They have been good to me and horrid to others!! (Mendip hosuing assocation) (Housing Associations in general)

Member Name: jenjade

Product:	Housing Associations in general
Date:	19/12/08 (154 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 4 week rent break, secrurity, phone and office avalible, cheap rent

Disadvantages: They can make people live in houses they don't like or that are not suitable

Let me start by saying that all housing associations are different. I rent a two bed roomed house in Somerset for £80 a week from Mendip housing. Compared to other houses of this size in this area my rent is cheap. In addition, the housing association give payment breaks 2 weeks at Christmas and 2 weeks at Easter; this is to help people who are in arrears to catch up and gives people like be a change to save £320 a year, which is great.

I was offered this house after going through a rough patch and separating from my partner with a 1-year-old baby. (I work 20 hours a week and receive no housing benefits) Mendip housing has been very reasonable landlords they have allowed me to decorate, carpet, fence the garden laid a patio etc while I have been here.

Mendip housing have a phone number and an office which I have been to and phoned on several occasions the staff are very helpful and have been able to answer most of my questions. I have also phoned the repair line on several occasions and they have sent someone round to the property very quickly to sort the problems out. They do not charge anything for repairs, services etc.

Mendip housing like to keep the houses in good condition when I moved in they offered to replace the kitchen and bathroom but it would have made the rent increase so I did the kitchen myself with there permission and left the bathroom as I didn't want to pay more rent every week as it would have worked out very expensive over the years. They have since abolished this scheme and now replace bathroom suites and kitchens that are over 30 years old and in poor condition so I am back on the waiting list for a free bathroom now.

Once you have a housing association property you have the option to swap houses there are several website that you can join to look for people to swap properties with. I love this idea as you can choose where you move and to what property. Mendip housing also let you stay in a property for as long as you like which might not happen if you are renting privatly.

The housing associations change there rules quite often and this has been a problem in the past as I was in a hostel I was only given the choice of one property if you do not except the first property they offer you they can refuse to help you any further and even make you homeless from the hostel as they can abolish there duty of care. I was lucky enough to be offered a nice house with a garden but I have known people being offered flats with no garden when they have young children etc.

I have also go the right to acquire which you can get depending on when you moved into a Mendip housing property this gives me the right to buy the house I am in from Mendip housing and receive a 10% discount from the market value which is fantastic.

Mendip housing is quite strict about asking permission, which can cause delays when you are doing DIY jobs etc. I have asked permission for the new kitchen, a shower, a dog, and a shed and I have always received a letter within a month to confirm that is okay and give me guidelines to follow. They are also strict about rent they like it paid either weekly or fortnightly and write loads of snotty letters if you try to pay monthly!

Overall I like Mendip housing association because I get 4 weeks rent free, they don't hassle me and the rent is very reasonable. But they can be a pain to some people and the rules change from time to time!

Summary: The good, the bad and Mendip housing association.