Housing Association trying to do a repair and enter property whilst not there and without consent

user1977

I would certainly take up their disregard of basic Equality Act requirements (which seems to be where everything else flowed from).

FonsoBoy123

Just wanted to share an update following my formal complaint to the housing association last night. To my surprise, I received a response by 10:30am this morning.

They were genuinely shocked by what had happened, acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, and escalated it to senior management straight away.

An hour later, they contacted me again asking if they could visit the property. I agreed, and within two hours they were at my door, apologising in person.

They inspected the room, took their own photos, and immediately admitted that the contractor should not have carried out any work while we were away—and certainly should not have entered the property without consent.

While they were here, they had someone from the contractor company come to re-board the window properly and clean up all the broken glass.

Now I’m waiting for them to complete their investigation. I’m still cautious about what the outcome will be, but at least they’ve acknowledged the seriousness and acted quickly.

Spikeygran

 I'm glad the housing association is treating this seriously, hopefully you wont be left out of pocket.

Even allowing for an emergency they should only have accessed the window area, and put down dust sheets, I suppose it is possible they put a used sheet over the sofa and the previous mess transferred? 

It makes me wonder who they are hiring and whether anyone has done background checks.   Is anything else damaged or missing in other rooms,  judging by the sofa there might be sealant traces elsewhere?

Have you got contents insurance?   To be honest I'd probably have called the police, if only to get a case number, though I do realise they probably wouldn't be able to do much. 

Whos going to pay for your cut short holiday? 

FonsoBoy123

Update 

I wanted to share an update and ask for further advice.

I’ve received a response from the housing association regarding the repair that was carried out while we were away. They’ve admitted that the work should not have been done in our absence, but they deny that the contractor entered our home.

This is despite the fact that I’ve provided photographic evidence, video footage from our doorbell, and even showed some of this evidence to them in person when they came to my house originally. Still, they’re siding with the contractor, who insists he never entered the property. They’re taking his word over mine.

He also claimed that neighbours could see him at all times. That’s simply not credible, most of my neighbours work during the day and wouldn’t have been home to witness anything.

I’m certain the marks on our new sofa bed weren’t there before we left. We don’t have pets, and the contractor was the only person near the house during that time.

The housing association did issue an apology, but it felt kind or forced and fake if that makes sense. They seem to be treating this as a minor mistake, and from what I’ve been told, the contractor hasn’t faced any consequences.

Even if hypothetically he didn’t step fully inside, but leaned in to put parts of the outside window frame onto the interior window sill, wouldn’t that still count as unauthorised access? Isn’t that a form of civil trespass and a breach of tenancy law, specifically the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment of their home?

They also claimed the contractor issued a full apology, but I’ve received nothing from the company, no letter, no email, no direct contact.

Now they’re trying to offer me money, but I’ve made it clear repeatedly: I’m not interested in compensation. Money won’t silence me or erase what happened.

I’ve emailed them to say I’m not satisfied with their response. They’ve now given me two options:

1. A home visit to discuss the matter in person. I’m hesitant about this, I’d prefer all communication in writing so I have a clear record.
2. Escalate to a Stage 2 complaint.

I’d really appreciate any thoughts on how best to proceed. Has anyone dealt with something similar? Is it worth pushing for Stage 2, or should I insist on written communication before any further steps?

Oh and believe it or not repair still hasn't been completed. They sent some one out last week to install new glass they arrived and did would you believe they did not even have, a ladder to do a upstairs window, we had to go a borrow a ladder from a builder doing work down the road, they did a bodge job just sticking glass in with ordinary sealent, and it lt looks a mess. Housing association have now decided it needs to be redone and have had to order new glass again. So waiting game for repair to be done properly continues. 

Any advice much appreciated

Thanks in advance

swingaloo

What do you want, what outcome are you looking for?

Myci85

What is the outcome you are hoping for from this? I understand that you feel they have not followed the guidelines, but they have offered an apology, albeit one that you don't feel is very genuine, and they have offered compensation. It looks like they are trying to get the window repair sorted now, so unsure what else is likely to come from keeping going with this, aside from more stress for you. 

Sometimes if you take a moment to reflect, you may realise it is better to make the decision to leave it and move on, rather than causing yourself further angst. 

Shelldean

Escalated to stage two explaining why you're not happy with the outcome of stage one 
If still unresolved after stage two take it to the housing ombudsman.

FonsoBoy123

Thank you for your replies,I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Yes, they did offer an apology, but it felt more like a formality than a genuine acknowledgment of harm. It wasn’t a proper apology. They also told me the contractor had issued a full apology to me, which simply isn’t true, I’ve never received anything from them.

Yes they’ve offered compensation, but as I’ve said repeatedly, this isn’t about money. The way the offer was framed sidesteps the deeper issue: the repeated invalidation of my concerns and the impact this has had on me and my family’s wellbeing. What I want is for them to actually listen, take responsibility, and make meaningful changes so this never happens again.

This isn’t an isolated incident, it’s a pattern. Nearly every repair we’ve needed has turned into a nightmare. They consistently use the cheapest contractors they can find, prioritising cost-cutting over tenant safety. That’s not just frustrating, it’s dangerous.

A year and a half ago, in the middle of winter, our boiler broke. We went through five different contractors. One hit the boiler with a wrench and left. Another didn’t have any knowledge of our model of boiler. One said parts were needed. One was aggressive and swore at me and was very intimidating. The last one claimed it was fixed but it wasn’t. My daughter tried to run a bath and there was no hot water.

When a different company finally came out, they were horrified. The boiler had been trashed, seals were broken, and carbon monoxide was leaking into our home. It could have killed us. They shut it down immediately and deemed it unsafe. We ended up without heating or hot water for an entire year.

We refused to let that original company back into our home, so they send a different company to our home now. But the housing association still uses the original company for other tenants, putting lives at risk every day to save a few pounds.

More recently, our stopcock started leaking. Three separate plumbers came out over time, each doing the same temporary fix with PFTE tape. Despite being told the stopcock would be replaced, the latest plumber did the same thing again, more PFTE tape.

Then our bath tap broke, water spraying everywhere. A housing officer saw it herself, took photos, and promised a plumber would come urgently. The first plumber claimed he wasn’t told it was the bath tap. The second didn’t have the right part. The third ordered the wrong one. In the end, I had to buy the correct tap myself and get them nto install it.

These are just a few examples. There are many more. Every time they mess up, it costs me another day off work or another day lost with my family. And every time, I’m left wondering: if no one stands up to this, how will anything ever change?

So I ask, am I wrong to want a proper apology? Am I wrong to fight for change?

Because to me, this isn’t about holding a grudge. It’s about protecting my family, demanding accountability, and making sure no one else has to go through what we did.

anselld

Compensation should be on the basis of restoring you to the position you should have been in.  So if the window is fixed and the money is sufficient to clean the mess and repair or replace the damaged sofa then take the money.  You are not going to change the world as far as the competency of Contractors is concerned or the historic issues.

If you still have not been restored to the correct position then yes, escallate to Stage 2.

silvercar

Yes they’ve offered compensation, but as I’ve said repeatedly, this isn’t about money. 

What do you want? You've been treated really badly and continue to be treated badly. Other than to move, which is not that easy, but could be a long term aim, what do you want the HA to do at this point?