AIBU to be upset at the council?

[TurtlesAreAwesome]

Sorry, this is likely to sound like a rant, but here goes...

I've been registered as homeless for a year and I've been living in the temporary accommodation that was offered for nearly 6 months. They promised to do the repairs soon after I've moved in. They've not done anything. I've got a 2 month old baby in a severely damp, cold house, where I can't take a shower (due to broken doors, mouldy and broken shower unit). I was meant to be having disability rails installed but they decided they can't be arsed doing that either. The occupational therapist said in September that the house is unsuitable.

The midwives and health visitor weren't happy that I was stuck in a house in such a state of disrepair on top of a massive hill when I've got a disability. So my housing officer offered me somewhere else (another temp) back in November. I've never actually been allowed to move into there, despite her promising it will be definitely before Christmas.

Basically the damp is getting worse and half of my door fell in yesterday. I called up the council before and they said there's another temporary place that they can't get rid of over 10 miles away, but I wouldn't be moved back to the area in which I'm living in and is on quite a rough estate where I'd stick out like a sore thumb and be very isolated.

Am I being unreasonable to be upset that other people are being offered things that would have been suitable for my daughter and I and they're just trying to get rid of somewhere on me and not letting me move into the place where I was offered?

Even if I got a full time job, which I'm looking for, but nobody seems to want to employ, I'd have to pay childcare costs and I'd be on minimum wage. I still wouldn't be able to afford somewhere more expensive.

I'd only get £70 a week for a one bedroom and they start at around £100/£110 pw around here.

Are you able to go back to work at all, just thinking this might help your financial situation?

Contact your local councillor, contact any councillor that covers your area. They meet the heads of service, so estates/property, and HoS need to be accountable to them, they don't want cllrs coming round.
You'll get a reply, whether they do anything....
Do FOI requests for you to the council. Find out what they're promising and keeping on your case.
Write to your MP or member of the Welsh assembly, local councillors in my area are very respectful to their MPs, mention who you've spoken yo to see if that causes any accountability.
Ask for repairs and make it clear you're not trying to get 'up the list' to get your kitchen or bathroom done, send pictures because then they'll have them, then they can't say they don't know what's going on.

Sorry you are having to live in such a way. Would you be happy to move to a different area?

I wish I was able to move back in with family, but that's not appropriate. I wish I could approach another council, but as this one has a duty towards me, leaving would likely make me intentionally homeless. In hindsight, it was a stupid mistake to move here in the first place and want to be close to the family that I have contact with.

The baby is only 2 months old, I think it's a bit much that people are suggesting the op gets a job. It's horrible that anybody is expected to live in these sort of conditions.
Can any of your family help op? With some basic repairs / fitting rails etc? And you should be getting something from the baby's dad, even if you're not together.

Council and HA are different Helena, Depend on the repair and what you describe as broken If a hinge on a unit door is loose, its the customers repair, if the hinge is broken, we will repair. Its all in their tenancy agreement and comes under minor repairs! so Helena as you should know its not all black and white!!!

Even with a disability, we dont carry out minor repairs, they would have to find someone who could do it, or use the handyman service at a small charge.

OP, Have you made a formal complaint to the council, if so have you then contacted environmental health? if this has not been done you can also contact the housing ombudsman? When you have done the above, and if still no further along, you can seek legal action and claim compensation for the repairs, depending on the history.

Your not alone in this OP, thousands of people in my city are homeless, I was at a meeting the other day England alone has 1.something million people on their housing waiting lists for affordable housing and 5/6 million have insecure tenures, and that's just England.

I wish England did what Scotland did and abolish right to buy, housing stocks are dwindling and their is no money to build new.

The housing crisis is just so bad unfortunately op. I think you are just one of many thousands in this predicament and there are only so many houses to go around . Good luck!

What I've done so far:

Contacted the MP
Contacted the councillor (and next door has too)
Spoke to shelter
Made various complaints
Had the property assessed by an OT and have a copy of her report
Called CAB advice line
Emailed pictures of the damage to my housing officer and her manager.

Those of you banging on about making babies father pay... How do you suggest she do that? She can't make him do anything! The CMS have had my ExHs details for 8 months and I've still not had a single penny for my son. Some men just don't want to be adults!

I know and I think it's awful that so many people are living this way. I know there are people in a worse boat. The type of repairs to be done in this property, according to the agreement are their responsibility. I was even told that if I want another lock putting on my door, that I would be charged for 'damages'.

Baby's dad is a student and would be classed as nil income, so there's no point in chasing him for money. Even if he was on benefits, I'd only get £5 a week which is neither here or there.

I can't afford rails to be fitted in the property and a more appropriate shower unit. Adult services agreed to pay for them, but they can't make adaptations without written permission from the council, which they can't get. The homeless people just can't be arsed doing it, or anything else.

Have you made a formal complaint? not just verbal complaints but formal, in writing

Wow, that's uncalled for. I give my daughter everything I can and I'm a good mother.

I recently found out about a family who had been left for 8 weeks without heating and hot water including over Christmas.

(due to broken doors, mouldy and broken shower unit)

I am a single parent and own my own home. Our shower has been broken for around 3 years, and our door for about 4-5

I can't afford to do anything about it.

Until about 3 years ago we were without heating or hot water for 18 months, as that was how long it took to save up for a new boiler when our old one was condemned.

None of this detracts from our happiness or enjoyment of out home.

I think you need to count your blessings and make the best of what you have.

You say the house is damp, this needs to be your priority to sort out, so what have you done about this for yourself?

You can have a perfectly happy life, and so can your daughter without any of the material things you mention.

(although you need to sort the damp out, or get that sorted)

You'd have an extra £20 a month.... it is important to get that

Would buy nappies/food/a handrail to help you!

I've only just seen its not council property, so the council cannot help you with repairs, so that is most likely why they haven't been done,

who owns the property?

you now need to contact environmental health or the housing ombudsman.

Kitty, thanks. I'm just too polite sometimes, but I was thinking the same thing. You always seem to get judgey arse biscuits on these forums.

sheldon has a point, it's just not been put across nicely

This is how social housing and social care is now... it's the UK. We are under resourced.