Housing association harassment and bullying

[mabsk1]

Hi I'm looking for some advice on what an housing association can do legally to force a tenant to accept a rewire on their house whilst they are still living in it ?

Going back to 2020 we had an electrical test done on the house that we rent off a housing association and as far as I was aware it Passed with no issues, the electrician who did the test certainly didn't mention any problems before leaving.

In the 3 years since we have had phone calls every few months offering or trying to arrange a rewire which we have refused because the last time they did upgrade work they left the house in a worse state than when they started. It cost us hundreds of pounds to pay a plasterer to tidy up the mess they left.

Three weeks ago we had a knock on the door and when we answered it was two people from the housing association who had turned up unannounced demanding to be let in.

They claimed on this occasion that the house had failed its last electrical test and if we wouldn't let them rewire it they would take legal action.

I asked to see a copy of the safety report as it seemed suspicious that after years of pestering us they had now come up with a failed electrical test as an excuse to force us to accept their rewire.

They left and posted a copy of the report to me a few days later. Luckily I work in the electrical industry and showed the report to at least 10 different electricians who all said that the issues shown on the report were not dangerous, every circuit passed well within parameters  and they said that the one issue that the housing association had claimed to be a c2 fault ( a more serious issue) shouldn't have been classed as such because it had been that way for over 30 years  and was not an imminent danger.

The general report was that it was safe but that a rewire was recommended.

I went back to the housing association and explained everything that I had been told and to show that I wasn't being completely unreasonable I offered to let them move the cooker switch that they regarded as an issue but still refused the full rewire.

Today I have spoken to them and they won't accept my proposal and want us to sign a refusal form before taking us to court...

I could really do with some advice on how I should deal with this as they said that the rewire will take around 10 days, I can't afford to take 10 days off work nor could i put up with living in a house full of dust for that length of time with my asthma .

I feel like we are being bullied and harassed by the housing association who normally won't lift a finger to help with any repairs , it took them 10 years to fix a hole in my sons bedroom ceiling after a water leak, they left our toilet supported on a 1" piece of plywood after the floorboards started collapsing for over 2 years and have left numerous leaky pipes that have left water damage marks all over yet we're supposed to jump because they want to do a rewire.

It's really getting me down ... any help will be appreciated

 

 

[dx100uk]

4 hours ago, mabsk1 said:

Today I have spoken to them and they won't accept my proposal and want us to sign a refusal form before taking us to court...

yea yea yea.

i doubt they cant force it upon you unless there is proof of imminent danger to their tenants.. you.

strange they are pushing this.

 

dx

 

[stu007]

Hi

I can appreciate your point of view on this but

1. Those electricians that may have said the c2 fault has been like that for 30yrs how exactly would they know that as they wouldn't.

2. The Housing Association are going off their contractor that they employed to carry out the test and their report and have deemed a full rewire is needed.

3. You have not actually provided any written evidence bar what you have been told verbally to the Housing Association which they will class as hear say.

4. If you do refuse the full rewire the Housing Association may go down the route of you are in breach of your Tenancy Agreement

5. If they do still insist on the full rewire it does not stop you putting some thing to them that there contractor must ensure is done and they agree to this in writing to you i.e.

a) A list of the works for each day of the rewire and which rooms will be work in on each day.

b) the contractor must ensure that everything is covered and protected from dust etc.

c) the contractor must ensure to clean up there mess at the end of each day.

d) you must have a point of contact and a phone number to contact them during these works.

e) any damage caused by the contractor during the works must be rectified by that contractor.

f) it must be taken into account by there contractor and Housing Association that you suffer from asthma which dust during these works will set off.

 What you need to do is follow the Housing Associations Complaints Procedure and put all this into a Formal Complaint in writing which the Housing Association has to log and is open to view by the Regulator on inspection.

Make sure you title your letter "FORMAL COMPLAINT"

 

[Buzzy_Bee_]

Got a similar thing going on where I am in EAnglia

- a case of contractors looking for work/lengthy projects

- they are the same ones that then do the (very disruptive) works

- dreadful if elderly or disabled/major health issues, yet still being pushed to comply.

Housing Assoc is a big one that has swallowed up the previous one (part of a chain reaction in the last few years) recently, name begins with a "P."....

and yes, they leave repairs we request/need unresolved, and are very difficult to contact/communicate with, but, are more than happy to push us into these probably unnecessary (but lucrative for them) works.

[stu007]

@Buzzy_Bee_ If you wish to get advice for your issue please start your own Topic

[stu007]

Hi

Any further update on this