Where do I start ? no point going on !

iwannabefree

Hi CGS,

Only a newbie myself, but have been reading this predicament most of the afternoon.

Know why you want to stay in Devon, used to live there myself.

Can't offer much advice that hasn't already been said, but I hear a certain TV personality would possibly be interested. Mass media coverage and you can have your face blanked out and your voice altered if you want. Their name is Esther Rantzen. She seems to get everything sorted all the time.

Unfortunately I don't have her number, but i am sure you will be able to contact the BBC, ITV or whatever channel she's on these days.

Hope this lifts your spirits somewhat.

Sent with tongue in cheek and a light hearted humerous intent.

Good luck, i am certain you will come out of this very soon.

Hugs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RoCas

Hope you're ok, CGS

((((((hugs))))))

kaneaj1

HI CGS, don't know any avice to offer apart from take each day as it comes & don't let the b******s get you down!

Big hugs to you & your family :grouphug:

Kerry xx

newleafer

Hi CGS

This is the first time I have been on since I was bumping!!

I am so glad you posted, its good to know you are ok.

Well done for all you've been doing. You are a STAR!

I'm sorry I cant give you any suggestions.

Just keep going at them, they have to help you eventually because they cannot let your children be homeless. Does anyone else know if this could be tackled from a Children Act point of view?

Big hugs to CGS.

NW

newleafer

CGS I have just read this from the 1989 Childrens act,

Provision of accommodation for children: general.

20.—(1) Every local authority shall provide accommodation for any child in need within their area who appears to them to require accommodation as a result of—

(c) the person who has been caring for him being prevented (whether or not permanently, and for whatever reason) from providing him with suitable accommodation or care.

I dont know if this is worth you printing off and taking to the B***h of a Housing officer.

Anyone else on here who could help, as to whether this is worth using:

Is there a forum where there maybe experts, e'g lawyers who maybe able to help, maybe try the families board, see if you can find a Expert.

Hope this helps.

To get the full info I got type Childrens act into google.

NW

Can't_Get_Straight

Hi guys

Sorry this must be getting boring by now. I know it's boring me.

Newleafer - thanks for that. I did google and after reading it, what that says is true but unfortunately, they only have a priority to children, and not their parents, so they would indeed house my children, but not nexessarily with me !!! They always seem to have a get out claus.

Tiff - Thanks again for being so resilient. The person who said my top up would be paid was my actual Housing Officer (the ice queen !) Now she's saying, she didn't imply it would all be paid, but it 'might' partly get paid. Lying cow. Sorry, but common sense tells you we wouldn't of taken the house had we known that.

Rocas - Thank for bumping, it really means a lot.

Lynz - I will be in touch with you soon I think to ask your advice as I believe, that although they will always win, I would like to prove them morally wrong and make a complaint, for which I might need your help. Thank you again for being so patient and helpful.

THanks to everyone else who has sent hugs, bumps, good wishes A:

Well there has been a development. I have my husband back. I won't bore you with details, but although he's not feeling much better, he was missing us and realised his place was here with us. I cannot tell you how relieved and happy I am. My children are obviously over the moon too and now we can struggle together again. I have to try and look after him better to help him get better.

On the official front, the Council said they 'will' temporarily house us in a B & B (dreading it !), should the situation arise when we are evicted, while they review the reason for eviction. It will be then that we are refused in their opinion. I just cannot prove, my housing officer said the top up would be paid. It makes me so angry. How dare they put us in this position. At least this might give us more time to find another house to rent that will accept our benefit, which my husband has to claim, and of course children, which seems to be proving more of a problem than I thought !!!!

I will update, when I have more.

Thank you all again for your patience, you have been a life line for me and something for me to lean on. Thank you.

Petal_3

Good news about hubby hun.

Thinking of you... ~x~

Little_Miss_Winner

Hi,
great news about your hubby. Also thinking about you, and keep checking this thread for your updates.

Keep ya' chip up girl, you are AMAZING !!!

Hugs
pot
xxxxxxxx

Tiff_2

Can't_Get_Straight wrote:

Hi guys
Sorry this must be getting boring by now. I know it's boring me.

Newleafer - thanks for that. I did google and after reading it, what that says is true but unfortunately, they only have a priority to children, and not their parents, so they would indeed house my children, but not nexessarily with me !!! They always seem to have a get out claus.

Tiff - Thanks again for being so resilient. The person who said my top up would be paid was my actual Housing Officer (the ice queen !) Now she's saying, she didn't imply it would all be paid, but it 'might' partly get paid. Lying cow. Sorry, but common sense tells you we wouldn't of taken the house had we known that.

Rocas - Thank for bumping, it really means a lot.

Lynz - I will be in touch with you soon I think to ask your advice as I believe, that although they will always win, I would like to prove them morally wrong and make a complaint, for which I might need your help. Thank you again for being so patient and helpful.

THanks to everyone else who has sent hugs, bumps, good wishes A:
Well there has been a development. I have my husband back. I won't bore you with details, but although he's not feeling much better, he was missing us and realised his place was here with us. I cannot tell you how relieved and happy I am. My children are obviously over the moon too and now we can struggle together again. I have to try and look after him better to help him get better.
On the official front, the ...Ice Queen... said they 'will' temporarily house us in a B & B (dreading it !) when we are evicted... I just cannot prove, my housing officer said the top up would be paid. It makes me so angry. How dare they put us in this position.
I will update, when I have more.
Thank you all again for your patience, you have been a life line for me and something for me to lean on. Thank you.

:hello: Hey Superstar! How are you CGS - good to hear from you - and you are a superstar.!;)
And don't say you're boring us with this - I haven't got a life :eek: , so I'm happy to borrow yours!:D

- As you said, they would only rehouse the children - I don't think that's the route to go.
- Yes be supportive to hubby, but remember the GP can really help you with your case - have you been yet? PLEASE GO! Now don't you make me come down there from Warwickshire...:D Seriously angel, you can't save the world on your own - get all the help you can.
- How about this? Fill in the blanks as necessary...

Dear Sir/Madam/Ice Queen,

I am writing to inform you of the crisis my family and I are facing and the response I have had from the Housing Department Officer.

My family are facing eviction from our private landlord. Before signing the lease on this property, I questioned my Housing Officer ,... Ice Queen..., as to whether we would get any assistance with the difference in rent, as it was a higher amount. I was told by her that we would and so we signed the lease accordingly. The property is deemed as suitable for the size of our family and we are not living above this requirement.

However, there was a discrepancy in our housing benefit and we were not awarded the whole rent charged. As a result, we fell behind with our rent. The owner of the property is now selling the property as she is getting into debt herself through the shortfall in rent payments. We are about to be made homeless very soon.

I have made several appeals to the Housing Officer, ...Ice Queen... for help, all to no avail. She now denies that she said we would receive the extra assistance but that she said we might receive it. It's my word against hers.

So in reality, I'm being told that I am lying or at the best, that I am incompetent, for having misunderstood her and signing a lease on a property I knew I wouldn't be able to afford! No-one would just go out and sign a lease unless they were sure they were going to have the means to cover the rent payments, especially someone who is in receipt of benefits and aware of the rules when renting a property. This would be a completely idiotic thing to do and I would not have put my family in this situation.

I have done all I can to co-operate but I am receiving no assistance, inspite of all my phone calls and visits to see the ...Ice Queen... She insists that the Housing Department will view this situation as me having made myself intentionally homeless!

Even if there has been a mistake on my part, it was not, in any way intentional and I cannot express my contempt for the way I have been treated. Surely it would have been more beneficial to all parties to have worked towards a solution. Instead I'm being told there is no help or solution and I am being punished for something that was not my fault.

I have also asked ...Ice Queen..., on more than occasion, to speak to her Supervisor/Manager and she said that she was the highest representative and there was no-one else I could speak to. I find it incredible that ...Ice Queen... does not have anyone overseeing her - surely everyone is answerable to someone?

Therefore, I would like to please request an immediate review of my case. I know of a property nearby that is empty but when I asked ...Ice Queen... about it, she said that it was going to be given to someone else in about 6 weeks. We live in a rural area and there aren't many properties available and this local property would be perfect for our needs.

The children's school is wonderful and my children are progressing well there. They have had a hard time being bullied at other schools and have settled in well. However, the school has said that all this moving is having a negative effect on my children and that they will contact Social Services. I have approached Social Services already but they would only rehouse the children and then only once we had already been evicted.

My family need and deserve a stable base. I'm being told by ...Ice Queen... that once we're out on the streets, we may be given a bed and breakfast place to stay in. This is an incredible and heartless response to a desperate situation. My phone calls aren't always returned and when I've visited I've sometimes been told there's no-one I can speak to.

Ironically, by refusing to help us any further, to help us to resolve the rent discrepancy and by allowing us to be evicted before any help will be given, it feels like it's actually the Housing Department who are making us intentionally homeless!

My husband, who is ill with ......., my children and I have no savings or anywhere else to go. My own health is poor because I have ..... The stress from this situation is having a detrimental impact on our health and my marriage is being severely affected .

I'm frantic with worry and I implore you to please do all you can to help my family. I know there are waiting lists and priorities but I can't bear the thought of my family being evicted through no fault of our own. My family are my only priority and I'm fighting to keep us off the streets. Our situation couldn't be more urgent.

I look forward to your reply at the earliest opportunity. Thank you for your time and understanding.

Yours sincerely,
CGS

PS - if no help is forthcoming, there will be an angry mob of MSE's descending on your offices to show you exactly what to do with your filing system!:rotfl:

Seriously CGS - don't forget to remove the words Ice Queen and the PS or your new address may be 4, Park Bench, Kew gardens, London!;)

Sorry for the length of it but I was trying to get the whole situation in. It's probably completely wrong.I:rolleyes:
It's only a thought and I might trot by later and edit it - I haven't added my deeply sarcastic bits yet! .
If any other posters want to change it or have an opinion on it, then go for it.
Back to my research angel - I have a bit more time today to do it but I am always thinking of you and the rest of the gang. who are the real experts :A
Much Love, x

meerustar

Bump for CGS

Keep going Angel, a B&B is just a start and progress sinced the start of this post, and you have your hubby back... see things are looking a little brighter already:D

P.S. Great letter Tiff, I know who to come to when I have a letter I need writing up