Grrrrrrrrrr bloody housing officer!!!

[holdenmcgroin1979]

Came round today saying i have two weeks to sort my front and back garden out and tidy it up or else! He knows i have been suffering with severe anxiety after having a bad miscariage last year and being pg again has made me a nervous wreck, the neighbours bloody cat has shit on the gravel in my front garden, wouldnt be so bad but he had the cheek to blame my moggies even thought he knows i keep them inside due to said neighbours cat attacking them everytime they are outside. I am expected to clear up fag butts that people have thrown over my hedge as well. My back garden isnt that bad to be honest it's just a few kids toys a bit of weeding and the grass that needs cutting but it's all stuff that involves heavy lifting or being in contact with soil which could have cat poo in it!! So cheesed off right now so this isn't so much an AIBU but a good old rant. Not expecting sympathy just wanted to get it off my chest!

you can't just evict the tenant of a soical landlord either. and what kind of bonkers world would it be if we could evict people for not keeping their gardens tidy? a judge would laugh it out of court.

the difference between social housing and a lettings agency is that social housing does not exist to make a profit. A good social landlord if alerted to the fact that a tenant needs help or support will signpost the tenant or involve an agency to help, not something a lettings agency will do.

There is very obviously some underlying problems here, which if the OP contacted her Housing Officer, some help may be available.

by decent homes standards serenity i am not refering to the standard of work, but rather the standard that is required by Govt which is very minimal.

After being ripped to pieces last night i nearly didn't come back and post but thought i owed it to those who didn't take the pee and accepted i just wanted a rant to post again. Had son the eldest bring me home some salt on the way home from school and have spread it all over my garden. I am just gonna do little steps each day, hell knows i may get the two eldest in the garden on saturday afternoon when little man has his nap and see about getting the grass cut (god knows what i'm gonna do with the cuttings though may have to make my compost heap a bit bigger, can you get reported for having a compost heap does anyone know?) Thank you to those who were supportive last night, it's much appreciated, like i said i didn't want sympathy just a rant.

Thanks for coming back and posting. That sounds like a very good plan of action. Why don't you mention the problem with what you'd do with the grass clippings (and other rubbish) to the HA man he might be able to help you out since you are making the improvements he's asking for. At out local tip there have a bit for garden waste - could you get someone to take your rubbish to the tip? Better than having a massive compost heap :)

Also you mention that you might get you 2 eldest to help out at the weekend. Are they able to help out in the garden on say a weekly basis for pocket money? That might be a good way to keep on top of it, and they'd be making a contribution to the running of the home.

Ghoul we have a bin for garden waste and raw fruit and vegetable waste but due to the shear size of my garden it soon becomes full after one mow up and down one side of it so i still end up with a big pile of grass left.

My eldest two are already registered as young carers with all the help they give me with their SN siblings like helping with homework and washing up dinner plates while i set to and bath the twins and my toddler so i would feel bad asking them to do more (they are only 11 and 12 themselves). They are sweet kids though and many a saturday i have woken up to find thye have got up and got their siblings breakfast and dressed so i can have a bit of a lay in. I feel like a moron for moaning now as i know how lucky i am to have what i do have. i guess i just didn't expect the harsh response i got just for wanting a rant.

Your 2 eldest sound lovely and like they are doing so much for your family. You must be really proud of them.

Just ignore people making you feel bad on here. You have a lot on your plate and I don't think it's surprising that the garden isn't your no 1 priority (especially at the front where it's other people that are making the mess). I'm sure if the HA man sees you've made an effort to tidy up that will be enough - he's not expecting it to look like a National Trust garden

Night night.

Sorry but I have to say - you keep cats in your house so cleaning cat crap is something you do anyway. Also, if you've had enough energy to get pregnant with all you say on your plate then you should be able to keep the garden of the house you live in clear.

mrsrugby, what a fabulous member of society you are

Holden, glad to see you came back We are lucky in that we have a free garden waste collection just down my road. I load it in my neighbours wheelbarrow and take it down on Saturday mornings. Worth checking with your council if they do this, although i believe our one is stopping shortly due to lack of resources

aww, glad you've come back

bit at a time is a great idea

and your kids sound great

10 and 11 is a great age to learn about gardening though. If your garden is quite big, why don't you get a veg patch going and teach them about growing their own food. Simple stuff like lettuce, beans, tomatoes. You could then use your compost from grass cuttings on it. Also if your twins have SN, you could make a sensory garden with rosemary, lavender, thyme and other smelly plants. They will like that and it doesn't matter if they eat them.

Are your older two in a young carers sche,me? I know they are like gold dust (ds2 was refused despite 2 sn siblings) but if you can get a palce- social services could help- go for it, sounds as if they would benefit hugely.

Lisaro Good point, well made.

Talk about making a bad situation worse. I feel sorry for your children.