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AIBU?

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Original poster

Aibu to think this housing officer has it in for me?

66 replies

pippaharriden43 · 08/07/2018 15:16

I moved into my house 6 months ago.
The house was filthy and I mean filthy..urine and waste stains on bathroom floor etc.
I'm a full time carer for my mum with dementia and two kids so it was a struggle but finally got it looking lovely.
Spent over £2500 on flooring /furniture and decorating etc.
My housing officer came for a inspection and said "wow for someone who doesn't work you've done quite good"
A week later a card is pushed through door "please remove rubbish urgently from garden"
I live in a corner house and we had bad wind a few things (crisp packets had blown in).
Kept on top of that and made sure I checked daily for anything that had blown in.
A week later another card "please trim Bush,it looks untidy "
So I trim the Bush ...
Friday another card ..."please remove weeds from garden otherwise I will open a breach of tenancy which will lead to eviction"
I sat and cried my eyes out..I've put so much work into this place ..I'm not super woman.
It's honestly a few weeds (the garden was awful when I got the keys)
I've been around taking pics of the other gardens (with more weeds than mine)
I feel she has it in for me.

OP posts:
DarlingNikita · 08/07/2018 16:12

"wow for someone who doesn't work you've done quite good"

Well that's outrageous for starters.

I would call the organisation and ask for an appointment with HOs line mananger.
Do this. Take all the cards with you.

SaltyPeanut · 08/07/2018 16:12

Housing managers do not behave like this, well I've never met one who acts this way.
Warnings over possible breach of tenancy issues are not dealt with by delivering hand written notes. They are typed and come through the post because it creates an official paper trail.

Her behaviour is very odd.

I've never seen a single housing officer be bothered by a few weeds and wind strewn crisp packets. They only usually care about dangerous things or actual damage to council property. Even then, if the damage is minor, they will give you the option to pay for repair.

I would have to say my feeling is, this is personal and edging towards bullying. She actually sounds as if she could be jealous that you have made a nice home while not working. She may be of the type who thinks you should live in a dirty filthy shithole because she works and you don't at the moment. I have come across a lot of people who think this way, unfortunately.

Get yourself to the Citizens Advice Bureaux and do a bit of show and tell, get some advice. You need witnesses to this situation who don't work for the council. You could also contact Shelter for advice.

Best of luck. Keep your chin up. Flowers

Ninoo25 · 08/07/2018 16:15

Are you in an area where the properties are particularly expensive? I’ve heard of housing associations in London not maintaining properties very well, people then leave and they are sold on to developers. Also could just be that you have a self righteous cow on your hands, who doesn’t actually know your situation and just think that you are at home all day and expect the house and garden to be super immaculate because of that?
If I were you I’d jot down everything that has happened from day 1 in an email and direct it to their complaints department and say that you feel harassed. Don’t mention the housing officer by name or anything as that’s only likely to get her back up (and will be counterproductive for you if they refuse to allocate you another housing officer)

Ninoo25 · 08/07/2018 16:17

Another thought is, do you have any neighbours that you don’t get on with or who are particularly pedantic and could be putting in complaints?

Original poster
pippaharriden43 · 08/07/2018 16:19

I live in the north east so not expensive really.
The cards are hand written but on official headed cards if that makes sense.
My previous flat (housing association) I never heard from the housing officer in 5 years.
This one is a pain ...I would understand if I was loud and obnoxious but I'm quiet,keep myself to myself etc.

OP posts:
Original poster
pippaharriden43 · 08/07/2018 16:20

My next door neighbours are 50s/60s and are lovely.
I don't have a neighbour to the left.
I just hope I never hear from her again but I won't hold my breath.

OP posts:
Birdsgottafly · 08/07/2018 16:21

"Housing managers do not behave like this,"

Mine did. I started an Email trail. She loved the power.

My Son-In-Law (in a different area), who was living with his Grandmother when she died, was treated like a Prince, because the HO fancied him and he would flirt with her. I heard that she was like that with a lot of the single male tenets.

The same happens in Job centers etc.

Dieu · 08/07/2018 16:23

What a fucking cheek, when you consider all the work you've put in, and the state the place was in when you took it over. Flowers

KarinVogel · 08/07/2018 16:26

I think the HA has found an easy mark in you OP and is making you jump through whatever hoops she pleases because you have done everything she has asked of you. Probably she has targets for this sort of thing and is putting each one down as fixed.

Please dont put up with it .It seems like harassment to me and there is no excuse for it. Make a complaint and follow it up frequently until you have a reply. Keep everything you have and only give copies on request .

Ninoo25 · 08/07/2018 16:27

It’s a shame you don’t actually catch them putting the cards through as you could open the door and ask them exactly what they mean. Cheeky cow. I don’t know where they get off treating people like that and making you feel uncomfortable in your own home. You’d think she was allowing you to live in her own house rent free or something!

marylou1977 · 08/07/2018 16:28

I believe this is all about her thinking you don’t have a job and being able to upgrade your place so nicely. This appears to be jealousy on her part. I would guess this is motivated by she is working and probably her place is not as nice. Document everything. Make an appointment to see her boss. This needs to be stopped or she will continue to complain about petty nonsense and make your life miserable.

ShmooBooMoo · 08/07/2018 16:47

Log it all an complain if necessary. They may be able to assign a different HO to you?

HelenaDove · 08/07/2018 16:48

"Housing managers do not behave like this,"

Well many on here will know about this one already but towards the end of last year our HO slapped a tort notice on the communal wall saying that unless DH got rid of his mobility scooter they would take it and destroy it The accompanying letter which came a few days later said they would take it and sell it to cover the cost of taking it.

It got resolved and DH now has a shed outside to store it in AFTER i started posting about it on social media with screenshots.

Despite this proof i still had a few ppl trolls accuse me of lying.

Feelslikecrystal · 08/07/2018 16:49

No court in the land will evict you for a few weeds, honestly! Please just do what you need to do but DO NOT worry, you won't lose your home. Go in and speak to your HO explain your circs and say you genuinely care and are doing your best. Hopefully this will make them back off. In all my years as a HO not one case has proceeded to court for a few weeds.

4littlebirds · 08/07/2018 16:50

I used to work with a woman and she would have loved the power to be dictating to people like that, some people are indeed very strange.
I would keep the notes, photos and contact the housing office to state that you are under a lot of pressure with your caring responsibilities and that you are now starting to feel harassed by this women and let them sort her out. I doubt you’re the only person she’s bothering.
Are you sure it can’t be a loony neighbour with a good printer ?
Either way speak to office, don’t be putting up with that.

Ittakestwo · 08/07/2018 16:53

I’ve lived in my LA house 26 years and never met a housing officer. It sounds like bloody harassment Angry

HemanOrSheRa · 08/07/2018 17:03

I'm a Housing Officer (though for a specific area) there is NO WAY they can evict you for these things. No way.

I bet she is on some sort of monitoring of her 'patch. And picking off the easy bits rather than the real problems. If I were you I would contact my local councillor with the evidence you have. I'm a council tenant/leaseholder for the same authority I work for.

Bagadverts · 08/07/2018 17:09

Maybe start by finding the complaints procedure for the housing association. Keep copies of anything that you send/email and date and times of calls.

I suggest contacting Shelter for advice as they specialise in housing work.

england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/council_housing_association/complaints_about_housing_associations

NapQueen · 08/07/2018 17:21

OP she will be "busying" herself with crappy bits like this to avoid the major issues which she has on her patch hoping if she ignores them long enough they will either go away or become so bad she can justifiably refer it out to gp/social serv/police.

Original poster
pippaharriden43 · 08/07/2018 19:29

Will it matter that I'm still on a starter tenancy?
It doesn't get made a perm one till a year apparently.
I often see her around the streets here.
I'm sure years ago they only came out if you needed them.

OP posts:
BlueAir · 08/07/2018 19:33

@HelenaDove I get you - I've had similar thing happened to me
more than once.
I've never been made to feel so vulnerable about living
in my home in my life since I moved to social housing.

SouthWestmom · 08/07/2018 19:38

Are you sure they are from her?

Handwritten cards is a bit weird - are they posted?

It means she's wasting an awful lot of paid time and mileage to come and post stuff to you.

I'd agree - if they are from her make an appointment with the manager not her.

TheBigFatMermaid · 08/07/2018 19:40

I have had similar and worse harassment from my HO. She was doing monthly inspections.

I got advice from Shelter, they said I have the right to 'reasonable enjoyment of my home' and that even if the house and garden are not immaculate, because of my circumstances (disabled) they would need a higger burden of proof that my bit of mess was detrimental to the property in a permanent way.

When she came the next day, I cried, threw a proper tantrum, I also had a friend there for support. I told her what Shelter had advised, told her I would not allow monthly inspections any more. She wanted to leave there and then, but I had mad the effort to tidy, so made her look around. ATM she comes three monthly, which is just about OK, but I am thinking that after 4 'reasonable' inspections, she should stop doing it!

I have lived in my house for 19 years!

specialsubject · 08/07/2018 19:41

blimey. as a private landlord I would deservedly be in huge trouble for harrassment if I did this. Surely the same rules apply???

complain, this is awful.

TheQueef · 08/07/2018 19:45

The HO has some targets to hit and you are still on a probo tenancy so therefore are a captive audience.

Keep up with her tidying demands but don't stress about the cards, soon you will have a permanent tenancy.

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