As most of you know, the council have temporarily housed us in a 2 bed flat in a warden controlled over 55's cul-de-sac. We were told before we signed that it would be for a maximum of 6 months, but more like 4 until they could find us permanent accomodation. In fact, the lady I was dealing with said that we may hopefully be in a house by Xmas.
She lied.
My hv wrote a fab letter to the council pointing out some issues and asking them to bump us up the list. She said that we were finding it impossible to control the heat in the flat due to the residents having their heating on. Even with all windows open all day and night, it never goes below 22 degrees, so she has pointed out the government guidelines for baby's rooms to be 18. Also the master bedroom is not big enough for a cot when Charlie outgrows his moses basket, and Kayleigh has a box room which only just fits her bed and wardrobe in (I had to chuck away her cabin bed, double pine wardrobe and dressing table when we moved as they wouldn't fit, and she now has a new single bed and is borrowing Charlies tiny canvass wardrobe!). Also the bath has been removed and a disability shower put in which means there will be nowhere to bathe Charlie once he outgrows his baby bath. She also pointed out that I am at great risk from PND as I am isolated from my family who all live in the village where we were moved from, and there is limited parking in this street (6 spaces for 20 flats, and the rest of the road is double yellows!), so family and friends are finding it difficult to visit.
The lady from the council has just rang. Her answers are:
She has asked the warden to visit to discuss the heat. Why? I'm sure she thinks I've got the bloody heating on!
We have to put Charlie's cot up in the living room when he outgrows his moses basket! I explained that we had a cotbed ready flat-packed at my mums so this was bigger than a cot and would have to sit right in the middle of the room. Her answer was to go and buy a smaller one! And we are to put it up at night, then take it down every morning so we can use the living room! I said that government guidelines for cot death prevention are that the baby should share the parents room until they are 6 months, and she said that me and DH would have to alternate sleeping on the sofa!!!!
I have to take Charlie to my parents to bathe him every day!
The parking is first-come, first-served, and there is nothing she can do. She told me to tell family to park in the co-op car park and then walk to our flat, which is a good 10 minutes!
When I then asked her if she could give me any idea where we are on the waiting list, she said it would be a minimum of 9 months until we are rehoused. I told her what the other lady had said, and she said she had no idea why. She said that 9 months was the average waiting time, and it had been for 2 years now. So we're going to be here for Xmas, the whole winter (god only knows how hot this flat will get then), and there is no way I can possibly go back work until we've moved. I should have been going back in February as this is when my SMP runs out, but I could never get Kayleigh to and from school 6 miles away, get Charlie to and from nursery, and also fit in an 8 hour day.
Aaarrrggghh!!!!!
She lied.
My hv wrote a fab letter to the council pointing out some issues and asking them to bump us up the list. She said that we were finding it impossible to control the heat in the flat due to the residents having their heating on. Even with all windows open all day and night, it never goes below 22 degrees, so she has pointed out the government guidelines for baby's rooms to be 18. Also the master bedroom is not big enough for a cot when Charlie outgrows his moses basket, and Kayleigh has a box room which only just fits her bed and wardrobe in (I had to chuck away her cabin bed, double pine wardrobe and dressing table when we moved as they wouldn't fit, and she now has a new single bed and is borrowing Charlies tiny canvass wardrobe!). Also the bath has been removed and a disability shower put in which means there will be nowhere to bathe Charlie once he outgrows his baby bath. She also pointed out that I am at great risk from PND as I am isolated from my family who all live in the village where we were moved from, and there is limited parking in this street (6 spaces for 20 flats, and the rest of the road is double yellows!), so family and friends are finding it difficult to visit.
The lady from the council has just rang. Her answers are:
She has asked the warden to visit to discuss the heat. Why? I'm sure she thinks I've got the bloody heating on!
We have to put Charlie's cot up in the living room when he outgrows his moses basket! I explained that we had a cotbed ready flat-packed at my mums so this was bigger than a cot and would have to sit right in the middle of the room. Her answer was to go and buy a smaller one! And we are to put it up at night, then take it down every morning so we can use the living room! I said that government guidelines for cot death prevention are that the baby should share the parents room until they are 6 months, and she said that me and DH would have to alternate sleeping on the sofa!!!!
I have to take Charlie to my parents to bathe him every day!
The parking is first-come, first-served, and there is nothing she can do. She told me to tell family to park in the co-op car park and then walk to our flat, which is a good 10 minutes!
When I then asked her if she could give me any idea where we are on the waiting list, she said it would be a minimum of 9 months until we are rehoused. I told her what the other lady had said, and she said she had no idea why. She said that 9 months was the average waiting time, and it had been for 2 years now. So we're going to be here for Xmas, the whole winter (god only knows how hot this flat will get then), and there is no way I can possibly go back work until we've moved. I should have been going back in February as this is when my SMP runs out, but I could never get Kayleigh to and from school 6 miles away, get Charlie to and from nursery, and also fit in an 8 hour day.
Aaarrrggghh!!!!!