arthritis sufferer is being put in a cold accommodation

cactus

the council decided to put me and my 8yr old in a cold acommodation. They told me that they do not care about her disability as she does not look so sick. please advise

Wonkylegs

sorry to hear that you are having problems keeping yourself and your little one warm.

Have you been in touch with a local advice centre or the Citizens advice ? they might be able to put your case for you, and may have other advice on any help you could get.

On Monday I would suggest you also ring the Arthritis Care helpline, as they will have some suggestions on where else you might look for support and advice.

good luck!

vonski

Hi Cactus

Don't really know much about it but maybe a letter from your GP to the council office. You could also try CAB or enlist the help of your local MP. This is so unfair.

Good luck
Vonski

frogmorton

Hi Cactus
This is awful. The poor little thing
I'm with the otheres GP letter and consultant too.
Get on to CAB.
I'm not sure they can do this to anyone theses days regardless of their abilitiy/disability anyw\ay. People have a right to adequate heating, but the arthur should give you some priority.
Good luck and let us know how you get on
Toni x

colinone

cactus wrote:

the council decided to put me and my 8yr old in a cold acommodation. They told me that they do not care about her disability as she does not look so sick. please advise

Hi Cactus
Not in this day and age they can't do it, First thing Monday go and see your GP he should give you a letter for the council, it may be worth dropping into the council first as they may have a form for your doctor. Then go visit the CAB. if nothing else they should have provided some form of heating for you. Take care and let us know how you got on
Colin

woodbon

Hello Cactus,

Gosh, how awful. YOU MUST talk to CAB, your GP and Social Services and KEEP ON. Try not to lose your temper, but really keep on at them and don't let them forget you. Its very unfair, but it seems in this life that the more fuss you make they will do something to help you as they know you'll not just go away. You must not get cold, its so bad for you. I do hope things get sorted. Love Sue xx

petmad

Hi Cactus,

I take it from you post that it is your daughter who has the arthritis. Another way forward which will reap benefits throughout her education etc would be to request that she be made subject to 'a record of needs'. This is when the medical and educational folks have to get together with you to map a care plan for your daughter. They can include other agencies in this ie social services etc the result of this will be that schools, health boards, housing etc will be forced to recognise the problems caused by the arthritis and to take steps to assist, ie provision of suitable housing or more comfortable classroom equipment etc.

Make the request to either the head teacher of her school or yourself to the educational psychologist.

All the best. Linda

cactus

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE FOR YOUR HELP. I AM OFF TO SORT THIS OUT TOMORROW.

petmad wrote:

Hi Cactus,

I take it from you post that it is your daughter who has the arthritis. Another way forward which will reap benefits throughout her education etc would be to request that she be made subject to 'a record of needs'. This is when the medical and educational folks have to get together with you to map a care plan for your daughter. They can include other agencies in this ie social services etc the result of this will be that schools, health boards, housing etc will be forced to recognise the problems caused by the arthritis and to take steps to assist, ie provision of suitable housing or more comfortable classroom equipment etc.

Make the request to either the head teacher of her school or yourself to the educational psychologist.

All the best. Linda

luckybug

I was once offered a flat with a coal fire in it, I have has RA since the age of 2 and am crippled up, how they expected me to make a coal fire is beyond me, I refused and eventually got what I needed, privately.

vonski

Hi
Just wondered if you managed to sort anything out. Don't give up trying if you didn't, they will have to sort something out for you.
Vonski

cactus

vonski wrote:

Hi
Just wondered if you managed to sort anything out. Don't give up trying if you didn't, they will have to sort something out for you.
Vonski

I have been told by the Council that I have to provide evidence that says that the cold will affect or worsen her condition. My Council also said that they have never seen her in a wheelchair, so it must not be that bad. They have details of her condition and hospital admissions and consultants. I do not know what more evidence they want to see.
I have asked my GP for a letter. I will be writing to Great Ormond Street Hospital as she was there for One month last year.
My solicitor has abandoned me as he says that he may not win the case of "unsuitability" of the accommodation, if he decides to take the Council to court. He advised me to accept this accommodation or he will drop my case. So I am now looking for a new Solicitor.
Right now, I am homeless with my 8yr old daughter and spending the night with friends since yesterday.

luckybug

At the end of the day if you are homeless lets not nitpick, council housing is in short demand, and with all these poor people being repossesed be thankful, you could be in B&B or a homeless hostel, I lived in one of them as well when I was a kid, 6 beds in 1 room, 2 families sharing, and the mother of the other family took epileptic fits (it was fun actually for us the kids) not for my poor mum who had me riddled with the arthritis my little brother and a my sister who was 3 months old, and specially when the whole unit went down with scabies and we all had to be painted, You could be told to rent privately. Your solicitor obviously thinks the home is suitable for you. There must be some form of heating in the property, a fire or storage heater, they have to supply something?
Cold does not always effect arthritis badly, I was a kid with it and lived in cold houses, we never even had a bathroom til I was 13 and we still had the outside loo, ok we used a mop bucket on the landing to pee, I used to have to get bathed at the back of the settee so my brother couldn't see, in the front room in my sisters baby bath, then mum got the luxury of a maisonette on the roughest council estate the council could find, but she took it because it had a bath and a loo, it was heaven, we had underfloor heating that cost a fortune and warped all the carpets, but that was life back in the 70s.
If I were in your shoes I would accept the councils offer, I would sort my home out, Get some thick curtains up, get some carpets down, buy your daughter snuggle blankets, she's young, she will be more resilient than you think, slippers dressing gown warm jamas she'll be snug, get in touch with warmsure and ask about a grant for central heating, also ask for the care and repair team at your local council as they may be able to help, rome wasn't built in a day, now you have a home you can sort out the heating problem, better than sleeping on settees and living day to day, which would be affecting your daughters arthritis much more. Buy a heater, put extra bedding on the beds, you may even notice she improves a bit, lotsof nice warm baths.
After years of heat treatment the doctors found out Ice packs did my joints more good.
Good Luck think positive and eventually you will get what you want, you may have to scream and shout a bit, but you will get it in the end, you can't do anything when your homeless but you can once your a tenant paying rent, we have MPs and Councillors, if the council still don't help when your a tenant make an appointment and go see these people, they will sort it for you, but as I say not if your homeless. This time next year you will wonder what all the fuss was about. weren't the 70s fun, and a lot safer than today.

colinone

Hi cactus i agree with Luckybug something is better than nothing and once your in you have a better chance of doing something about it. you can get free central heating these days if you have arthritis. There are lots of things you can do you can get help with gass and electric biils from warm front but you need to ask. Go and talk to the CAB they will give you all the help you need.
Hope things work out for you
Colin

cactus

colinone wrote:

Hi cactus i agree with Luckybug something is better than nothing and once your in you have a better chance of doing something about it. you can get free central heating these days if you have arthritis. There are lots of things you can do you can get help with gass and electric biils from warm front but you need to ask. Go and talk to the CAB they will give you all the help you need.
Hope things work out for you
Colin

THANK YOU ALL. LETS WAIT AND SEE

kezzo1

i am fuming for u!! how rude i hope u wrote a written complaint!! and took it further how dare they say that! look after urselves xx :oops: :roll:

petmad

cactus, get yourself off the street. Then as well as the actions you have taken look for housing advocacy, if is not active in your area contact Shelter, this organisation is wonderful and have their own lawyers who will advise and help in your case.
If once your in accommodation, if it is not suitable, then the heating can be changed, this is often done rather than to move a person through various accommodations. Good luck, Tig

vonski

Hi Cactus
Have you anymore news? This situation just isn't on, hope you get something sorted out soon.
Vonski

jools22

cactus wrote:

the council decided to put me and my 8yr old in a cold acommodation. They told me that they do not care about her disability as she does not look so sick. please advise

Hi cactus... I am apalled about the Council attitude.... I've been reading about the many advice to your problem...( and your solicitor response some are real crooks) Please, consult to a CAB thay are the best, you could be nominated to a Housing Association and with the medical notes, able to present a good case. Councils have lost too much housing stock what what they have left is quite bad or inadequate, However, You cannot accept something unsuitable just to have a quick solution. The welfare of a minor must be a priority
( That is the Law !!!)

What that Officer told you amount to discrimination, and she should answer to that. For you to make a cold place homely and "snug" means that you need a lot of money and doest not always work out.

There are also in every Borough a service that is called Housing Rights to deal with these situations, check the Net for these services in your area do not be bullied into moving to a cold place which has obviously serious structural problems and not up to standards as the Goverment guidelines. ( Decent Homes programe)

What they told you ( The Council's spoke person) is illegal and against your daughter's Human Rights.
Good Luck ( I feel very angry now :x )
Jools

cactus

I AM GETTING ADVICE ON THIS. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP EVERYBODY. WILL UPDATE YOU.

jools22 wrote:

cactus wrote:

the council decided to put me and my 8yr old in a cold acommodation. They told me that they do not care about her disability as she does not look so sick. please advise

Hi cactus... I am apalled about the Council attitude.... I've been reading about the many advice to your problem...( and your solicitor response some are real crooks) Please, consult to a CAB thay are the best, you could be nominated to a Housing Association and with the medical notes, able to present a good case. Councils have lost too much housing stock what what they have left is quite bad or inadequate, However, You cannot accept something unsuitable just to have a quick solution. The welfare of a minor must be a priority
( That is the Law !!!)

What that Officer told you amount to discrimination, and she should answer to that. For you to make a cold place homely and "snug" means that you need a lot of money and doest not always work out.

There are also in every Borough a service that is called Housing Rights to deal with these situations, check the Net for these services in your area do not be bullied into moving to a cold place which has obviously serious structural problems and not up to standards as the Goverment guidelines. ( Decent Homes programe)

What they told you ( The Council's spoke person) is illegal and against your daughter's Human Rights.
Good Luck ( I feel very angry now :x )
Jools