Hi

Having just been through the refurb from hell i would just like some advice

from day one of this planned 4 week refurb that took 9 weeks before we had one finished room

refurb

bathroom kitchen re wiring

decorating due to wife being dissabled

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living there myself my wife and 25 yr old son

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day one planned removals council failed to supply promised packing

materials so at least half of the items planned for removals never left the building

Was told i "should count myself lucky as not all refurbs get removals)

electricians doing the rewiring turned the house into a bombsite

COMPLAINED about living conditions

Told " we have old age pensioners living in the same conditions )

despite the promise of having at least 2 rooms liveable suddenly found

only had one bedroom half stripped so son had to leave for 8 weeks

as there wasnt anywhere for him to sleep

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THURSDAY 4 TH day they found asbestos

Were told to leave the house by the contractors WATES would only be for a day "havent you got any relatives or friends you can stay with " abandond on the streets

FRIDAY afternoon

Wates ring to say we wouldnt be allowe back into the propert till at least

Mon ( ime sleeping on a setee my wifes sleeping on a beanbag on the floor at my daughters me deformed hip 2 vertabre welded lower back arthritic knees wife 1 remaining kidney implanted in groin and a morphine pump implanted in stomach doing us a world of good )

informed them i was unhappy with what had happened so far re refurb and this was the final straw asked for phone no of head of refurbishment for incommunities Bradford at which time they put down the phone

WATES rang back approx 3.45 pm stated head of refurb wasnt in his office

best they could do was if we wanted a takaway keep the reciepts and they would refund or if we could find bed and breakfast keep reciepts would refund

This was an empty gesture when kicked out on thursday had £70 in my pocket ( £50 of this was rent money ) the clothes we stood up in and my dog everything we needed was sealed in the house

Got my keys back mon evening 6 .30 couldnt stay in the house as the asbestos team had had all the doors and windows open and used all my electric so was too cold to stop there

Tuesday discovered my fridge freezer had been turned off had to bin the entire contents

Tuesday afternoon council called said theyd refund the damaged foodstuffs (took 6 weeks) had i any reciepts had one for 2 currys 2 chips kids nuggets (£1.50 ) councill woman took the hard stance stated that the councill cannot pay for the kids nuggets

i asked what about the fact ive had to pay rent rates sky telephone broadband for a house i havent been in for 5 days

the rely i got was

"you dont pay rent your on benefits "

i found this to be very offensive

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Quite a few items were confiscated by the asbestos team took me 4 weeks to get a list

head of refurb gave me it with a " ive taken the liberty of putting what i though were fair prices " £320

i priced on the web revised this to £820

was told they would give me £520 but it would be in Argos vouchers ??

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everything got worse from there house suffered badly from damp promised damp treatment never happened just sealed it in behind new kitchen units

damp in all 3 bedrooms just been papered over

blown plaster (half the house) most just been papered over

this has been a sixty minute makeover thats taken 9 weeks

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Question What do i do about the following

1 evicted for five days with no support

2 son had to live 20 miles away for 9 weks

3 living conditions were not as promised during refurb

3 asbestos damaged item ( argos vouchers )

this is just a potted version if i put down everything you would probably be as despondant as me any input apreciated

No hot water 7 days

no heating 11 days

no kitchen sink or worktops 6 days

wife cant have a bath NO shoer 5 weeks etc etc

Why not pop into see a local councillor, and ask them to sort out this mess and kick aR$€, you might want to contact a solicitor a discuss possibility of action against to LA.

Andy

Did you get anywhere with asbestos matter? Uk Asbestos Authority help?

I am particularly interested in whether any asbestos dust and debris was left behind and if so how was it removed without risking your health

Did you get anywhere with asbestos matter? Uk Asbestos Authority help?

 

I am particularly interested in whether any asbestos dust and debris was left behind and if so how was it removed without risking your health

evicted us for 5 days whilst a hazzardus waste team cleaned up

Hi biglesbo

I assume you are tenants in council housing and this is shocking behaviour from a council especially when your wife is disabled (Equality Act comes into play).

1. Have you made a written Formal Complaint to the Council? (Do Not speak to them on the phone unless you can record the conversation)

2. Check the councils website and use their own policies and procedures against them. (Tried to look for you but their website is down for maintenance)

Remember put everything in writing title it "Formal Complaint" as you will have to exhaust the councils complaints procedure first (If you are a tenant in council housing and after the final complaint stage with the council you are still unhappy you can then take it further to the Housing Ombudsman http://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/.

I will keep a check on their website and see if I can find anything to assist you when their sites back up.