What other avenues could I go down please

sazzybum

Hi,

Just a query about a situation I have here-please move if in the wrong place.

My 3 year old grand-daughter and her mother have been in four homeless flats in the past year.

Yesterday afternoon, a council worker cam to her place and told her she had to be out by 5pm this afternoon, as they needed that flat for someone else. I was at work early this morning when I found out, so I phoned her mother and said I would take my grand-daughter after work so she could get organised.
I went round to her new place after work (about 445pm) and she wasn't yet there, she arrived around 5pm in a state telling me that a council worker had arrived at 455 DEMANDING the key to the flat saying that they needed it as their offices shut at 5, and left my grand-daughter sitting in the communal hall of the flats, surrounded by her possessions!

Luckily her other nanny was there with her (a couple of miles from the new place) so she had someone there, but what if she hadn't been? That worker was happy she had her key-she didn't give a flying monkeys fart that a three year old child was left in a hallway, cold, wet and scared.

Before anyone says anything- I offered to have them both, but the council said that this would mean they wouldn't be homeless, so wouldn't be considered for a council house, of which-in my area- there are quite a few.

I have written to my MP-but is there anything else I could do? I have to add that my grand daughters mother and my son don't have a relationship, but he loves his daughter-but is in the Army, so can't do anything apart from writing to the MP, which I and the family have done.
Sorry it's been long, didn't mean it to be

Sazzy

meritaten

Phone 'Shelter' ASAP - to take them in for a night or two cannot be construed as them having a permanent home! its an emergency!
Actually this post has made me livid! I can feel my BP rising! how on earth can a mum and a three year old be chucked out of council accomodation on less than 12 hours notice??????????? !!!!!! is going on here!

sazzybum

meritaten wrote: »

Phone 'Shelter' ASAP - to take them in for a night or two cannot be construed as them having a permanent home! its an emergency!
Actually this post has made me livid! I can feel my BP rising! how on earth can a mum and a three year old be chucked out of council accomodation on less than 12 hours notice??????????? !!!!!! is going on here!

Thanks Meri, and I'm sorry if I didn't make it clear. They moved them to ANOTHER homeless flat, so they do have somewhere to go. Luckier than some I know-and believe me- council or not..they would be coming here if they had been put out onto the street! I just dodn't understand the jobsworths who put a 3 yr old into a cold hall without her mummy because it was their closing time..:mad:

Believe me-this fight isn't over!

meritaten

ok - I got ya! they MOVED them from one homeless place to another! Did it not occur to them to leave the child where she was and move the other people (person) into the one which was vacant? but on such short notice? is this how they do things? to a CHILD? I wouldnt let it rest either......Do you have a childrens commisioner? I would be phoning him/her in morning! still sounds totally wrong to me - have these people no morals or ethics?

sazzybum

meritaten wrote: »

ok - I got ya! they MOVED them from one homeless place to another! Did it not occur to them to leave the child where she was and move the other people (person) into the one which was vacant? but on such short notice? is this how they do things? to a CHILD? I wouldnt let it rest either......Do you have a childrens commisioner? I would be phoning him/her in morning! still sounds totally wrong to me - have these people no morals or ethics?

Childrens commissioner? I haven't heard of that at all?

Yes they moved them, for the third time on very short notice. This time, the very fact that they left her sitting in a hallway do they could get home to their families and dinner- caused me to act.:mad:

Her mother had asked me in the past to try keep the peace, as she's a very quiet person-and I'm not to put it mildly, so I haven't said anything so far. However, this time I refuse to keep my big gob shut. When I phoned my son tonight, he asked why he was bothering to represent his country, when his country wasn't looking after his own. Sounds a bit dramatic I know-but it broke my heart.

Thanks for the support Meri

Savvy_Sue

She needs to start with a formal complaint to the Council's Housing Dept. There will be a procedure: phone the switchboard and ask how to make a complaint. They don't like complaints, because they have to be logged and it's all part of their 'ratings'.

After that, you can escalate to the MP etc, but if you haven't gone through the original complaints procedure, there's not a lot anyone else can do.

coolcait

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

She needs to start with a formal complaint to the Council's Housing Dept. There will be a procedure: phone the switchboard and ask how to make a complaint. They don't like complaints, because they have to be logged and it's all part of their 'ratings'.

After that, you can escalate to the MP etc, but if you haven't gone through the original complaints procedure, there's not a lot anyone else can do.

Absolutely. Go through their complaints procedure first.

If you write to your MP, all he will do is write to the council. They will give him their side of the story, and tell him that you've never complained to them. Your MP will write back to you, enclosing a copy of the council's letter, and advisin you to make a complaint...

sazzybum

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

She needs to start with a formal complaint to the Council's Housing Dept. There will be a procedure: phone the switchboard and ask how to make a complaint. They don't like complaints, because they have to be logged and it's all part of their 'ratings'.

After that, you can escalate to the MP etc, but if you haven't gone through the original complaints procedure, there's not a lot anyone else can do.

coolcait wrote: »

Absolutely. Go through their complaints procedure first.

If you write to your MP, all he will do is write to the council. They will give him their side of the story, and tell him that you've never complained to them. Your MP will write back to you, enclosing a copy of the council's letter, and advisin you to make a complaint...

Thank you both Thinking with more of a cool head this morning. I was so furious last night, I didn't think of the 'official' way of doing things.

I know the mother has been in and repeatedly asked for help-with GDs other nan moaning to them, but don't think they have went the official way. I doubt if they'd know how to, to be honest.

I'll ring the council this morning from work, and take it from there.

Thanks again

Bloomin_Freezing2

This is crazy, why do they have to move so much?? I'd be going ot the local paper too, councils/housing associations don't like the bad press so it may speed them along.

There is also a housing association ombudsman (there must be something similar for council housing?) I've gone to them in the past on behalf of a friend.

gizmo111

I'm abit confused why the child was by herself anyhow - or am I misreading this.
You can stay with people and still be homeless if it is made clear that it is tempororary at the beginning. Shelter will be able to give more information.
Why do they keep moving her ? Is this some bizarre attempt to massage the figures of how long people are in temporary accommodation, usually even temp accomm/hostels the tenant has rights and can't be kicked out if all is in order.

Gigervamp

gizmo111 wrote: »

I'm abit confused why the child was by herself anyhow - or am I misreading this.

That's what I'm confused about. I'm thinking that I must have read it wrong.

OP, I hope it gets sorted. It's disgusting that they can move somebody out at such short notice.