Council Houses subsiding dragging mine into it.

Annemos

This is awful. To believe you are so near a remedy, but then to keep having it delayed.


My local MP and the Councillor were both of enormous help, getting damaging trees taken down in my case. The Councillor eventually went to the CEO of the Council. 


Someone also mentioned the local newspaper. Perhaps you could get a local journalist to call round and take photos and do a feature about the whole thing. I have seen some articles in our local newspaper about Council trees and also when there has been a lack of property maintenance. 

Wishing you a speedy outcome. 

Mr_elburro

MAY update.
As suggested We got our local councillors (green party) involved.
A serious complaint was raised and the outcome should have come out 10 days ago.. still nothing, no reply, no aknowledge of my emails from the complaints officer (Lambeth council)
Our Local MP is also on this but probably they are all too busy with elections.
We have contacted a local solicitor firm just to be told that the maximum we could claim from the council in damages is £2k.
Also "no win no fee" is not applicable to our case
Is that true?
Thanks for your support

Norman_Castle

Second time posting this. https://beta.lambeth.gov.uk/housing/landlords-and-licensing/dealing-with-empty-properties

[Deleted User]

Nothing to add but it does stress me out how councils can get away with such nonsense. 

GDB2222

Mr_elburro said:

MAY update.
As suggested We got our local councillors (green party) involved.
A serious complaint was raised and the outcome should have come out 10 days ago.. still nothing, no reply, no aknowledge of my emails from the complaints officer (Lambeth council)
Our Local MP is also on this but probably they are all too busy with elections.
We have contacted a local solicitor firm just to be told that the maximum we could claim from the council in damages is £2k.
Also "no win no fee" is not applicable to our case
Is that true?
Thanks for your support

If the claim amount is so small, it is probably a small claim case, and you can’t get reimbursement for your solicitor fees. So, yes, you either pay the solicitor yourself or do not have a solicitor. 

Why is the claim so small? You make it sound like your house is being destroyed.

Bigphil1474

The link to Empty Properties at Lambeth council is not relevant. That will refer to their Empty Properties Team who will chase home owners up and make them deal with an empty property. They can't enforce against themselves, so if it is council owned, they will do nothing about it. 
Presumably the £2k is the difference between what the cost to the home owners is, and what the insurance company will pay for in repairs etc.
When we had subsidence, they had to monitor the house to make sure it had stopped moving. Fortunately it was only a year of monitoring, but i have heard of these going on for years, especially if there is still movement. 
OP, as you have involved your local councillor, and you were expecting a response 10 days ago, I would go back to them and ask them to chase it up. I work for a council up north, and when good councillors get on the case, senior managers pull their finger out.

Norman_Castle

Bigphil1474 said:

The link to Empty Properties at Lambeth council is not relevant. That will refer to their Empty Properties Team who will chase home owners up and make them deal with an empty property. They can't enforce against themselves, so if it is council owned, they will do nothing about it. 

Council housing is entirely separate to other council business. Councils can take action against other council departments. Their involvement may help speed things up. Its hypocritical of a council to allow council owned properties to remain empty while pushing for properties to be occupied. Its also unlikely to be a challenge for the op to fill in an online form to find out if they can help.

Mr_elburro

GDB2222 Said:

If the claim amount is so small..

Why is the claim so small?

My question is based on what the solicitor  (advised by our now formed local councillors) said would be the maximum we can claim in compensation.
If this is the case, this explaines why nobody gives a toss.

Damages to our property have not been costed yet but after 8 years of total neglect I would add emotional and stress to the total.

We contacted the Empty properties service just to be told that they are aware of the situation (that was 8 and 3 years ago)

After 8 months from my complaint to the  FOIA request, the ICO  have finally allocated an officer to this case.  She has written to the council, (probably in a months or 2 I'll receive some sort of reply)
Still waiting for the complaint office to reply with the outcome of their "investigation", 2 weeks overdue, no communication at all.

We are writing to BBC Panorama to see if they can use our case in their program to put a spotlight on this unacceptable behaviour not only in terms of support failure but in terms of housing crisis too.

Thanks for your support
Burro