Rules and Regulations.

Well reckoned it was about time for a house update as I'm sure everyone is chomping at the bit to read the next exciting (nay maddening) installment.

 

 

Since last time we actually heard back re: my complaint but just not within the 2 working days promised on the website as it took 5 in total (not counting the weekend obviously cos I'm kind).

And the reason for the delay?

It appears that no-one bothered to check their junk mail folder.

Yes I know.

To be fair we did get a phone call (which Rho took as I was out getting the girls) followed by a - requested - hard copy which is as non-committal and 'we better not admit to anything in case they sue' as you can get.

Examples of this include:

When we pointed out that this entire (6 year) situation has been caused in part by the frightening turnover in housing officer staff with a lack of continuity/follow up paper work left we were told bluntly that any complaint over 6 months old is invalid.

Which was nice.

When we expressed our concern over the multiple calls to Social Work and the police in an attempt to 'scare' us into doing as we were told, the reply was that it's normal practice to consult SW if the housing officer feels there's a reason.

Fair enough but I'm pretty sure that anything after the initial "We know the family and everything's OK", for example phoning the police re: child imprisonment claims and the calling SW again to ask them to 'persuade' us to do as we're told is maybe, just maybe not policy and just harassment or bullying at this point.

And when it came to the behaviour and lies told by the former housing officer (and yes, saying you've arranged a permanent move when it turns out you haven't is the very definition of a lie) the response was that they weren't there when she did this stuff so it doesn't count plus she's left now which means that nothing can be done about it.

But we can contact the police if we like. 

Brilliant.

And oh so convenient.

Oh and the compensation for having to pay to do laundry for the past 2 years plus the fact that we'll probably need a new washing machine?

Nowt to do with them so we'll have to go to small claims court. 

As I mentioned earlier, the whole reply strikes more of admit nothing and don't get sued rather than "F*cking Hell we're sorry this happened, what can we do the make things right?" and with what seems like absolutely fuck all idea of the seriousness of the whole situation.

 As a plus point the interim housing officer dealing with us has been great and promised to stay the course so fingers crossed for that.

Ultimately tho' I've no confidence in anything turning out for the best - 12 weeks since we had our first meeting with the other - utterly hatstand -  housing officer we've been packing for a permanent move and working with the kids to make it less stressful for them (and me) only to find out that the house we were offered was never actually available (someone else might need it or something), a third of our stuff is piled up in boxes around the house with another third away in storage somewhere (where it's been for the last 10 weeks, seriously I'm missing my Capote collection), Cassidy is now sneakily unpacking as he's delighted we're not moving and the girls are waiting on new beds as we didn't want to order them pre-move...and that's just for starters.

I can think of a more appropriate word that begins with W.

 

 The big problem (for me) tho' is the fact that although reasonable adjustments for disability are a legal requirement and the fact that they're (legally) bound to work around the kids - especially Cassidy - our housing association are still attempting to scare us into submission with the threat of  a forced relocation because that's their policy allegedly when it's obvious that it's really because they've never had to actually act on the whole disability friendly policy before.

Who knew that there was more to inclusion that just putting it on your website?

Anyway, fingers crossed that the meeting with the repair team goes well - and that they listen - and we can get this entire mess sorted before the summer.

Tho' this would involve a tiny amount of empathy - and an admission of guilt that all this is their fault - from those involved so I doubt it. 

You can probably tell by this point that I'm a wee bit peeved. 

To be continued....