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?

Fidela, thanks. I'm on ESA and child benefit. I'm still waiting to receive tax credits as they only decided to send out a form after the fourth time of asking.

There's a certain handful- frankly I don't know why Mumsnet aren't dealing with them posting the same dreary old shit on thread after thread. Anyway, sorry for detracting from the posters would know what they're talking about and may be able to help.

Her dad is a student, so I won't get anything, as he's classed as nil income. I was just making the point.

The house is council temporary accommodation, which is where a private landlord rents the house to the council and is used to put people who are homeless out of the way.

I've seen on some threads before that members of the House of Lords can be useful in these circumstances - can anyone help the Op with more information on that? I had a quick google but didn't see anything helpful.

Another thought is that as you have a disability maybe you could see if Adult Social Care could help you at all?

I know, there are always one or two who try to bring down the reputation of whatever forum people are on. You wonder why they bother, but such is life.

Sorry OP, no advice, but I just wish all the DailyFail readers would go back into the hole they crawled out of. I'm right sick of them.

OP you must be getting confused, if the property does not belong to the council then its not the council they need to ask permission from, its whoever owns the property, so No the council wont aids and adapt a house that does not belong to them. If you want another lock on the door, again you need to ask the landlord permission, if you have asked for permission or permission was refused, if you put an additional lock on the door without permission then yes you would be charged, as you have damaged property that is not yours at the landlords request.

You seem to be getting very confused here, the council will not adapt a home that is not theirs, they cannot give permission to make adaptions as you've already said they DO NOT OWN this property!!!

The daily fail readers need to be horrible to others because it makes them feel better about their own problems.

I don't know who the landlord is. My tenancy agreement states that it's the council's job to deal with the repairs. If I'm correct, they claim the money back from the landlord.

Sorry you're in this situation OP, it sounds very tough and frustrating. Is the mould you mention black mould? I'm wondering if you could make an appointment with your GP and him/her to write a letter to your LA saying that the housing is putting your baby at risk of illness - I've no experience but just an idea. It sounds like you are doing a good job under difficult circumstances.

Thanks Maisy, I will call them in the morning and ask whether they'll write me a free letter.

OP, you said that the place youre in is around 148 a week and 2 beds start at 130ish, an i just ask whos paying the rent on the place now? do you have to top it up?
also, you said esa, do you also get income support and do you get pip? if not have you tried? as at our la we get extra hb if on pip

OP I don't have any advice but just wanted to offer some virtual hand holding and say that I can not believe some of the responses you've had on here. When my baby was 2 months old i could barely get out of the house (colicky baby and PND for me) so the fact that you've written to all those people and are fighting for your housing rights seems like an enormous achievement to me.

And to those questioning why the OP 'chose' to bring a child into her current situation...firstly, how the fuck does asking that help now? And secondly, I am making no assumptions about the OP's situation myself but I think it's very naive to simply assume all pregnancies are planned and a matter of choice.

It depends on the lease agreement, basic repairs will be done by the council, aids and adaptions is not a repair, and will need landlord consent, however the majority of cases, more so with temp contracts, basic repairs still need to be authorised by the landlord for approval.

Don't just contact a councillor, try and find an opposition councillor, ideally one who sits on the Housing committee (or whatever your council call it). It should give you this information on the council website. Opposition councillors are usually happy to make a fuss about stuff like this, and can sometimes get things moving.

DH is an opposition councillor here, and often deals with stuff like this. Not necessarily from people within his own ward, either.

So, if you ask a question of the op or wonder about her situation you are judgemental and therefore a reader of the daily mail? Really? I'm sorry op but you just come across as entitled and expecting to be handed things straight away as you want them.

I can't get IS whilst on ESA, but I get more than I would on IS. Yes, I'm still waiting to receive PIP, as I've had a lot of issues with it. But I'm still only entitled to the 2 bed rate, which is £89 a week. I'm meant to get the 'enhanced' rate for my physical disability.

Straight away? Hahaha, I've been on the list for a year. I'd be extremely grateful for this place if it was in reasonable condition and not on a huge hill. I'm sorry for having a disability, jeez.

I didn't think you can claim ESA, and income support? is it not either or

OP why aren't you getting income support? Id have thought you would have been better claiming income support, have you had your ESA assessment?

I'm not on income support as I'm out of work due to my problems. ESA is more than income support anyway, so I can't complain. I'm grateful for the financial support that I get, it's not a lot to live on, but I'm not the worst off in society.

My only other suggestion wold be to formally complain to the leader of the council. If you're in the area I think you are then he's doing everything he can to be seen as a man of the people at the moment so may be inclined to look into your case from a more elevated position than your local councillors.

Irrespective of how you found yourself in the position of homeless with a baby, the temproary accommodation has to be fit for purpose and yours clearly isn't.

You're not asking for a sprawling house with a garden and private driveway, just a secure home that isn't infested with mould and that can accommodate your mobility issues. That shouldn't be an unreasonable ask for anyone in this country irrespective of status.

Good luck.

Oh, and yes, I've had the WCA. I'm in the support group.

I have pm'd you @Turtles