Is this an offence?

[noomill060]

What an awful experience, but Im not really suprised.

 

For God's sake, will you now go to the media as has been offered?

[thekat1979]

UPDATE

 

The council haven't even allocated my case to an assessment officer and they wont put me through to anyone. Going to ring back in a short while and try again.

[help me kick his butt]

Kat love, now is the time to speak to the site team, this really needs dealing with now. Please dont be frightened of contacting the media.

I feel for you so much, if I was local to you, I would come pick you up with your OH and your Doggie and let you stay with me.

I am absolutley disgusted reading through this thread that you have not been helped, it makes my blood boil.

Email Bank fodder and let him help you alert people that can really help you.

Kindest Regards

xxxxx

[MrMT]

Sorry I missed the fact the council were only offering temporary housing for now - that's good for several reasons but not if your dog is excluded. On that note, and I realise you've already got an offer for accomodation, I'd be happy to mind (Argus is it?) for as long as it takes and happily return him to you when asked.

 

As for an attempted break in, I reckon it's just scare tactics though how far they're willing to go is unsure. At least they haven't carried out their threat to commit arson which implies they're just cowardly bullies as previously mentioned. Does Argus bark when such things occur? That is usually enough deterrent to any burglar.

 

Please document as much as you can, I feel you're going to be very busy making official complaints about they way you're treated by all - officials especially! This thread is pretty much a good diary to refer back to. Talk about a nightmare! I hope it ends soon for you all, Kat.

[ukaviator]

Kat the site team are aware of your situation, do you have an update please?

[thekat1979]

UPDATE

 

What a day!

 

The council hadn't even assigned us to a temporary housing officers until about 1 this afternoon. Spoke to someone at about half past one who said that they were now looking at flats and houses exclustively as a hostel was obviously not usitable. They said it could take a few days, but that they would find us somewhere.

 

Fast forward to five this evening when I get a call from temporary accomodation who state that they now don't have any houses or one bed flats - we assumed they were looking for 2 bed flats as we have a doctors note stating that we need additional space for our disable dequipment but that is apparently not the case. They say that they have nothing and that they are now looking at hostels. When I asked about shared bathrooms, they said one o the ones they were hoping to get me into had no shared faciliites. When asked about space, they said they were hoping to get a 'slightly larger room' and when asked about toilet arrangement for Argus, they said there was nothing. I stated that this would be unacceptable as he needs an area to relieve himself and that it would be particularly unsuitable to rehome him in those conditions. Their response was that they didn't have anything else so we'd HAVE to take what was given to us!

 

I said to them that I was aware of a few council properties that were presently vacant, to which I got that they would not be putting me in one of those because my case hadn't been fully assessed. When asked how long it would take to fully assess, was told that it was a complex case and that I would be looking at months rather than a couple of weeks that I'd need to be in the hostel.

 

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

[cymruambyth]

Kat, it's getting ridiculous now, I think you really should think of involving the media and your MP. Also, speak to the site team who may have lots of different contacts.

[JonCris]

Kat This is getting to be a complete farce will you PLEASE involve the site team

 

By the way what sort of human beings (if that's the right word) do they employ for coppers down there

[thekat1979]

The council just keep saying that they are following procedure and have done nothing wrong. That is what they are telling the mp as far as I can tell. They think they have done nothing wrong and that they have followed everything to the letter and that if they have nowhere for me to go other than a hostel then I'm just going to have deal with it. I guess on that point they have me. I know they have houses and flats available but they wont let us stay there temporarily - making a council house a temporary one in an extreme case - because it doesnt go with their protocols.

 

I'm getting very, very close to just giving up. Not seeing the point in fighting this any more, and I don't see that getting the meida involved will do anything other than make them angry and awkward and they are already being awkward and I can't handle any more of this.

 

I just don't want to have to lose my Guide Dog. Guide Dogs have said they wouldn't tell me I had to get rid of him, that they have in the past had Guide Dogs staying in hostels, but I couldn't do that to Argus. He is a HUGE fella and it wouldn't be fair on him at all.

 

To top it all off, I've been looking at some of the hostels that are available in Cardiff and from the sounds of it they MAY, although I don't know this, be putting me into a hostel in an area I specifically asked not to be homed in as it is in the same housing area as my very violent ex partner. I'm not able to say if that is for sure, and haven't spoken to the council about that yet as I only just found out.

 

Life has so got to pick up at some point, surely! I could almsot handle it if I thought it would only be for a few weeks, a month at the most, but they are talking in terms of many, many months due to the 'complexity' of the case.

 

It is making my OHs fibromyalgia far worse than it has been in a long time as he doesn't respond well to stress, Argus is so stressed at living in the living room with us while we sleep on an air bed that he is now following me EVERYWHERE and the council still think that we can do with a hostel. I'm not doing well in terms of depression and anxiety disorders and just can't seem to see a way out. I don't think anyone can help and don't know what good piling anything onto them will do. Sorry for the negative post, but I'm feeling quite desolate at the moment.

[cymruambyth]

Kat the council may be doing everything by the book, however they will have contingency plans because not everyone's situation fit into their plans. THere must be some sort of ombudsman who can help, I'm sure the site team will know.

I'm not surprised that you are feeling depressed, it must seem as if the world.is against you.

As Joncris said, please, please involve the site team as they have various contacts as well as their own knowledge.

Good luck, my thoughts are with you.

[JonCris]

I'm sorry Kat but so am I, getting ready to give up, as I'm sure many others here are.

 

There are well connected people on the site by way of the site team who ready & willing to aid you & who I'm sure will get a result.

 

So my question is why don't you take up the help being offered?

[noomill060]

Kat is very worried and is afraid that doing something to antagonise the council may make matters worse and that she could end up homeless.

 

I think.

 

Kat once this gets into the public eye, they will not see you in the streets.

 

They will be back peddling as hard as they can to do right by you.

[noomill060]

Do you think they will want headline-

 

"Caerphilly Council Force Blind Couple Into Homelessness"

 

on the front page of every newspaper in the country?

[Angel104]

Kat I have to agree with what else has been said on here. Going to the media will not make matters worse in fact it will probably make things a lot better. Do contact the site team.

[thekat1979]

I am very scared of making things worse.

 

Spoke to council again today. They have secure me, OH and Argus a room in a hostel that THEY feel is appropriate. They said they couldn't tell me where it was over the phone, I'd have to wait until tomorrow when they will tell me the address and how to get there. When I asked them if there was somewhere to let Argus go to the toilet, they said they could not confirm that over the phone. When I asked if I could appeal or ask for a review, they said I COULD but that if I did that then left the hostel for any reason, they would discharge their duty to me and I'd be on the streets. They said as far as they are concerned it is suitable and that is the end to it. When I asked what would happen if I thought it wasn't suitable, the lady I spoke to said they thought it was and that was that. Apparently, I'm 'probably' going to be there for at least 3-5 months.

[cymruambyth]

Kat, have you got your room? What is it like?

[caro]

I know it's easy to dish out advice for people on the outside looking in Kat, but please don't give up. Just take each day as it comes and try not to worry about how long you might - or might not - be in a hostel.

 

Have you and your partner seen your doctor(s) about the effects that all this is having on your health? Maybe (s)he would write a letter that you can send to the housing department and your MP to force them to take more appropriate action. You could also ask GDBA to do a letter explaining the necessity of your dog to you, and the minimum requirements needed for his welfare too.

 

I can understand your reluctance to involve the press, but what harm can it do? It might even help.

 

Try and get an appointment to see your MP at their local surgery to update them on what's been happening to you as well.

[thekat1979]

UPDATE

 

Mixed news.

 

Got a roof over our heads, in a hostel. But, it isn't just a single room. It's a 2-bed self contained place. So we aren't sharing, and there is JUST enough space for Argus. They are in the process of getting some temporary fencing in too so that they can put up a run area for Argus, but in the short term, he is relieving himself whilst on the lead, which isn't too bad for a few days. We moved in yesterday. I had to go out today to buy one of those broadband pay as you go dongle things to get the internet. Expensive to buy, but will make life SO much easier.

 

On the not so good news side of things. Went back to our old house today, when we were due to do the final bit of tidying up, take the last of our stuff out, check our post for the final time before our redirection takes effect (I have a credit card and court papers I'm expecting) hand the keys in and do a final inspection with the letting agent. Anyway, I turn up, as we'd spent the previous night in the hostel and the night before that on my mums sofa, and the landlady has been in - bear in mind we still hadn't surrendered our tenancy, the keys etc, and she'd been told that we were still there. They've changed the locks, thrown our remaining stuff into the street (and rather bizzarely her stuff that was there when we moved in), and there is no sign of our post. We also had some library books in there that we were going to be taking back today, but obviously now we can't.

 

I contacted the letting agent and they said 'we'll have to speak to the landlady as she may have a different story'!

 

I contacted the police, as they'd essentially illegaly evicted us without a court order, and they said it 'wasn't a police matter'. That's rather amusingly the response they have had to everything that has gone on!

 

Our contact in Shelter isn't in until tomorrow so will speak to her about all this then. Does anyone know if there is anything I can do about the illegal eviction? What if we'd been there when she did that?! We did have 99% of our stuff out, but that's not the point, we'd made it very clear that we were not leaving 'properly' until today at 1.00pm, but that after that they could do what they liked lol. It means we weren't able to a) take a meter reading before we left, b) take photos for our own records of the property as WE left it. I don't want to be charged for cleaning of the property when I don't know what state they've now left it in and intend to blame us for! It was a bit dirty (needed to sweep up some dog fur, wipe the kitchen units down, quick mop of the floor etc, and I'm certainly not happy with a deduction coming out of my deposit for cleaning. Aarrgghh!! It's just getting worse!

 

On the plus side, I slept LIKE A BABY last night! Got TWELVE HOURS!

[cymruambyth]

Glad to see you back online and that accommodation isn't too bad. Sorry, all I can offer is support! However I'm sure some of the many people who have been reading this and offering you support will be able to give you advice.

If you can, keep a diary of what has happened, so when everything is sorted out, you can make some complaints.

Hope all 3 of you have another good night's sleep

[JonCris]

kat you really need to involve the press particularly in the case of the useless police

[sosumi]

Hi Kat

The hostel sounds better than you feared, which is a relief! I'm glad you had a good night's sleep - that will help, given all you've been through. xx

You know that the Site Team are ready to help in any way they can.

We are all thinking about you.

Edited February 12, 2009 by sosumi

[thekat1979]

UPDATE

 

Spoken to Shelter today who have said that it is not good that they changed the locks etc, and that I should write to the letting agent detailing what has happened, requesting information on how much of the deposit will be now used to clear rent arrears (we know it will be all of it, BUT having it in writing is important) and to state how much is left after this in terms of rent arrears (making it clear that none of the deposit is to be used for deductions as we cannot say what state the property was left in as we had no chance to clean, remove the last of our goods, or to take photographs.

 

From there, we can then negotiate with the outstanding rent arrears after the deposit is used, stating that we would like to offset some of the rent arrears due to the damage and loss of our own things.

 

She's just gone and made it really difficult for herself! Why?!!!

[JonCris]

Fine but what about the illegal eviction Do they intend to do anything about that & if not why not?

On the basis of whatyou have stated the owner has committed not a civil offence but a criminal one which could lead to a term in prison

[noomill060]

Now that you are safe, you should now make them pay.

 

All of them.

[thekat1979]

I intend to - letter writing like a fiend this weekend!