Another question from my disabled colleague.

He has a Housing Assoc flat (miles away from Wirral). The tenancy documents say that "permission must be sought before any changes are made to the property".

The question is what is meant by "any changes"?

He has been there for quite some years now and honestly the place looks like a show house. He may be disabled but he is an ex professional builder and with his disability he has a lot of time on his hands. Little by little he has made changes. To me nothing amazing eg

Put a cat flap into an internal door so he does not have to keep getting up to let mog in/ out between rooms. With his disability such movement is (literally) a pain

Has changed the "tired" kitchen worktop for a new one with a new sink/ taps. Someone did this work for him

Has re-tiled around the new worktop (and to an incredibly high standard even though with his disability it was done almost at one tile per day).

Do folk on here think that these bit-by-bit changes would be interpreted as seriously contravening a tenancy agreement? Sure they are slightly more than a coat of paint or changing the wallpaper but not a lot more in my view. My colleague is in a state of panic (another side effect of his stroke) and some reassurance from others would be a benefit.

Thanks

Snod

"The Property" being the key word.
Not fixtures and fittings

From what you have said he is absolutely fine.

I think he will be fine. I would think they mean changes like knocking walls in to make a 'through lounge' or to make 3 bedrooms into 2, for example.

Thank you my friends

Your replies are exactly what I wanted/ expected. I will pass them on. I know my colleague will be very grateful. It is not that he does not trust my reply - just that the same response from a few others will boost his confidence and make him better prepared to face "the man" from the Housing.

Thanks again

Snod

The only issue the housing will have will be the cat flap. If he moves they might bill him for a door everything else will be fine. I fitted a whole new kitchen in my last house and they just said I had to leave it or put the old one back when I moved. Obviously I left it because the old one was long gone.

He says that by the time he leaves it could well be feet first in a box - and then they may have a small problem sending the bill! He has not lost his sense of humour.

Snod

Hi Snodvan, I rent out a small number of properties and I wouldn't be at all upset at any of the things your colleague and friend has done, even the catflap as it won't be too expensive to rectify. I think as previously posted it refers to more structural changes etc.
I would rather have a tenant who takes pride in and looks after the property as it shows commitment to the property and you know things will be kept in good order. I'm sure any housing association would agree.
Also it's worth noting that chances are any representative they send round may not have even seen the inside of his home before and therefore may not even notice any change.

Have to agree with the above.

If any tenant I have were to make changes like that I'd be fine with it as long as they were done to the same, or superior, degree as the original.

Don't rip out a decent kitchen and fit a B&Q in the box one, that type of thing, painting the walls jet black also gets frowned upon.

The cat flap in the door I would see as an adjustment to help cope with his disability, the same as handrails in the bathroom or replacement taps with single arms for off/on, even if the door has to be replaced, as costs go when reinstating a property it's a pretty minor one.

You cannot tell a person not to worry, because they'll just find something else to fret about, just tell them to look at it this way, do you see the change as something that improves the property (new kitchen etc), if the answer is yes then ask can whatever you've done, in total, be reversed either easily or for a few pounds (bright pink door handles etc), if that is yes then just be happy and enjoy your home, because that's what it is, a home.

Thank you all.

That is my message to you from my colleague. The 'man from the Housing" has been and
a. Gave his full approval for the gas meter to be removed.
b. Was totally astounded by the cleanliness and quality of my friends flat and fitting. "Never seen anything like it on this estate" were his words.

My friend is overjoyed. Especially he is overjoyed because of the true Christian support he has received from complete strangers. He (and I) find that very comforting.

The next step is actual removal of the gas meter by Scotty Power but that should now be a mere formality

Thank you

Snod

Fantastic

Just keep chipping away at the worries and i'm sure everything will work out just fine