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

someonehadmyusername

gone to pot now after calling the benefits section of council (see other thread)
in floods of tears
x

Fran

Which other thread?


You have to get some help with this... can your partner do this phoning? Did you speak to Shelter?

someonehadmyusername

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=62658

gravitytolls

kit wrote:

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.

Actually, I'm not so sure this is true.

We lived in unsuitable accomodation, and a house became cavant 2 doors away, which was suitable. We applied, and were refused on the grounds it's suitability was better for a family with 1 child, as opposed to a family with 4. It seems the new ioccupant was a sister of a housing officer, maybe coincidence, but highly unlikely.

We were then offered a suitable house 12 miles away. We refused because it was too far from disabled parents, and childrens school. They offered us another house 12 miles away a few months later. Again we refused, but were told ifwe refused this, we would be offered nothing else.

We took it, and filled in paperwork for transfer and exchange.
After 4 years we changed schoold.

A friend lived in suitable accomodation, but wanted to move. She cleared rent arrresrs of almost £300, told the housing officer she'd seen an empty house, wanted it, and wanted new windows, kitchen, bathroom and heating. She was bolshy, and made herself a pain in the butt. She had previously been housed following media interest, and was well known.

Guess what? She got the house she wanted, with all the modernisations.

We were not even shortlisted for any other home, and our children ended up going through the upheaval of changing schools, to one which has proved to be completely inferior.

I'm afraid it does appear it pays to be bolshy.

Fran

someone...

I've merged the post you made on a new thread so that the answers don't get confusing/repeated... I hope you don't mind.

skye

About your housing situation:

Put in writing instead of phoning or as well as.

I can only say what other people have said:
make an official complaint to the council or
pester your MP or local councillor or
try and get an environmental health officer out to see the property (is it bad enough for them to put a closing order on the property?).

someonehadmyusername

hey
calmed down a bit now
lol

i called council and got thru to a man who i told my situation and is there something coming up?

he said no and its just a question of when they get the houses in and there are people on list above me

'im in a very good position (councils faveourite saying)'

i got upset halfway thru the conversation and cried

he said he couldnt tell me much more and asked how long id been waiting (nearly 4 years)

he said i was down on the comp as having major structural work needing doing and that it shouldnt be too long (yeah right!!)

i was a bit TOO emotional by this point so left it at that

should i go to cab?
or environmental health?
or different first?

and do you think its sounds right that we 'earn too much' to get council tax/rent help?

x

krisskross

I know of a family whose local authority house needed major work. They were given temporary accomodation while the work was done then moved back. Perhaps you could suggest this possibility. Once the house is in good order it will be easier for you to try to arrange a transfer to the area you want.

Fran

Saying you are in a "very good position" sounds very hopeful, they wouldn't say that if you weren't near the top of the list. However you're still waiting for people moving out of properties. You could get CAB help.. they can negotiate things for you & so take the pressure off.

Glad you made the call and are feeling a bit better.:)

someonehadmyusername

they say that every time i call!!!!

i was also once nearly gauranteed a house before xmas (2003!!!)

they say it so you will get off the phone and be hopeful

i dont want to move back here when works done-i couldnt take it!!

im in gud position but there is 1000 people in a better position than me!

thanks
x