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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About my new health visitor?

258 replies

EllenandBump · 14/12/2011 19:55

I carefully explained to her today the situation. Currently my son is 18months and sleeping in a travel cot, which i am worried that he will eventually climb out of and what did she tell me, when he does, just put a mattress on the floor for him, HELLOOOOO. I then explained, it was my sisters room, and has full length glass on the wardrobe doors and bedside tables and she told me to put CLING FILM over it, like thats really going to help. Surely its dangerous to leave him to just run around in there on his own? If i had said it surely they would have been onto social services!!! I am sure she couldnt have had children of her own btw

OP posts:
Original poster
EllenandBump · 20/12/2011 21:48

Claire, who is a housing aid legal representative is putting together a request for a review of their decision, but that can take 45 days, and i may need more supporting information, which unfortunatly my doctor is on leave for the first two weeks in january. So i think i am doing everything right, but do sometimes wonder. I cant go back to northampton. I wasnt expecting it sorted over night, but i had hoped to be on the housing register by now. x

OP posts:
Original poster
EllenandBump · 20/12/2011 22:14

And still waiting to hear regards of child benefit but now am getting tax credits. x

OP posts:
AnonyMaw · 20/12/2011 22:53

I think cling film sounds dangerous, a suffocation hazard, he could get hold of that? You could stick film onto the glass mirror doors, so if they broke they wouldn't shatter into parts.

Sunshine401 · 20/12/2011 22:55

Why does this country feel everyone should get everything free?
Why should the goverment give you a house?

Yes you have had a hard time (LIFE)
Yes thank GOD your mum has put you up!
But you should of been using this time to save money to get a bond down on your own house.
Goodness me the minds of some people are scary you should see how some people live else where and feel proud that you can do so much on your own in England.

Rudolfsgottarednose · 20/12/2011 23:19

"Why does this country feel everyone should get everything free?
Why should the goverment give you a house?"

Social housing once came under the Welfare State, i take it you have heared of "Cradle to grave care"?

This is provided in the Uk so we don't have the most vulnerable dying on the streets (unlike some countries).

The OP is entitled to help as a citizen of the UK.

Sunshine401 · 20/12/2011 23:21

Thats why i said you should be proud to live in England but i think its abit much just to demand a house !
Save for one.

Sunshine401 · 20/12/2011 23:22

And be thankful you have a roof over your head!

Feminine · 20/12/2011 23:26

sunshine we are not all given the same chances in life.

lovely as it might be to think that.

Have you read all the thread, you might like to.

sometimes humans need a little help ...

Rudolfsgottarednose · 20/12/2011 23:27

Sunshine- you have to have disposable income to be able to save for a house. If a person then has to rely on HB to support their accomodation, it will cost the country less to put the lower income/most needy into Social housing, rather than pay a private LL and then there is the cost to balancing the damage caused by unstable housing. The Wefare State is actually the cheapest way to keep the standard of living reasonable. Employment across the UK isn't stable, wages aren't high for all, step out of your ivory tower.

Sometimes the priority has to be getting back onto your feet and being temporarily unemployed to become long term stable.

Feminine · 20/12/2011 23:27

And op hasn't asked for a house...she wouldn't get one.

She is asking for a small flat , to start over.

That (although difficult) should be within her grasp.

Rudolfsgottarednose · 20/12/2011 23:29

Housing should never have been removed from being a feature of the Welfare State, nor should the renting out of houses as a means to make money.

JustRedbin · 20/12/2011 23:30

I started reading this thread on Sunday, was about to reply then realised that troll hunting is banned on MN.

Rudolfsgottarednose · 20/12/2011 23:33

Just- the OP isn't a new poster, though ?

olgaga · 20/12/2011 23:39

she has said i can stay here temporarily until i sort myself out. I understand i am not an emergency and there are a lot of people worse of than i am

Ellen, that's your situation I'm afraid, in a nutshell. No-one is going to offer you temporary accommodation because it would be far worse than you already have. You need to follow the link I provided and apply for social housing in Bexley.

As ohanotherone says: Talk to them about private rented and housing benefit or ring the housing associations up yourself and fill in their forms directly.

It's not someone's job to do this for you - you have to be proactive about it or you'll just end up at the bottom of a list of thousands of people (in far worse situations) who would also like their own front door.

And for heaven's sake, the health visitor is not talking about cling film. There is a product called glass safety film, which is obviously what she was talking about:
www.babysecurity.co.uk/products/1333/BabySecurity-Glass-Safety-Film-%252D-Glass-Window-Film.html

If you are that worried, get some. Move the furniture. Make the room safe. It can't be that difficult.

Original poster
EllenandBump · 21/12/2011 14:45

To be on the councils rent deposit scheme you need to be in priority need which they have said i'm not and there are no other Rent dep schemes about, it was the first thing i researched into before going o the council. all the housing associations waiting lists are closed as they are only taking nomiations from the local council. Thanks for the link for safety film, why couldnt the hv have said that in the beginning?

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ohanotherone · 21/12/2011 15:41

In areas like Northhamptionshire they haven't had high levels of immigration so you will have had a fairly easy experience in finding housing through the local council. I'm not anti immigration but even with tories selling off some housing demand has far outstripped supply. What people must understand now is that there are thousands of people on the waiting lists in every single London borough. Those Housing officers have heard it all so if you want a home of your own you may well need to consider private rented.

Original poster
EllenandBump · 21/12/2011 16:20

I am looking into orbits short term rents in larner road erith, but when teh short term comes to an end willi be intentionally homeless, as i knew when i took it on it was only short term?

OP posts:
Feminine · 21/12/2011 17:24

No, I presume in that case you would be helped surely?

It wouldn't be your fault IYSWIM? :)

Original poster
EllenandBump · 21/12/2011 19:32

But i would have in their opinion (they seem to think its fine for me to return to northampton and a property me and ex husband used to share, when he still lives there to best of my knowledge) made myslef intentionally homeless as i took on a short term rent property? Because teh council seems to work out the best way of getting out of housing you.

OP posts:
olgaga · 21/12/2011 19:34

Ellen, all private rented accommodation is also short term - you sign a six month or 12 month contract with a "break clause", which may or may not be renewed depending on your landlord, (sometimes they want to put the rent up or sell the property) and whether you are a good tenant. That's why social housing which is more secure is so much more desirable - and why there are literally tens of thousands of people on waiting lists practically everywhere in the South East.

I understand you would be classed as needing emergency housing if you are evicted - but it depends on the circumstances, and whether you could be classed as making yourself "intentionally homeless". I think if you knew your housing contract would only last six months and would not be renewed, you would be expected to find an alternative - having had six months to do it.

As I have said, emergency housing in most places is a room in a hostel or a b&b - not "your own front door", and to be honest with you it sounds like you'd be a lot better off with your mum!

Re the "cling film" maybe it's just that the HV was trying to describe it to you and you misunderstood. Anyway, none of this is her fault, or yours - but it's down to you I'm afraid to get to grips with what you need to do.

You have access to the internet, clearly - use it. Chase everything you can, go down to the Bexley Housing Options Service (HOS) at Bexley Civic Offices if you haven't already been:
www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=702

Feminine · 21/12/2011 19:36

Yep, thats true.

They need to properly understand the domestic violence you suffered,and that you had no choice but to move.

Things do move slowly don't they especially in housing...I know its to be expected ...still it must be annoying. :)

Maybe push for them to help you with a private rental? Is there really nothing $$ wise they could do? to help with the deposit etc...

Original poster
EllenandBump · 21/12/2011 19:49

Apparently, only for those in priority and i would still need to find a landlord that wouldf accept hb and a rent deposit scheme. i used to privately rent through one, but we were evicted 8months pregnant after moaning about the state of the place and getting environmental health involved thanks to my midwife. I mean it was really bad. There was mould in all the food cupboards and a really bad leak in the roof, which was causing the mould, so nothing we were doing was helping. The place was a state the windows in teh front room were held in by cellotape, i noticed this when cleaning them and didnt realise until i went to take it off. I assumed it had been what remained from christmas lights from last christmas or something and they hadnt taken it off properly, but no it was teh window panes. I was worried about taking on a short term rent that is what orbit advertise them as and there is a regeneration project which is going to happen some point in the next year or two at the site. Seems so complicated

OP posts:
orangeLFDThead · 21/12/2011 19:49

Yanbu. A few years back I was in a very similar situation. Back at my mum and dads with two dc but they had plenty of room. My hv wrote a letter describing how stressful it was being at my mums and dads. I was on the housing list as I had filled in all the forms but hv advised me to go to housing office and spaek personally with them. When I did they said because I did not have a permanent home they could put me down as homeless. A decision they had not made from just filling in the application. I got offered a house a few months later on the day as was moving into private rent, which was a big mistake but thats another story.
Your hv could of been alot more helpful considering the not ideal sleeping arrangements. Hope you get sorted soon.

Original poster
EllenandBump · 21/12/2011 19:51

I did go and have an appointment my housing aid representative told me that even though they should have at the appointment they hadnt even taken a formal homeless application. What a pain. I will have to ask my doctor maybe they will be able to help more. My doctor is really lovely, just seems a bit of a waste of her time to have to bother her, but have blood results to collect but not until mid january. x

OP posts:
orangeLFDThead · 21/12/2011 19:58

Have you tried getting on housing association lists too.