Married Quarters (MQ) Residents

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  • KatrinaLovesJase
    KatrinaLovesJase Posts: 1 Newbie
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    kitchpoo wrote: »
    I work for MHS (If you are in Married Quarters in the UK you'll know who we are and what we do) as a Technical Officer , if you have any issues regarding quarters and what MHS should be doing please dont hesitate to contact me.


    hello im not sure if you will be able to help me or not, but i live in chester and im pregnant, im 17 (i know, i know) ..my fiance is 19, and im not too sure what he does, but he used to drive tanks and now he fixes lorries in the army, he is based near bury st edmonds.. im just wondering, it might be a really obvious question, but do you have to be married to live in married quarters? or are there other expetions? i dont want our baby girl growing up only being able to see her dad at weekends, and besides, my family are lovelly but i just cant stand being under the same roof as them! we were going to get married, but me being under 18, they wont sign the forms.. any ideas that can help?? xx
  • helsee
    helsee Posts: 119 Forumite
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    KatrinaLovesJase wrote: »
    hello im not sure if you will be able to help me or not, but i live in chester and im pregnant, im 17 (i know, i know) ..my fiance is 19, and im not too sure what he does, but he used to drive tanks and now he fixes lorries in the army, he is based near bury st edmonds.. im just wondering, it might be a really obvious question, but do you have to be married to live in married quarters? or are there other expetions? i dont want our baby girl growing up only being able to see her dad at weekends, and besides, my family are lovelly but i just cant stand being under the same roof as them! we were going to get married, but me being under 18, they wont sign the forms.. any ideas that can help?? xx

    yes you need to be married and no i dont know of any exemptions. Dont jump into army life just to get away from your family, i would spend some time establishing your relationship with your partner first! also be aware that just because your living together doesnt mean he will be around all the time.
  • sam39
    sam39 Posts: 17 Forumite
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    I know in the days of DHE that they usually redecorated a house after it had been occupied for a certain time (seem to remember it being about 3-4 years??).
    Can anyone please tell me if this is still the case, thanks.
  • captaincollins
    captaincollins Posts: 8 Forumite
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    I dont believe so, I am pretty sure you need to turn it back now (sucks!)
  • maddymoo
    maddymoo Posts: 35 Forumite
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    We've always been told that MQs are redecorated every 5-6 years and have had to paint a fair few walls back to magnolia again (after painting our own choice of colours). You should be told at your pre-march out appointment.
  • captaincollins
    captaincollins Posts: 8 Forumite
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    I asked at my move in 2 years ago as I had herd about the 4 yr rule and was told that rule was no longer in operation and if we painted, when we moved out it would all need to be magnolia.
    I would say get what you can in writing!
  • purpleburglaralarm
    purpleburglaralarm Posts: 8 Forumite
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    I'm currently living in an MQ and the 5 year rule for painting still applies, as DHE have told me I can apply to have the house decorated, although I won't be bothering as it is too much hassle!
  • Archer0710
    Archer0710 Posts: 239 Forumite
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    I am hoping someone can help me with my carpet issue please.

    We marched into the Quarter in Feb last year and were told the carpets were life expired but there was no budget to replace them and we were to reapply the following year. My Husband duly did and was told no budget and they were only being replaced on H&S grounds.

    Finally this year we got them to come out and inspect them, the Housing officer had barely stepped inside the door before she told me we wouldn’t get them replaced. Our two main carpets aren’t held down by anything as the edges are that frayed and they are heavily wrinkled and decomposed but she agreed they could be repined and extra metal grippers put in at the thresholds (they would be then swapped when we were posted). MODern came out yesterday and the poor guy said there was nothing to pin, no guts in the carpets to restretch and although he tried they are now coming up again. The worst one is the one between the kitchen dining room where it is literally just laid on the floor. The carpets appear to be (according to MODern original thus 19 years old)

    How can I fight this to get them changed? It appears as we have no children and horror of horrors a dog that they don’t want to do them. We were due posting next month but that’s changed. I wouldn’t care but these carpets are horrendous. You have to step carefully from room to room and hovering them just rips them apart more to the point where you dread doing it each time. Equally if they are going to do it given the upheaval I want the whole lot done not a fight each and every time along the same lines.

    Oh and other people with dogs appear to be getting much better carpets than ours changed. I am not one of these people that would bother just cos the carpets aren;t the right colour etc these are just plain unacceptable now.

    Any advice please?
    Can I ever learn this budgeting lark? So far it's not looking promising
    Lloyds loan - gone forever! :T
    Bank of Mum and Dad gone forever!
    Emergency Fund £1500 :T
  • Fergie76
    Fergie76 Posts: 2,293 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    edited 1 June 2011 at 1:28PM
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    Archer0710 wrote: »
    I am hoping someone can help me with my carpet issue please.

    We marched into the Quarter in Feb last year and were told the carpets were life expired but there was no budget to replace them and we were to reapply the following year. My Husband duly did and was told no budget and they were only being replaced on H&S grounds.

    Finally this year we got them to come out and inspect them, the Housing officer had barely stepped inside the door before she told me we wouldn’t get them replaced. Our two main carpets aren’t held down by anything as the edges are that frayed and they are heavily wrinkled and decomposed but she agreed they could be repined and extra metal grippers put in at the thresholds (they would be then swapped when we were posted). MODern came out yesterday and the poor guy said there was nothing to pin, no guts in the carpets to restretch and although he tried they are now coming up again. The worst one is the one between the kitchen dining room where it is literally just laid on the floor. The carpets appear to be (according to MODern original thus 19 years old)

    How can I fight this to get them changed? It appears as we have no children and horror of horrors a dog that they don’t want to do them. We were due posting next month but that’s changed. I wouldn’t care but these carpets are horrendous. You have to step carefully from room to room and hovering them just rips them apart more to the point where you dread doing it each time. Equally if they are going to do it given the upheaval I want the whole lot done not a fight each and every time along the same lines.

    Oh and other people with dogs appear to be getting much better carpets than ours changed. I am not one of these people that would bother just cos the carpets aren;t the right colour etc these are just plain unacceptable now.

    Any advice please?


    From JSP 464 - http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/8C4FFAD0-8EAA-448D-933B-62B8714A8BE5/0/20110418TSARJSP464Pt1Amend11.pdf

    0714. Replacement and cleaning at public expense.

    a. Carpets. Carpets will normally be cleaned every 3 years for lounge/dining rooms and hall/stairs and every 5 years for bedrooms. Should the need arise to clean the carpets before the agreed date, the cost must be borne by the licensee. Similarly, should the carpet need replacing before its scheduled expiry date (normally 10 years) the cost appropriate to the age of the carpet will also be born by the licensee.

    I would ring them up and quote this to them, if they still won't budge, raise it as a complaint - http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/MicroSite/DIO/WhatWeDo/Accommodation/SfaComplaints.htm

    If they still won't budge contact your hive office - http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceFor/ServiceCommunity/Hive/ and see if they can help.
  • 13Kent
    13Kent Posts: 1,177 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
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    KatrinaLovesJase wrote: »
    hello im not sure if you will be able to help me or not, but i live in chester and im pregnant, im 17 (i know, i know) ..my fiance is 19, and im not too sure what he does, but he used to drive tanks and now he fixes lorries in the army, he is based near bury st edmonds.. im just wondering, it might be a really obvious question, but do you have to be married to live in married quarters? or are there other expetions? i dont want our baby girl growing up only being able to see her dad at weekends, and besides, my family are lovelly but i just cant stand being under the same roof as them! we were going to get married, but me being under 18, they wont sign the forms.. any ideas that can help?? xx

    Hi Katrina,

    You do need to be married before you are entitled to a quarter.

    However, although there are lots of positive aspects, forces life can be hard even when you are an older Mum - have a look some of the other posts on this board. It's a shock when you are suddenly sent to live miles away from friends and family and your hubby gets sent away for months on end and you have to cope on your own with your children without much support. People around can be very helpful, but at the end of the day when you shut that door and it's just you and your children it can be lonely at times.

    I think the life can be even more difficult for some younger Mums who are coping with living on their own away from their own Mum for the first time with all the responsibilities that running a home brings, and with a baby to look after too it's not easy.

    Also many camps are miles away from anywhere, and you can be quite isolated if you don't have access to a car, or don't drive.

    I am in my 40's, and like you can't live under the same roof as my Mum, but after I had my first baby I dearly wished that she was just up the road and not miles away -especially in the middle of the night when the baby was sick, I was on my own and didn't know what to do for the best!

    Please don't think I'm trying to scare you off, there are many positives to forces life, like getting a house as part of the job, but it is a big change of lifestyle for anyone at any age and I would encourage anyone, no matter how old to find out more about it before they make the decision to become part of it.

    Good luck, I hope things work out for you.
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