Just a bit of a vent really! My dad lives in a HA property which is too big for him and not suitable for his needs - he has very poor mobility and really struggling to get around. He’s known to Adult Social Services as he has a care package and they do regular reviews with him (they’re a lovely team) and they suggested I get him registered with the council’s social housing portal.
So back in January I created an account, filled in the application form, uploaded the many documents they needed for proof and then waited. The account just kept saying ‘pending’. After 6 weeks I tried to ring them but no answer. Left a voicemail, no one got back to me. Sent two messages through the portal, no reply. Eventually on my third message someone replied to say they were waiting for a reference from his current landlord. Great - progress!
Another month passed so I chased and also left another voicemail. I eventually got a message to say they needed proof of his medical conditions. So I got in touch with one of his consultants and got a letter which I uploaded to the portal. Again, nothing heard so around April, I chased again and just got a generic reply saying ‘you’ve not submitted all the required documents’. I replied to say ‘what do you need, please let me know and I’ll get it for you’. They just sent a link to a generic page with a list of ALL the documents that I’d already supplied so I said ‘I’ve already sent all these…you can actually see them all uploaded in the portal…can you tell me specifically which one you don’t have?’ No reply.
All the while my dad is getting frailer and even less able to cope in the house. He’s frequently using a wheelchair but he can’t get into the kitchen in that. With family support and carers, we’re just about managing but I can’t help but think how this decent sized 3 bed home would be brilliant for a family but yet, I can’t even get past application stage with the housing authority.
Eventually after sending another message through the portal, trying to ring them again (no reply), I asked my dad’s OT if she could put in a good word. She did and then rang me to say they’d closed his account as I’d not submitted the required documents in time. I could have cried!
Anyway, 6 months on I’m back to square one with no guarantee that the same thing won’t happen again. Thankfully I’ve lodged a couple of applications with some private providers and my dad has an appointment to see a bungalow soon. These private providers made it really simple - a straightforward application form followed by an in-person interview where he had to take ID etc.
I suppose the thing that also upsets me is that there may well be a family who are in temp accommodation who would love my dad’s house but it’s all being held up because of a council department. Perhaps they’re massively over stretched (I get that’s a possibility) but I just keep being sent round in loops without any clear answers. All I’ve said to them is, ‘please tell me what proof you need and I will get it for you’ but nope.
Anyway, just wondering if anyone else has had some experience in applying for sheltered housing (via a council)? I want to lodge a complaint but I’m not even sure they’d reply.