Housing Act 2004 Inspection Section 239 - Help Needed

[bridb]

Hi , this is my first post for which I hope someone experienced or knowledgable can give advice on.

I just recieved a letter from the East Riding council which is under the housing Act 2004

It says
"Housing Act 2004 - Inspection Notification Section 239

I understand that the above property is owned by you. All housing, including rented accommodation must be free from serious hazards such as, risks from fire, falls associated with stairs, lack of/or insufficient heating, etc. In addition if the house is let as a shared house, flats or bedsits then certain management regulations or licensing may apply.
An Officer from the Private Sector Housing Team will be visiting the property on [date] at [time] to carry out a survey to determine wether any high risk category 1 or 2 hazards are present and whether any enforcement action is necassary.
[signed by][name]
Enviromental Health Officer"


Now to me, because I own my flat, do I have to take this crap, I have a seperate door to the rest of the flats in my block, I have my own smoke alarm.
I rang the man at the council just to see what they intend on doing, and it seems like they may see whether there is cause to put in a Fire Alarm system.
I am not going to be able to afford that, and god knows what else they may say I need to upgrade.
I only get a basic £67 a week to live on since becoming ill, and there's no way I can afford upgrades.

Apart from that, I don't want someone snooping in my flat, invading my private space and seeing what I have.
I didn't request this.

Do I have to allow them to come in, the guy on the phone said they can get a warrant?

I've got enough on my plate atm, what with an ESA appeal case, please help me out somebody

[bridb]

So is what you are saying is this fitting fire alarms, ensuring I have enough warms heating etc. is all bollocks?
How do you know this is true that somebody has made a complaint?

Can't I just ignore their stupid inspection, I don't want it, and I don't want to give them any ammunition.

I mean, will they really bother with a warrant for god's sake, they have no evidence of any crime?
After all this is just a "Notice" letter, and although it states they are coming round soon to do the inspection, do I really have to comply, we have no contract on this so called "Act"

If i let them in, will they then sign me into some aweful job creation (fitting fire alarms) that some MP has a vested interest in, at my expense?
This country is F**ked if this is the way things are going.

This is invasion of privacy on my private property. I don't want it.

[bridb]

Thanks for the advice so far.
I have read the act and It's unclear what it all means, but my flat is a single self contained flat with it's own entrance and no other flats are within it.
If this is their problem, why not bloody state that in the letter instead of this "Fire Alarm" nonsense.
What I am most concerned about is them making any tiny excuse for any sort of upgrade that may be required, because I simply can't afford it. The whole invasion of my privacy is really bothering me, what would they do then, keep wanting to come back and have a look to see if I've done what they want every few weeks, and then have an annual check or something, I just want to be left alone.

Bloody hell, whose property is it? I hate these stupid Acts, bunch of useless MP's thinking up new nanny state laws and new ways of getting revenue out of everyone, it's getting totally Fascist this country and I'm hating everything right now.

I'm a bit torn on what to do really now, I am open to other suggestions, and I am considering giving them a call to see if a complaint has been made and get some better reasoning behind all of this.
Does anyone think I should go down the CAB route?

[bridb]

Well, just an update, so far I've taken the aproach I do with the TVL Goons, ignored the hell out of em. I figure why should I waste my time on these do-gooders.
After speaking to one of the neighbours in the other flat's it appears they have done some inspection on those, he said he'd had to put in fire doors, probably at his own expense. Well I don't want no stupid fire door or alarm thanks.

I have had 4 or 5 council's goon personalised cards through the letterbox asking me to "please" call about the inspection.
I haven't bothered, let them get their warrant if needs be, or better still I hope they just get bored and knock it in the head (it's been 3 months so far). Why should we have to cope with this on top of the crippling austerity we're all going through.

Why can't they get the picture, this is my flat, I don't want an inspection, ok?

Anyone, had anything similar?