Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To make a formal complaint about local council?

11 replies

mouldnumber1 · 19/09/2012 21:01

And to be generally pissed off with Gov. and WA (a little)
Sorry this may be long but I don't want to drip-feed.

I have 3 DC, one daughter (8) and one son (6) from relationship which ended late 2005 while still pg with the youngest. From 2007 have shared care with ex for these children with me having them for 4 days and him 3. Started another relationship in 2008 and had another daughter (1.5 years). Had always lived in rented accommodation but wanted to buy so to save for a deposit when our contract came to an end for our accommodation at the start of Nov 2011 we moved to a flat above the shop that my youngest daughters fathers cousin owned only having to pay for utilities and with me due to return to work in Jan 2012 we would be able to save a good amount of money for a deposit.

At the start of Dec 2012 an argument between myself and my partner ended in him hitting me 4 times around the face/head and I called the police- this was the first time this had ever happened and my partner had never been abusive/controlling at all. My older 2 DCs were thankfully with their father but my youngest who was 8-9 months at the time was in bed. Partner fled and was arrested about a week later. This happened on a Sunday evening.

Monday morn I visited the local council was given an emergency app. the next day as I needed to leave where I was but had nowhere to stay full-time and no money to get a rental place.

Tuesday was found a place with WA in a refuge- Only got call about 4:30pm so went the following morning. I had asked my other DCs dad to have the children during the week and I would have them over the weekend and stay at my mums with them as I really did not want to disrupt their school.
This was a couple of weeks before xmas and I went to stay with my mum/sis over xmas and new year. over xmas found out I was Pg, decided to not continue with Pg due to circumstances and had termination mid Jan.

went to Mums the day before and was going to stay there for a few days. had coil fitted when had procedure done. Ended up being away from refuge for 3 weeks due to infection,pain, large amount of blood clots, missing coil which turned out to be upside down and inside my abdominal cavity requiring surgery.

WA gave me 24 hours notice to leave start of Feb.
Council were still investigating my case to see if they would accept me as homeless when I spoke to advisor she would ask questions, I would answer, she would say I will call you next week 2 weeks would go by, I visit the council to enquire whats going on, she would call me that day or next, more questions- some the same, will call you next week- you get the idea.
From start of feb to the 3rd week in may me and youngest DD were staying a few nights with mum, a few with sis and then a friend and back to mum again.
3rd week in may got accepted as homeless and placed in a tiny 1 bed flat as temp. accommodation.

Due to the domestic violence SS were involved and wanted to keep case open until was properly housed they carried out some checks and informed me 3 weeks after moving into temp. accommodation that there was a convicted child sex offender living in the room opposite my flat!

Contacted housing officer and turned out they knew about this but could not disclose! My reply was why the f**k did you put me here with one child here full time and 2 visiting??! was told no more accommodation can you go back to stay with mum- Looked up this man on google and he had convictions from 2005, 2008 and 2011 and was originally from another area of country when I had been resident in area since birth.

Mum told them I can't stay again and SS were in contact with them- they took 2 weeks to actually do something, they put me into band A (previously in B) and about 3 weeks after I secured a perm. home and can now get back to having my older children 4 days a week

Somebody from the council is coming on Monday for a new home check and to make sure I haven't any problems with the house. I really want to make a complaint and feel this is an good time to do so but AIBU and should I just be grateful??

Sorry post so long but that felt so good to get it all out!

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 19/09/2012 21:10

I'm so sorry all this has happened to you but what exactly is it that you want to complain about?

Sorry I'm not sure?

mouldnumber1 · 19/09/2012 21:13

for it taking from start of december until may to accept me as homeless, saying they would contact and then not and putting me across the hall from a child sex offender

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 19/09/2012 21:20

I see but did they know you were in hospital and staying at various places?

I mean did you keep up contact with them the whole time?

Putting you across the hall from a sex offender obviously isn't nice, who would want to live across the hall from him?

But they did absolutely the right thing in telling you so that you don't allow him to befriend you and your children.

I don't see what else they could have done on that score being as though they have so little accomodation available.

mouldnumber1 · 19/09/2012 21:25

they were aware I was unwell and that I was staying in different homes.
The council did not tell me about the sex offender, they said they couldn't disclose this information to me. SS and the police did after caring out some checks.

Before I found out about this man he had been in my flat with me and the children present as he offered to carry some things upstairs for me and fix a chest of drawers together. We also chatted in the hall when children there

OP posts:
ThisIsMummyPig · 19/09/2012 21:28

If you want to make a complaint, do it in writing. That way someone will have time to deal with it properly. Otherwise you will just be ranting at someone who's specialism is to see if the fabric and fittings of the building are suitable for you and your family.

You have clearly had a terrible time, but I don't think that telling the person on Monday is the best way of preventing this from happening again. (which is presumably the point of your complaint?)

WorraLiberty · 19/09/2012 21:28

Ahh I see then YANBU to complain at all.

It's one thing if you happen to live opposite to one and no-one knows...or they can't do anything about it because he owns his home, but it's quite another to be placed there by the council and them not make you aware.

Though on the other side of the coin you could say that we all need to be careful about who we allow in our homes when we have children.

ThisIsMummyPig · 19/09/2012 21:29

BTW, SS are the council, so they did tell you.

mouldnumber1 · 19/09/2012 21:37

Yes the point of the complaint is so it does not happen to another person- sorry would also be a bonus.

The police came to me with social worker to disclose to me about the sex offender so maybe information came from the police?

OP posts:
minsmum · 19/09/2012 21:46

I wonder if you mean that housing did not tell you about the sex offender, if that is the case YABU they are not allowed to disclose information to you anymore than about you. It is the law.
SS and the police probably are allowed to disclose the information

Mayisout · 19/09/2012 21:52

I would write but not sure about being too critical - there probably weren't any houses available, or if there were you were one of several deserving cases. But perhaps if you put it in writing it will go on record and you might be prioritised if iit ever happens again (fingers crossed it won't OP)

Pendeen · 19/09/2012 22:53

"I secured a perm. home and can now get back to having my older children 4 days a week"

and

"Somebody from the council is coming on Monday for a new home check and to make sure I haven't any problems with the house"

"AIBU and should I just be grateful"

quite frankly......yes

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread