council house problems!!!!/no rebate for rent/ctax (merged)

kit

Hi

As I have mentioned in another post - until recently I was a housing officer working in social housing.

Firstly and most importantly - you MUST pay your rent. I has tenants that stopped paying their rent like you have, I took them to court (sorry, but it was my job at the time!) and the judge went in my favour even though they had saved the rent ready to pay. If you get evicted you will find it extremly hard to find anywhere else to live.
It is your choice as to paying the council tax but they will take you to court and you will end up with a judgement against you which will effect you in the future.

You must contact Environmental Health - they will get something done about your problems as a matter or urgency.

The council CAN offer you something outside your area of choice and can then refuse to offer you something else as (in their eyes) if you are desprerate to leave where you are now then you will accept anything. However you could appeal against this as and when it happens and most of the time the tenants win.

I can offer more advice but have to go see to my baby now! If you want to chat to me about this please PM me. I have studied housing law so know what I am talking about

someonehadmyusername

thanks
i may pm you later

can i just say

I AM NOT REFUSING TO PAY RENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I WAS ON BENEFITS AND DIDNT HAVE TO PAY RENT/COUNCIL TAX

THEN MY PARTNER MOVED IN WITH ME IN FEBRUARY 2005 AND I ALSO STARTED WORKING (SELF EMPLOYED)

I PUT IN RENT REBATE FORMS AND COUNCIL TAX REBATE FORMS AT COUNCIL

THEY ARE STILL SORTING IT OUT

SO I HAVENT PAID ANYTHING YET CZ I DONT KNOW HOW MUCH TO PAY OR HOW TO PAY

THE COUNCIL TELL ME TO WAIT UNTILL ITS SORTED AND PUT MONEY ASIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

right, there!
lol
i was just saying, when i do have to start paying, i think its rediculous how they will still be getting paid FULL rent (from me or benefits etc) even though the house they are providing is so awful



what do you think my first thing is on my list (plan of action??)
x

kit

Hi - back again!

I would suggest that you first phone and speak to the Maintenance Manager. If you or anyone else has shouted at a member of staff in the past then explain that you are sorry about that (you will get a lot more respect for that!!). Explain your situation if the manager is not fully aware of it. Ask what is happening and if you are not happy with their reply then state that you will have to go to environmental health about it. DO NOT lose your temper, be sarcastic or vindictive - this will only cause you more problems!! Also stay reasonable and talk in a calm voice.

For info - the reason I gave up my career in housing was because I was fed up with being shouted out, getting death threats and just generally got stressed out with people blaming me for things that I could not change (the government or housing corp make the decisions - the staff of the council or HA's just have to abide by the rules).
From first hand experience - the people that are reasonable and calm get the best/quickest service!

Akso make sure that you ask for a copy of their complaints proceedure. They should have one in place and you may need to use it.

Good luck - let me know how this goes.

Savvy_Sue

I am sorry if you thought I was suggesting that you weren't planning to pay your rent: that wasn't my intention, but it sounded as if the thought had crossed your mind, and I wasn't alone in saying that it wasn't a good idea to withhold rent under any circumstances.

I'm also glad you are putting the money aside: I know another problem people have when they've gone from benefits to work is that they are just SOOOO glad to have more money that they just don't take into account what the additional outgoings will be. Plus they think "Oh, next week will do, I need to sort out x this week" and before they know it a month's gone by with nothing set aside. And then another month, and then a demand comes for three months' back rent with nothing to pay it with.

Kit is giving you excellent advice about how to approach the council about the repairs. I know it is hard to keep cool when you feel you are being fobbed off and not listened to, but it is the best policy!

All the best

Curry_Queen

kit wrote:

DO NOT lose your temper, be sarcastic or vindictive - this will only cause you more problems!! Also stay reasonable and talk in a calm voice.

That's very good advice and well worth heeding, not specifically the OP but anyone dealing with Housing Officers! An old friend was a HO and the stick and abuse she had to take off some people was disgusting (she quit her job in the end due to severe stress and depression through it all) but they used to get their own back with some of the worst offenders by dropping them down the lists and offering them the most grottiest houses in the worst areas when they became available, as no one "decent" would accept them

If they wanna act like animals they get treat as such ... and as Kit says, they're just doing their job and don't deserve or want the abuse they get off some. They can even refuse completely to house people who are continually abusive to staff.

someonehadmyusername

think i will call tomorrow

ive never got nasty on the phone- i couldnt if i tried

think thats why i always end in tears- im too soft- its usually them being snotty and sarcastic

i'll let you know
x

Curry_Queen

Good luck! I hope you manage to get something sorted out with them

someonehadmyusername

i didnt call

im sitting here trying to get the courage to call

i think i have a problem

i am so scared to talk to them

ive gone to jelly
feel sick and hands are shaking!

i know all they will say is that there are people in front of me on list-sorry

i hate calling coz i feel like crying already

what should i say if they try to fob me off

please help
asap

desperately want to call before end of today!
i know this sounds stupid but i dread thinking about house/council at all as it is just such a big issue and stress
x

Fran

Hi,

Is there someone you can have there for moral support?

Perhaps try to trick yourself into it... make a coffee/tea and then march up to the phone to make the call?

You'll feel worse if you don't call .... try to think of it as just another phone call, you already think you know the reply so you're prepared for that already. It sounds like some depression kicking in which is not helping you.

Perhaps have another read of this thread and write down the suggestions in a more simple form?

CAB could be useful to you, perhaps it's worth trying again?

You are already confronting this situation (not denying it/hoping it will go away) so now you need to do the actions.

You could set yourself a time limit...... post back here in half an hour and let us know ... or something?

someonehadmyusername

b/f moved in in february
i went self-employed in february
they havent sorted my claim out so i called them

they say we are not entitled to any help
i earn money but it all goes back into business hence i have no income
i get £17 cb
£101 wtc
my b/f income last tax year (2003-2004) was £8,500 and he earns about £180 on average

does this ound right
dont know how we will afford this
they also said it was processed on the 4th june but no-one has contacted me!!!
x _pale_