, then barged in to our house and started taking photos with out permission and was very rude . 
Inside house is clean and tidy so no idea why she felt she needed to barge in a take photos.

I was wondering what our rights are as a tenant and if housing association can just barge in and if they can turn up without notice.

I have 4 children 3 of them have autism along with other medical conditions, and they get very distressed when strangers turn up at our home, let alone barge in.

It has caused them great distress and upset this lady turning up and barging in.

I have contacted skip company again to complain and they have assured me it will be collected tomorrow, I will then be getting rest of mess cleared up and repairs done asap, as don't want to upset neighbors, or get in to trouble with housing association despite this not being out fault.

Anyway I would really appreciate any advice on our rights as tenants, can housing association just turn up without giving notice, barge in to house without permission and take photos of inside our home.

Any advice much appreciated

Thanks in advance

canaldumidi

" hit back of house, and rolled off roof cashing down in to garden and smashed shed..."

What damage to the house or roof? If any, HA is liable and you should have been pursuing them.

Who owns the garden shed? If HA, again, their liability.

If it's just garden debris, and/or damage to your shed, then your liability.

Appalling behavior by the lady and yes, you'd have been within your rights to throw her out and insist on 24 hours notice of an inspection.

[Deleted User]

Tree hit roof at back of house, rolled sideways fell off roof and hit shed. I don't know what damage there is exactly to roof, as don't have a tall ladder to look properly. But I know many tiles are missing and as many were smashed on floor at time.

Shed was Owned by housing association, they have even finally admitted that after initially trying to lie.

Fence was blown down and smashed so needs replacing, guttering needs repair, wall running across back of garden damaged and needs repair. 

Housing association won't fix any of it and say everything is our responsibility to fix.

[Deleted User]

Oh and I have been constantly contacting housing association regularly for 2 months to try and get then to do the repairs. But like said every time they refuse and say it's all our responsibility 

HampshireH

Absolutely should not happen. But why did you allow someone to barge in and take photos.

Did she physically assult you to get in?

Seems a bit odd. Also was there no damage to the house? 

Put a complaint in

canaldumidi

[Deleted User] said:

Housing association won't fix any of it and say everything is our responsibility to fix.

Sounds very strange. Either you have a tenancy type I don't understand, or you need advice to force them to repair. Shelter, CAB...

Is this England? Scotland?

Have you been through their complaints procedure?

HampshireH

[Deleted User] said:

Oh and I have been constantly contacting housing association regularly for 2 months to try and get then to do the repairs. But like said every time they refuse and say it's all our responsibility 

What sort of tenant are you?

I ask as for example

Social

Market rental

Rent to buy?

Was the shed gifted when you moved in? 

theoretica

Really, your responsibility?  That would be a very unusual lease. 

If England or Wales see:

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/repairs_and_maintenance_in_council_and_housing_association_homes

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/complain_about_council_or_housing_association_repairs

[Deleted User]

I agree with all of you I find it weired too that they won't do the repairs. And really don't understand.

I am in England if that helps.

The housing association I rent from is known for being extremely slow to do repairs or not doing repairs. A few years ago we had a leaking roof, it took 2 years of fighting to get them to fix it, it's still not 100% fixed. 

Another time we had a window shatter in to daughter's room, it took about 6 months for them to replace. It was in winter and they just put a piece of wood with holes in it over window opening. Air and rain could get in my daughter's room was freezing and she could not sleep in there for months.

Other neighbors have had problems with getting repairs done to. 

Norman_Castle

Turning up unannounced in circumstances such as these is acceptable but they should not expect or demand access, you have the right to peaceful enjoyment, insisting on access in anything other than an emergency can be considered harassment. I would put a formal complaint in. Add to the complaint your confusion over their refusal to do the necessary repairs. I'd expect them to either have building insurance or self insure which should apply to this type of damage.

You haven't said, was the tree in the garden of this property, if yes was it there before you moved in?

If you know who complained about the mess and skip go and apologise and explain the problems with the HA and the skip company. Its likely they will be sympathetic and may have complained to push the HA rather than you.

If the situation is being handled by the pushy person who visited they may be the problem. HA employees vary from excellent to cluelessley useless. The complaint will be handled by someone above them.

It might be worth contacting Shelter for advice about your and their repair liabilities.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/landlord_and_tenant_responsibilities_for_repairs

Whats the name of the HA?

[Deleted User]

Behind our garden and other side of wall at back of garden is grounds of local primary school.
Tree that fell down was on the primary schools land.