housing association refusing a shed...please read

A question about : housing association refusing a shed...please read

Morning all,

We took tenancy of a house in November of last year.
However, it was not via the usual route. The house was publicly advertised and is an eco pilot house that required a certain level of earnings and family structure. The house is also on a private residential street, not an estate. We met those conditions and moved in a week after enquiring about it. That was it. We made it clear from the outset that I have my own business upcycling furniture from home and we would be putting a shed in the huge garden to do so. So too did we want to errect a shed for garden equipment such as a lawnmower and mountain and a road bicycle. No problem, just get the permission to do so.

We purchased the shed last week, yes we should have waited for permission first but didn't envisage a problem and excitment took over as it does, it is still being made so not yet on site. I am due to graduate in a few months and wanted my shed up and running to continue my business as soon as I finish.

We applied for permission and have been told that as we have a starter tenancy we cannot make any alterations to the house or garden in the first 12 months. This rule is hard and fast and they won't budge.

However, my argument is that for this house the HA wanted a two adult, one child household both in employment to live as normal in order for them to moniter energy usage. We have not been afforded to live normally here as there has been a tradesperson here every week due to the installations not working correctly. Often unannounced. We also agreed to twice yearly visits form the university monitoring the home. They have already been here 5 times since January, placing extra monitoring equipment in the property, filming the installations and 'hosting' the companies involved in the project to be filmed here without our prior knowledge, they just turned up.

Also, they require we cut the huge amount of grass regularly and maintain the garden, which we are of course happy to do. I can only assume they expect us to keep the lawnmower in the lounge without allowing us a shed. The house is a very small two bed.

Where do I stand with this guys? They are stunting entrepreneurship of an existing business which they had prior knowledge of. They are restricting our right to live in the property uninterrupted, therefore not adhearing to their side of the contract. We feel they are unreasonably refusing our request to a simple non permanant structure which will allow us to live our life as we previously have.

Apologies for the long post.

Best answers:

• Do your neighbours have sheds?
  Would anyone notice if you put one up?
• Yes they do, I live in a private street therefore not subject to HA rules so there are all sorts of structues here. I can't imagine anyone noticing. The garden is surrounded by an 8 foot or more fence.
• You could try making an appointment with someone in charge to discuss the erection of a shed. But be prepared, you'll probably have to suck up.
  One of our neighbouring HA houses put up a front fence, which was not allowed, and the HA came out and removed it.
• How about erecting a clear tent? Sort of poly tunnel/temporary tent structure? You know what I mean? It would be temporary therefore not need any permission. And provide shelter from the elements for working under and storing mowers etc.
• I've spoken to the housing officer, I've had an outright no. I've also spoken to the person who marketed the house and dealt with throughout, he is looking into it and finds it absurd. I've been told the next course of action is to write to the chief executive.
  I don't see why we should have to suck up although I can why they would expect us to. I'm outraged at the distribution to our lives and the blatant disregard for our right to live as we wish without intrusion or distruption to others.
• That wouldn't work for us freeisgood. We have thousands of pounds worth of bikes, painting materials from my business and two dogs which would have a field day bouncing off it. I can see your point but I wouldn't consider a very expensive commisoned shed as a permanent structure either. It would be something we would take with us if we moved and the hardstanding base is already there, prior to us moving in.
• Sounds like you signed up to it all in advance. They might not want someone running a business and using more electricity than a normal home since they are monitoring things for a study. Best bet is to rent a garage or something for your work.
• Tell them there's no way you can maintain the garden if you can't have a shed to store gardening equipment in, and if you can't have a shed to work from home in then you will have to work elsewhere. Which will obviously mean you won't be at home to let them in for all their visits and will have a detrimental impact on their experiment.
• Oh dear. Could you rent a workshop in the area, or lock up or garage?
• The renting of an outside space isn't viable either due to financial restrictions. The issue isn't even with the business at this stage it is simply with a shed full stop. The only extra electricy used would be a lightbulb and the occasional use of a sander, perhaps 20 mins a week. So that isn't the issue either. It is simply a space to store garden equipment, one piece of furniture at a time, a few bikes and to paint in. No more than any other shed is used for I don't think.
• Ironically we've just had a letter stating a rent increase and the offer of assistance to increase our income or manage it better from a financial inclusion officer in order to retain our property if the increase should affect us. Continuing with my small but profitable business which is also a form of therapy to me due to a diagnosed mood disorder isn't obviously part of that!
• Could you have the shed put in a mates garden for a nominal payment for a year or so.
• You'd think an upcycling business would appeal to their eco side of things too really!?
• Have you actually read the tenancy agreement you signed? What does it say?
  You say
  Quote:
• Unfortunately no freeisgood. It's a commissioned piece that is being erected professionally by the company. I wouldn't want it to be put up and taken down again. Plus it's defeating the bike, lawnmower and working from home between holding down a job and a family too object lol
  You would have thought so EmmyLou. They haven't even got to the business side of it yet though.
  Yes, I've read the agreement booklet which was handed to us after signing the forms and it does state the 12 month clause but it wasn't relayed to us at the time In the very rushed hand over where the lady was more concerned that we understood it was our responsibility to pay our utility bills. And putting us in touch with housing benefit in spite of us telling her we pay our own rent in full. .
• Thanks for all your suggestions. I'm waiting for the man who originally dealt with us and told us no problem to the business and shed etc to get back to me. If not I'll be writing to the chief arguing all the above points about tenancy retention, entrepreneurship, security of garden equipment required to maintain the garden and expensive hobbyist equipment.
• If the monitoring of the energy use etc is needing more access than you are contractually required to allow, then they are reliant on your goodwill. This works both ways. How inconvenient would it be for them if you started requiring them to stuck to he letter of their agreement?
• The reason you have been given for not allowing the shed to be erected is because you have a starter tenancy and are not allowed to make any alterations to either the house or the garden during the first 12 months.
  You need to look at your tenancy agreement and see if this is written there and exactly what it says. This is a contract which you and the HA signed and agreed to.