Accused of drug use in my own home?!! ***Resolved***

[stu007]

This is shocking so a report was obviously made to the council housing by the contractor and the council housings way of investigating it is to sit at a desk open your housing file and be judge and jury and accuse you with no proper investigation.

 

As this is Council Housing you need to follow the Housings Complaints Procedure to the end stage and if still not satisfied you may then approach the Housing Ombudsman:

http://www.yourphp.org.uk/complaints/

 

You need to make this a FORMAL COMPLAINT in writing to the council housing (keep everything in writing from now as you need to keep a good paper trail and ensure to get free proof of posting from the post office)

 

Further to your letter dated XX/XX/XXXX in which you issue a First Warning Letter to the Tenant of (insert property address) for "smoking cannabis".

 

As the said Tenant the warning has been issued to without a proper investigation and accused of "smoking cannabis" is a serious accusation to make and one which I must therefore DISPUTE until a proper investigation with all the facts to hand which so far I have been presented with none.

 

1. When did this incident take place?

2. How was this incident reported?

3. Who was the investigating housing officer for the incident?

4. What investigation into this incident did the Housing Officer carrying out and how many hours?

5. When is the accused Tenant given the opportunity to defend themselves against an allegation?

 

You also require copies of the following

 

1. Complaints Policy.

2. Customer Care Standards/Policy.

3. Anti Social Behavior Policy.

4. Copies of the evidenced used.

[stu007]

Please remember to follow there complaints procedure to the end and if your are still not satisfied you can go to the Housing Ombudsman.

 

Also remember to title your letter "FORMAL COMPLAINT" this makes sure they know its a complaint and also that they have to record it as such on there formal records that are open to inspection when any formal inspection takes place.

 

Note: just for reference although this is Council Housing as such they are ultimately classed as a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) the exact same as a Housing Association would be classed and have to follow the exact same rule, regs, law.

 

Are you speaking to them in person (please take a witness and insist that the meeting is minuted and you are provided a copy (if they refuse you want this in writing but also ask yourself why did they refuse?)) if by telephone (please only do this if you can record the call)

 

Please keep us updated as I would certainly be challenging this.

Edited March 29, 2016 by stu007

[stu007]

Please let us know how this progresses but I would not mention anything to them about possible court action as the barriers will immediately go up and they will pass it to there Legal Team and if you try to go to the Housing Ombudsman also and they here of court action they will also not get involved as legal action is been taken.

 

That why I said about ensuring to follow there complaints procedure fully to the end which is stage 3 then if still not satisfied with the outcome to proceed to complain to the Housing Ombudsman.

 

IMO that Housing Officer has well stepped over the mark here and to use the Police as a scare tactic makes it even worse to back up her case with still no evidence.

 

If there are any further meetings could I suggest that you insist that they are only with a "Senior Housing Manager" and not this Housing Officer and everything must be recorded and both parties get copies. (the reason I say this is you need someone else to look at the case and not this HO to deal with her own case)

 

Something else to ask evidence of is what training in Drugs Misuse and specifically Cannabis has that Housing Officer had and what date was it carried out.

Edited April 3, 2016 by stu007

[stu007]

Also you use their own Policies and Procedures against them. (if they mention a specific policy or procedure them you simply ask to be provided with a copy of that policy or procedure).

 

When you get any of these documents:

 

1. Check when the document was approved.

2. Check if it has a Next Review Date. (has it passed that review date)

 

Now have a highlighter with you then slowly read through the document (thinking to yourself did the housing association do that) if they didnt highlight it and do this as you read the document.

[stu007]

Hi jackieandwayne

 

Just checking in to see how this is progressing?

[stu007]

HI

 

thanks for the update and you have nothing to be sorry for as your health is more important.

 

Just update us when you can now as for the other issue you are helping them with this incident log PDF may be useful:

 

Incident Log-with form fields -----.pdf

[stu007]

Hi jackieandwayne

 

Oh you have had a time of it recently and I am glad you are better.

 

You could take this even further and I can totally understand your reasons and that your happy that is resolved now and your name cleared (which was all you wanted in the first place)

 

Thank you for taking the time to update us as I am sure this may help others and thanks to all who advised as well.

 

I will mark your thread 'Resolved'