Thread: Refurbishment nightmare

Hi all

To date I have had workmen in and out of my home sine August 3rd last year;
My landlord, a housing association, said they were to refurbish our home to bring it up to "decent housing standards"; this was explained to us, as being insulation cladding to the ground floor external walls, new roof, with insulation in the roof space and walls which are behind the roof, new double glazed windows, new front door and new back door; and new bathroom suite plus new central heating. They said the refurbishment will take between 6 and 8 weeks, so my wife and I took our annual leave to accommodate this period.

The nightmare was about to begin:-

Scaffold was placed around our house, to facilitate removal and replacement of the roof and associated insulation. Whilst this work was being done rubble was thrown all around our garden in the grass and on the access pathways. I opened the back door one morning and was showered with rubble which came down with such force that it was thrown to the opposite wall from the door. We had to put up with fighting, swearing and general untidiness, In addition I noted that the work was not being completed to specification, I therefore pointed this out to the workmen, the site manager, his deputy, the housing association project manager, and the consulting engineers, still nothing was done;

Whilst this being done I said to the site manager, that things were being done out of order, again I informed senior management…. I was getting concerned as I could see where all this was going to end…. Ie.. Snagging repeat visits, bodges etc etc..

Bathroom incorrectly fitted

Central heating not fitted correctly,,ie, radiators 2" off the floor, pipework not clipped.

I have been in the building industry for thirty years and never in that time have I witnessed such shoddy, incomplete and unprofessional practices.

These repair are still going on, with bodge on bodge…I have had to redecorate the bathroom, Bedroom, and kitchen 4 times, as the workmen have been coming back to put right error after error.

These few lines nowhere near covers what I have been going through, there is so, so much more, I could write a book.

I have complained to the landlord, and to the main contractors and also to the consulting engineers.

This has caused Me and my wife financially loss and health problems.

What can I do now?

Please help as this is driving me nuts

Kind regards

Ken

Sorry to ask the obvious, perhaps, but I saw you write "I said (my emphasis) to the site manager, that things were being done out of order, again I informed senior management" and thought - how much of this has been put in writing to them all? Please advise.

I recall that a regular CAG poster seemed to take an interest in Housing Associations, will try to think back as to who it was too.

Was it me NewSAHD? Perhaps

OP - can you PM me the name of the HA please?

(PS NewSAHD - thats quite alright about the words mentioned, you made a very good spot!! )

Originally Posted by MrShed

Was it me NewSAHD? Perhaps

Yes, but took a short while to track your comment down (saw it on the "Job Assessor" post, just lost the link), as had the pleasure a moment ago of reading a rather "perplexing" post elsewhere.... Sorry, couldn't resist the pun, but certainly won't make the mistake of reading those 5 pages again! Jeeez.

Originally Posted by MrShed

(PS NewSAHD - thats quite alright about the words mentioned, you made a very good spot!! )

Cheers, two compliments in as many days, cheers again!

Originally Posted by NewSAHD

Yes, but took a short while to track your comment down (saw it on the "Job Assessor" post, just lost the link), as had the pleasure a moment ago of reading a rather "perplexing" post elsewhere.... Sorry, couldn't resist the pun, but certainly won't make the mistake of reading those 5 pages again! Jeeez.

Lol I cant blame you, what a strange thread that was!

Can you PM me the HA name please?

Originally Posted by Boilerman

I did actually verbally tell them at the time, however, I have everything in writing with pictures and copies of e-mails.....

Sorry to be pedantic, but emails (sent at the time to them by you and acknowledged by them?) is in writing - and so may well help document your concerns/complaints after all.

Originally Posted by Boilerman

Still the work goes, now it's broken appointments, so I take days off without pay and no one turns up...

That's not good enough of them.

Subject to the help you receive from others here on CAG - and MrShed may be well placed to help, judging by his signature - you need to tell them this, if you haven't already.

They wouldn't accept it in their own homes, why should you? Not that I'm saying you DO accept it, of course.