Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Oh &*$&£&@*($(*£$&£*%(&(&(%*(*%(*@%(*%(*%(*(£*!!!!!!!!

I've gone and fallen down the £$*(*%*((%*(*( stairs leading up to my flat AGAIN. Had to get some milk as I used it up by drinking a mug of it hot last night when I couldn't sleep. Couldn't send DDs out in the pouring rain for it (they were already doing the housework for me), so put on very supportive trainers, went down the first flight slowly and carefully, then, as I turned to take the second flight, slid sideways on the rain that had blown in through the open window and went tumbling, hitting every single concrete step on the way.

At least I managed to miss my head falling in between the bars of the bannister, as that would have taken my head off my shoulders. Crawled down the next flight and then sort of dragged myself down the next 2 flights. Didn't say anything to the girls about it, just went and got the milk, came back and haven't got up off the sofa again since. DDs suspect something, because they've been bringing me cups of tea every half hour since then, and the first time, the little one left my painkillers within easy reach of me when I wasn't looking.

My back hurts, my side hurts, my head hurts, my pride hurts, my ankle hurts. Everything hurts.

I want to set a match to this poxy, mould ridden council flat. I hate RA. I hate HMS, I hate Fibro, I hate OSA, I hate osteo, I hate everything and everyone but most of all I hate my soddddddddding useless body.

dmg24

Sounds like you are having a terrible night. Lots of sympathy from me - I went flying on Friday night, twisted my ankle, live alone and my phone was in another room. Wasn't badly hurt, but know how much it can shake you up.

Do you need to see the doctor? Maybe worth getting them to come out in the morning if you are still feeling sore.

Are you on the waiting list for a more suitable property? If so, have you been awarded medical points?

Life is pretty crappy at times. I have been reflecting a lot recently on where I would have been had I not become ill (mental health probs). Makes me pretty frustrated!

(Sorry, that was meant to make you feel like you're not alone - apologies if it had the opposite effect! )

morag1202

Use this to your advantage - don't get mad get even

Get a home visit from your GP (who will have to climb 4 flights of stairs) to your poxy mould ridden flat and lay it on so thick that you get him/her to activly co-operate in your big push for immediate rehousing. Don't let him out until he does

Get the local housing officer to come round and inspect the site of your accident (mention sueing the pants off them) and the mouldy poxy conditions you live in. Mutter abt local paper, Disability Discrimination etc

Contact your local Councillor and/or MP and again invite them round etc etc. - especially if MP is in a marginal constituency - they need your vote :eek:

If you have a SW ..........

None of this will ease your very real pains but it will help your wounded pride and it will take your mind off it. With a bit of luck it will also get you rehoused.

The very best of luck and hope the pain eases soon.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Thanks, DMG and Morag, you are helping. Been on the waiting list for years. They lost all record of my first application 10 years ago, so I had to reapply in 2005.

I've had 4 offers in the last 12 months, all of which were turned down by Occupational Health as being totally inappropriate offers - 2 flats - one with too few bedrooms for their own overcrowding rules & up a staircase open to the elements, one in a tower block with a lift out of order so the OT couldn't get in to view it (but they still pressured her to confirm it as suitable - she refused), a house with a flight of stairs down to them from the street, and one where the shower room (the bathroom had been converted into a bedroom, complete with bare pipework) was constructed in a broom cupboard that opened halfway up the stairs, was only accessed through walking through a network of dark alleyways and still had the closure notice stuck on the front door from when the drugs squad raided it.

The council said I've got the maximum possible medical priority - two - because I'm not terminally ill.

They also advised me 'off the record' that, as only homeless people are getting the houses, 'not people who have been born here' (I don't want to think about what she was implying there), I should give up my flat, rent privately and then stop paying the rent. Then they would evict me and the council would give me a house; otherwise it was at least 10 - 15 years and then I'd only get a bedsit because my children will have moved out by then.

Looking at their own records, they have rehoused 3 families on the same priority in 5 years.

Disability organisations won't help, because they have said it's a housing issue. The housing organisations have said that it's a disability issue. Everyone else has said that, as the DDA only covers people coming to my flat as part of their work, it can't apply to me living here.

Just sent off a slightly more tempered email to the local MP, pleading for help. I don't want to go to the paper - my DD would be tortured if my photo was on the front page 'BENEFITS MUM HASN'T HAD BATH IN 6 YEARS' 'Single Mum Claims She Needs 3 Bedroom House, Refuses Flat, Because She Can't Manage Stairs'

Sigh.

Will take photos of bruising when it all comes out. Just in case they have the cheek to say that there is no evidence of harm.

Oh well. I'm 36 now. Only another 36 years to go.

morag1202

Hmmm - should have realised you had prob tried all the obvious

Suspect your MP is your best bet as he will put pressure on his Councilors, one of which may be on housing ctte. Who is it? Quite a lot of them are feeling very vulnerable atm.

Pester power does work. I can see where you are coming from with the press, but the threat of it can be efective.

gravitytolls

MP's your best bet, in my experience, when faced with an MP, the council are often mighty helpful, as they don't much want the MP and his/her staff poking around, as they might just find other areas of difficulty.

Councils are often fearful of bad press, though I'm not much in favour of it myself ~ you shouldn't have to use blackmail techniques to be treated properly. What about CAB, they will give you copies of humna rights rules which you can quote to your advantage? Also check out the councils own website, there's often plenty of stuff on there about the marvellous job they're doing, which you can quote at them.

I have a friend who twice used the threat of the press, and did so successfully. The called her bluff the first time, so she called the paper, who called the council for a statement. The council declined, on the grounds that the house she wanted had already been allocated to her, and they didn't know where they'd gotten the idea it wasn't.

Don't make it right though.

Anyhoo, hope you're feeling better soon, your girls sound gorgeous, you're lucky to have them, and they are lucky to have you. Good luck.

Tulip

cant advise sorry on what to do but felt I had to come in and say hope you recover soon as it sounded nasty what happened to you.


Wishing you a speedy recovery

Katie

Barneysmom

I know you'll will probably think I'm barking but I think you should go to the papers.
What's a few days embarassment compared to what you're going through now, it can't be any worse?
All the best to you I wish I could help, I really do xxx

FROSTYFRECKLE

I was going to suggest the papers, as well. Get a local journalist round, show him/her the bruises and embarrass your council into action.

onetomany

hi hun i hope you feel better , i really dont no what to say but im sending you a big hug xx i was wondering i no this is ott but i think you need to be sometimes, how about going to get checked out at the hospital then refusing to return home because it isnt safe , maybe they could get hold of ss who can contact housing , i would be ringing the council to complain 2 hun xxxxxxxxxxxx

blue_monkey_2

Hi, I stumbled across this, I cannot give much in the way of help but wanted to say that please, please, please do not move and stop paying your rent.

We was evicted last year because our rented house was being sold and we could not afford to rent another, like you my son got medical points and has to have his own room, but we was packed to go to a hostel as there was so little in the way of housing but this house came up 3 days before the bailiffs were due.

Anyhow, we was told by every housing Assiciation and council that if we had been evicted through non-payment of rent we would have made ourselves intentionly homeless and so they would have no obligation to house us whatsoever. We always made sure the rent was paid on time. Please, please be aware of this and do not do what she suggested. In fact I would be reporting her to your MP for the same reason!!

Go to your MP, as them to visit you as you are housebound through injury because of the fall. Ask them to watch how you have to get up and down the stairs. Our MP was on their case the whole time and I think it helped as it once he was involved they had to report back to him.

Likewise apply to every housing assiciation that you can. I thought there was just one in our area but it turned out there are around 20 that have drips and drabs of houses and this means you can go on their list. Maybe you can share your area with us and others can help find out who has HA houses in your area because they are quite hard to find - and I admit that I found this out in the weeks before our eviction, had I known before I could have applied to them all in the meantime.

Oh, and if you are entitled to Legal Aid you might want to go see a solicitor to see if they can offer you any assistance for being in unsuitable conditions and getting behind the council (sue them for the accident if they are responsible for maintenaince - it might get them into touch in case it happens again they will want you out ASAP). ANYTHING is worth a try.

Good luck and hope you are feeling better soon.