Hi guys, Sorry for not responding earlier but my internet's been playing up and I've been running around trying to do stuff. The panel wasn't asbestos, it was tested and turns out to be something that looks very much like it but not it - or so they say I don't trust the council as far as i can throw them and want another private test done. The source of the leak was found when the inspector came to have a look at it - if they had only done this when it started. As it was fixed in a few hours it just goes to show that if someone had actually made an effort and supervised the contractors/given them deadline or instructions we wudn't have had to live like that. As of today, there are still so many problems. Xmas is cancelled. Becasues the leaks got so bad and depsite the containers we put around to catch the majority of the water, it's completely saturated the kitchen floor. When it was stripped to apply a new vinyl, the contractor couldn't put it on top because there was so much water still coming up, it's like wading around in mush. The floor is so damaged that the new contractor had said he'll need to put in a completely new one and he also think that the water beneath the floor has spread to the passage and front room because he can see water there from ouutside. However when he spoke to the council they are refusing to replace the living room floor and are telling us to claim the laminates on compensation. But if the floor is damages which we think it is because a certain area keepws seeping water, we can't put new laminates on top of that. More stuff has happened in the interim to display the council's apathy and incompentence but i can't even go into, i'm so stressed. The new contractor we've got are private and have been lifting the lid on the council. He said the only reason the inspector came out on Wednesday to deal with the leak himself was because he thought we were going to take them to court. He also said that the contractors are mostly devious and lazy, often sneaking cards through customers doors so they can pretend they knocked while going off to do private jobs. Because they aren't properly supervised and get paid at the end of the week regardless of whether they got a job done or not, they try to get away with doing the least amount possible so they can spend their time doing private work. I'm am so stressed, we are all so stressed, everythign has to be moved out the ktichen in preparation for the new floor and as it's getting close to xmas ppl are moving slow. Thanks for help at this difficult time, if you think of anything else please let me know vf

Thank you - i feel like i could die right now Do you know how i can find out what kind the asbestos is? I'm taking my mom to solicitors tommorow, trying environmental health and MP again too. I never believe councils could or would actually treat people and children like this. I slept in that room after they disturbed the asbestos. I slept in it. I feel as if I'm in dream; in the last few months my brother almost died, my mom got diagnosed with arthritis and now this. Council shd be coming to assess the panel tommorow but that doesn't mean anything, they've done plenty of "assessing" i.e. ripping up the floor, turning off the heating + hot water. Anyone with experience of asbestos or indifferents at lewisham council please help me, pm me, anything. vf

does anyone know anything about asbestos? Are we gonna die?

HELL ON EARTH Update- - tried to get hold of local councillor to no avail - leaks spreading towards corridor, that’s the laminates ruined. - and the best biggest bombshell we got today was ……….asbestos! Yup, ASBESTOS, in the spare room. You know, the one they drilled a chunk out off, the one I’ve been sleeping in for the last few days since and spent time in. And not wet asbestos, the dry stuff – the one that clings to you and sit in your lungs like a timebomb. So, water is everywhere in the kitchen, risk of electrocution if it drips into sockets, there a cancer hive upstairs, 2 people with chronic health conditions, emergency? You’re having a laugh, the leak is in the roof apparently and the deadline for completing the job is December 30th. It’s a big job you see, not a emergency though cos there’s not actually a flood, so we can wait. I understand. Plumber was meant to come yesterday but went M.I.A – council said there’s was nothing they cud do, couldn’t get hold of him, had to wait till morning. I registered a complaint with Lewisham Council, but where does that leave things in the meantime? Nowhere. Forgive my tone but I just got the asbestos news about, uh, half an hour ago. My mom overheard the repair guy telling his boss, was worried bout going home to his kids with fibres on him. MY FAMILY AND 6 YEAR OLD BROTHER IS LIVING IN THIS HELLHOLE If I end up killing someone I think it’s only fair I get off with diminished responsibility.

Thanks for the responses: My mom is with Lewisham Council – she’s been told by them that the emergency was turning off the hot water and the rest of the issue i.e the leaks is repair work?! She’s called the emergency number several times and been told that as the hot water’s been turned off and there’s still drinking water there’s no emergency. The toilet is now in use because it’s unavoidable but she doesn’t know if it’s related to the leaks. She says one of the contractors removed the toilet to check for the source of the leak and another had a look upstairs but it hasn’t been fixed because it was the “weekend” and “non-urgent” Tawny Owl -do you have more details for the health dept? I had a search for Lewisham Health Dept but it just seems to come up with the NHS Silverfox1961 - i'm gonna get her to try the councillor thing tommorow, thanks I’ve had a look at this site http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/SocialHousingAndCareHomes/RepairsToCouncilHomes/DG_4001383 it details council tenant’s right to repair which I think this may come under, it states that under the scheme there is a time limit set to carry out repairs and if it is not done you can request another contractor. Thanks very much for the suggestions, if anyone has anymore please let me know vf

Hi, I’m not sure if this is the right place 4 this thread but if not can sum1 plz advise? My mother lives in a council property with my younger brothers. On Tuesday she woke up to serious leaks in the kitchen; water was dripping down from several areas in the kitchen, leaving water all over the floor and kitchen surfaces. She phoned the council who arrived in the evening with the solution of turning of all the water save one cold tap in the kitchen which meant no bath, no basin, no flushing the toilet. This did not completely stop the leaks. She phoned again and someone arrived on Wednesday to take a look at the bathroom where it was thought the leak was coming from, they did nothing but promised to send someone the next day to sort it out. The person who arrived on Thursday unlike the other quite unhelpful contractors did work quite hard to rectify the situation however it didn’t work and by this time so much water had leaked down into the kitchen that the walls were bubbling and it was seeping out of the floor. The water was turned back on. My mom called the council again who sent 2 contractors who stated that the leak seemed to be coming from inside the wall from an upstairs bedroom but didn’t deal with it. Yesterday she called the council again who sent someone to turn of the hot water and promised to send a heating engineer to check the radiator for leaks. The person never came and when she called the council was told it was some mistake as no one would come out on the weekend. It’s now Sunday and the problem is no better and there is still no hot water. The situation would be hellish for anyone but it’s particularly bad as my mom has arthritis which isn’t helped by the cold/damp, my brother who has Crohn’s disease which means he goes to the toilet up to ten times a day and there is also a 6 year old in the house. She has to prepare meals in a dripping kitchen which is made particularly drafty by the leaks and is having to bathe my younger brother and herself in a portable basin. There are 2 buckets and around 4 other containers collecting water at the moment and all of these have to be emptied around three times a day so there is a lot of water coming down. She’s worried about the water affecting the appliances resting on the floor, like the fridge, freezer and washing machine. When the toilet was out of action when they turned off the water my other brother with Crohns was having to **** in plastic bags and throw it out, I don’t mean to be gross, but that’s the truth. The Council’s approach has been lacklustre and she feels that the contractors perhaps because they get paid regardless of whether they do the job properly or not are unconcerned about whether the leak is dealt with properly and so just apply temporary measures, one said that as long as she had drinking water it wasn’t really an emergency. They drilled through the upstairs bedroom, messing up the paintwork and also stated they may have to take up the laminate floor, but who will pay for it to be repaired. Is this not an emergency? How can the council expect my mom and brothers to live like this? I feel so helpless, could someone please help me with any advice? Thanks VF

Hiya, I was munching away on a packet on Tesco brand cashews a few days ago when i felt something unexpected in my mouth. I spat it out and disovered it was a small, rather thick rubber band. To put it lightly, I'm particular about my food (i have a very sensitive stomach) and thinking about where this band came from/where it was before it found it's way into my bag makes me:evil: Does anyone know what is the procedure for something like this? Can I go to environmental health or something? There is no way this band came from anywhere else, because the process of consumption went like this? 1. Open bag 2. Lay sheet of kitchen towel flat on table 3. Shake out 1/3 of bag of cashews onto towel 4. Take into living room and begin eating 5. Eurgh! there a rubber band in my mouth! If Tesco were to refute it, how can i prove it was there, can it be tested? Thanks v much in advance VF

Hiya I have a friend who's been working for Wickes for the last few years but recently his hours have been cut from 35 to 15 which he's very unhappy about. I ask this question on his behalf as he's not v. computer literate and doesn't know much about his rights/procedures. He's asked me for advice, is there anything anyone knows that I can tell him? Is it possible for him to legally refute these changes as someone who was initially employed under the terms of 40 hours a week? Thanks v much in advance VF

Sorry but does anyone know how this works? Thanks VF

Thanks, Emma – sorry for not replying earlier but my computer’s been playing up. I went to the doctor’s and bearing in mind what you said I was ready to lay everything bare if necessary. I saw a different doctor to the one last time and explained what’s been happening. He had no qualms about writing me a cert for a month which I think may have also had something to do with getting the over emotional blabbering woman (that’s me) out the door. He also said the CBT could take 9 months! and added that the resident lady doctor is more aware of woman’s problems and I should discuss it with her next time. I wasn’t aware I had women’s problems but anyway….. It was stressful but not as bad as I worked myself up for, if I’m not feeling better in a month I’ll have to do it all over again though. I miss my income a lot; I want to see a hypnotherapist again for my panic attacks and I would like to see my private doctor but I can’t afford him right now– I’m curious, if I wanted to start looking for work in a month, part time perhaps, do you think I could switch over to Jobseekers until I found something? To be honest I don’t even know what my claim is now, I get the feeling from the DWP that they will pay me for as long as I have a sick certificate and when I don’t they won’t. Thanks again VF

Thanks for the advice everyone - I've been on the phone to income support this week who have said that my claim's been cancelled or something like that as my medical evidence covers too short a period. They have however sent me a girocheque for a week of forty something pounds and apparently housing benefit have paid my rent for a week also. I don't know what to make of it. I have debt arrangements which should have been paid at the start of the month and council tax and eletricity and I've just let them slide, I feel as if I'm underwater. "Something else to be aware of ... that others may not be yet. Every GP in the UK now works closely in conjunction with the DWP." Thanks forgottenone, especially for this, at least now I understand the resistance. Income support have said they will reopen my claim if I get them another sick certificate or something like that, so I’m going to have to enter the lion’s den on Monday. I know it’s just four walls, four plainly coloured walls, usually studded with inoffensive literature, so why am I hyperventilating at the thought of it? I don’t want to go in there, unless it's an emergency i've avoided the NHS like the plague and that’s why it’s been worth every penny for me to go private so I wouldn’t have to deal with them. And what do I do if the doc refuses to give me the cert? I feel that they don’t care – I called up this week to check on the status of the CBT and was told that they only pass on the information to the counsellor, that is the extent of the involvement; they couldn’t give me a timeframe in which she would schedule an appointment for me. But, if they don’t want to sign me off sick shouldn’t they at least try a little better to help me? Does anyone have any advice for going to the GP on Monday, I'm seriously bricking it? Forgottenone, Gladstanes, Zamzara - thanks for all the advice, it's been a real help. VF

Thanks for the advice all: "Regarding notice seeking possession a housing association will issue a notice seeking possession then they take you to court - can take up to 3 months for them to possession" My housing association have this thing called ground 8 possession which they apply if rent goes unpaid for more than 8 weeks, i quote: "Ground 8 is a mandatory ground on which the courts must order possession - the question of reasonableness is not applicable. This means that when you are taken to court the order made against you will be an "Outright" order and you will be required to give your home back to the association." As for seeing my GP, I saw her today and got a sick cert for 2 weeks, no longer as "these things can be unhelpful in the long run" - what does that mean? Will i feel better in 2 weeks? will the CBT she's organised come through in 2 weeks? last time i waited 6 months. "I would stop spending money on other doctors and therapists and just try to get referred to a good consultant psychiatrist." My feelings on the NHS would need a whole new thread; they don't have time to listen to you so they hand out antidepressants like smarties, i dont even want to be on Seroxat, it's not helping anymore, but i can't bloody get off it. Suffering from side effects to do with the medication? sorted, take a next medication. Private doctors actually listen, going to my GP is enough to bring on panic attack, i feel as if i need a lawyer beside me. I also think there is a medical condition causing my anxiety but NHS don't want to know, it's all in my head. For me personally, psychiatrists are almost useless- i get nothing from someone asking me questions and taking notes then sending me home to deal with the fallout. I know they are helpful to some people, just not me. To Jase1982, I know your suggestion of withdrawing my resignation was a good one but my last day was friday and I physically don't think I've could have gone but to my boss and tried to un-resign myself, they also got in someone else to replace me by then. Emmaf01, I'm going to give the council welfare right officer a call, thanks for the tip. Thanks again everyone, VF

"People at your workplace shouldn't have to know anything about your health issues" I know that should be the case but unfortunately it's not. How do I know? I'm not even in the hub drub of social circles at work and even I know some things which I definitely shouldn't, I can just imagine what I don't hear. Regardless, thank you Fuzzgin (interesting name) for taking the time to respond. VF

"I can't say I really understand that statement." There's a lot of gossip and bitchiness at my workplace; snobbery from both working class snobs and trust fund brats - I guess it got to me, I didn't want to admit I either needed help or benefits. No matter how confidential they say these things are, it WOULD have got around and I didn't want certain people who know other people, knowing MY business. Getting a sick note would have meant detailing my issues to my boss, DWP contacting them etc. Yes, I have several issues; being able to not give a damn about what people think is one of them. I also didn't want it to affect my record for when I feel ready to work again.

Hi everyone, I'll try and give a brief overview of the situation: I've recently resigned from my job due to health problems and now I'm in a fix because I'll have no income and won't be able to make rent for my flat. I've heard that if you resign, you aren't entitled to any benefits, is this true? I suffer from depression and panic attacks (I almost got sacked when I diclosed this) and the situation is unbearable, what I've been doing for the last few months is not living. I've tried, bloody hell have I tried hard, but there are certain parts of the work I can't even do properly anymore because of my nerves and I'm spending a bomb of taxi fares becasuse I can't cope which the public transport. Apologies, I'm digressing. My flat is housing association and has a ground possession 8 clause or something which means that if the rent goes unpaid for longer than 8 weeks, they have the right to take it away immediately. I have no saving as a lot of my money has been spent of private doctors, hypnotherapists and living costs. Now, I'm **** scared I'm going to lose my flat. Due to my contract I'm working 4 weeks notice and I'm on my last week, the only thing getting me through this is knowing i finish soon but now I have the consequences to deal with. It's pride which made me not get a sick cert from my doctor and go on leave. Has my pride screwed me? Anyone in the know? P.S My doctor is aware of my health problems as I'm on medication and it's a chronic problem. Thanks in advance VF