Married Quarter Issue - Please Please Help!!

pappadruid

Hi Guys!

I have just been hit with a massive problem with my Housing Information Centre at High Wycombe. I know there is someone here that is in the know with all things married quarter wise so Im really hoping he/she can help me!

Basically, I am based at RAF Lyneham, and as some of you may know, we are due to move to RAF Brize Norton, so we will have to relocate to the Brize MQ area. I applied for an MQ at RAF Fairford, which got accepted, and I was allocated a 3 Bed House, as is my entitlement for having 3 children. I have arranged all the march out/pre march out of my existing quarter, and removals is all booked ready to go. The kids have all got new schools organized also.

Now, the problem starts here. Over the weekend, I went to RAF Fairford just to have a look at the quarter, so I could actually get eyes on it and see it from the outside. Once there, it became apparent that the quarter was a 2 bed, not a 3. Not much help when you have 3 kids!! I have today phoned the HIC, who have admitted it is an error on their part and they cannot offer any explanation as to what has happened. Unfortunately, they didnt sound too positive about allocating me another quarter there. I am currently waiting for a phone call back from them to see what they can do about this. To make things worse, my current neighbours have also applied for Fairford and been allocated a 3 Bed house even though they only have 1 child. Coincidentally, they have been allocated the house right next door to the 2 bed we have been erroneously allocated. I can see no reason why a straight swap on the grounds of eligibility cannot be done in this case? I am also privvy to knowledge that someone else living near me has lied on their application to get allocated a 4 bed at Fairford, which they have been successful with!

Please, can someone give me some help and advice regarding this??

Thanks very much for your help.

ICATQ

pappadruid wrote: »

Hi Guys!

I have just been hit with a massive problem with my Housing Information Centre at High Wycombe. I know there is someone here that is in the know with all things married quarter wise so Im really hoping he/she can help me!

Basically, I am based at RAF Lyneham, and as some of you may know, we are due to move to RAF Brize Norton, so we will have to relocate to the Brize MQ area. I applied for an MQ at RAF Fairford, which got accepted, and I was allocated a 3 Bed House, as is my entitlement for having 3 children. I have arranged all the march out/pre march out of my existing quarter, and removals is all booked ready to go. The kids have all got new schools organized also.

Now, the problem starts here. Over the weekend, I went to RAF Fairford just to have a look at the quarter, so I could actually get eyes on it and see it from the outside. Once there, it became apparent that the quarter was a 2 bed, not a 3. Not much help when you have 3 kids!! I have today phoned the HIC, who have admitted it is an error on their part and they cannot offer any explanation as to what has happened. Unfortunately, they didnt sound too positive about allocating me another quarter there. I am currently waiting for a phone call back from them to see what they can do about this. To make things worse, my current neighbours have also applied for Fairford and been allocated a 3 Bed house even though they only have 1 child. Coincidentally, they have been allocated the house right next door to the 2 bed we have been erroneously allocated. I can see no reason why a straight swap on the grounds of eligibility cannot be done in this case? I am also privvy to knowledge that someone else living near me has lied on their application to get allocated a 4 bed at Fairford, which they have been successful with!

Please, can someone give me some help and advice regarding this??

Thanks very much for your help.

Wait for them to phone back - it may all be sorted.

If they come back with a negative then tell them that you know a non entitled person has been allocated a SFA to which they are not entitled and there is a SFA next door that they would be entitled to!

If they still waiver then tell them you will be taking the matter up with the Stn authorities as you are being disadvantaged by an error on their part.

Alias_Omega

You dont mention what dates you are moving, though i would give it 48hrs for them to sort it out, then if its still the same chase it up on the station upwards.

pappadruid

Thanks for the quick replies guys!

I have just come off the phone to them now. Basically, there are no more 3 bed houses available until their next allocation sometime in May. Although not entirely bad news, as it sounds like I will still be getting a quarter at Fairford, I am being massively messed around as I now need to wait for a date to move. I was due to take over the quarter on 4 May, and everything else falls into place around these dates, mainly moving the kids to new schools, and the removals.

I am going to speak to the HIC manager tomorrow, who was not in today, about this and I will be mentioning about the misallocation of housing to ineligible families. It seems like being honest and only claiming for what you are entitled to is becoming a dying art!!

Does anyone know if the HICs have a formal complaints procedure in place or am I just best off going through the Chain of Command with this if it doesnt get sorted??

Many Thanks All!!!

ICATQ

pappadruid wrote: »

Thanks for the quick replies guys!

I have just come off the phone to them now. Basically, there are no more 3 bed houses available until their next allocation sometime in May. Although not entirely bad news, as it sounds like I will still be getting a quarter at Fairford, I am being massively messed around as I now need to wait for a date to move. I was due to take over the quarter on 4 May, and everything else falls into place around these dates, mainly moving the kids to new schools, and the removals.

I am going to speak to the HIC manager tomorrow, who was not in today, about this and I will be mentioning about the misallocation of housing to ineligible families. It seems like being honest and only claiming for what you are entitled to is becoming a dying art!!

Does anyone know if the HICs have a formal complaints procedure in place or am I just best off going through the Chain of Command with this if it doesnt get sorted??

Many Thanks All!!!

Yes they do, there is a charter that they are supposed to work to.

They should provide the information you need or you can access it on the website. DE is now re-branded under Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

You may have a handbook knocking about from when you moved into your current SFA. Should be in there.

I complained about the Wycombe staff many years ago and eventually got an apology months after they eventually sorted out the issues.

EmmEve

What a nightmare! I hope they get it sorted for you sooner rather than later. It may be that they are not allowed to withdraw the formal offer from the other family which is why they can't do a straight forward swap?

There are lots of families in quarters larger then their entitlement purely because they are the only empty ones available at the time they need to move. Its not necessarily because people are dishonest or misallocation. Although I think we all know there are a fair few who will lie to bag themselves a bigger one!

There should be an official complaints procedure in place for you to follow. This is from the AFF site
http://www.aff.org.uk/linkedfiles/aff/housing/housing_complaints_procedure.pdf

pappadruid

Thank you everyone for your replies.

In total contrast to my last post where they told me there were no more 3 beds available for allocation until sometime in May, I have just had a phone call from the HIC and they have now allocated me a 3 bed with the original march in date! Ironically, I recieved the phone call just as I was typing an email to the HIC with a view to starting the Formal Complaint process! There is a God that looks after honest folk after all!!

Thanks again everyone that has taken the time and trouble to read and reply to my plea!!

MrsDicko21

Hi pappadruid,

Are you now living at Fairford? I am due to move in on the 1st June, but we werent that lucky and no one is allowed on the base to check out the houses. Are you ahppy living there?

Thanks

pappadruid

Hi MrsDicko21,

Im not actually living there yet, but after having a look around at the weekend (I have a valid pass for camp) the houses are very nice, as you would expect for US standards. Large gardens with 6ft fence all the way round - garden shed etc.

Didnt manage to get inside, but I know that the 3 beds come with an ensuite and utility room and downstairs toilet. Dont quote me on this but I think the 2 beds also have a downstairs toilet and utility room. The only negative point I could see is that the whole place seems very sterile and lacking in character and is very isolated, so if there are any non drivers in your family you may find life there a little more difficult than needs be. However, I could be wrong!

Oh, also things like having family visit and if you do online shopping will be a pain, as all visitors will need to be booked onto camp and escorted by yourselves. So, if you do online food shopping, like we do, you will need to advise the control of entry that you are expecting a delivery. When they arrive, they will phone you and you will need to meet them at the gate and escort them on and off camp. Gonna be a pain alright!!!

Hope this helps!

Mrs_Arcanum

Has to be better than the prefab Brize ones :rotfl:

dbt3mummy

I'd never accept a property without first looking at it - especially as Brize lol

If anyone gets offered Beverley Crescent or York Road at Brize - - take it! They are the american bungalows 2/3 beds and are HUGE!!!

We moved from ours for compansoniate reasons to Long Hanborough - - would also recommend the houses here if offered.