Friends Rehousing: Council playing hardball

wandering_chris

The council is saying they need further info, everyone's low priority til housing needs are identified yada yada. He has a large amount of supporting letters detailing his disability needs and that he's been subjected to racist harassment. Logs of police refs, letters from professionals and organizations.

I mean it should be abundantly obvious by letters from every kind of professional saying the same thing: Basically, to paraphrase - He's becoming ill, Get Him Out is the jist of these letters.

Why won't they listen to him or these experts and groups?

bookrabbit

If the harassment is within the home and counts as domestic abuse then he could present as homeless to the council and would have to be given emergency housing.
My son and I have been accepted under that basis and are currently in a hotel. That wasn't the basis we went to them on because we were given notice to leave and thought we would be accepted as having priority need due to being disabled but on reading about our situation they did it under domestic abuse instead, partly because they wanted us to present to another council as I don't want to stay in the town after what we have been through there. But the other council wouldn't cooperate. I feel like an unwanted parcel:(
But we are in a lovely peaceful hotel out of the area and have some breathing space at least. We are continuing to apply for private rental accommodation but after 4 months of trying it is hard to believe we will find anything this way.
There is such a shortage of housing that councils aren't able to do much until they have no choice unfortunately.

Kimmy87

Council housing is a very very scarce resource, even people with top priority can face long waits. 

Have the council clarified exactly what additional information they need so your friend can supply it? 

Has the information supplied so far been relevant? When I did my application I left off some medical information or made light if it, focusing instead on the bits that related directly to my need for a ground floor, wet room property. 

I'd also suggest becoming familiar with the council's allocation policy so your friend can see where he fits, and quote it at them if needed. 

wandering_chris

Kimmy87 said:

Council housing is a very very scarce resource, even people with top priority can face long waits. 

Have the council clarified exactly what additional information they need so your friend can supply it? 

Has the information supplied so far been relevant? When I did my application I left off some medical information or made light if it, focusing instead on the bits that related directly to my need for a ground floor, wet room property. 

I'd also suggest becoming familiar with the council's allocation policy so your friend can see where he fits, and quote it at them if needed. 

They have everything on his disabilities and his situation, don't know what else they'd need

wandering_chris

bookrabbit said:

If the harassment is within the home and counts as domestic abuse then he could present as homeless to the council and would have to be given emergency housing.
My son and I have been accepted under that basis and are currently in a hotel. That wasn't the basis we went to them on because we were given notice to leave and thought we would be accepted as having priority need due to being disabled but on reading about our situation they did it under domestic abuse instead, partly because they wanted us to present to another council as I don't want to stay in the town after what we have been through there. But the other council wouldn't cooperate. I feel like an unwanted parcel:(
But we are in a lovely peaceful hotel out of the area and have some breathing space at least. We are continuing to apply for private rental accommodation but after 4 months of trying it is hard to believe we will find anything this way.
There is such a shortage of housing that councils aren't able to do much until they have no choice unfortunately.

It's from people in his neighborhood, he feels like a target and he can't even wear symbols of his faith in public such as a kippah or Star of David Jewellery ✡ - Recently kids targetted his house, yelling antisemitic stuff. He's had swastika graffiti, verbal abuse, and even physical intimidation.

Every time he goes out he feels like he's walking with a dartboard on his back he tells me.

wandering_chris

woodbine said:

Perhaps like most councils they have limited housing to offer ?

I get that, but how much do they need, he's given every detail

wandering_chris

Kimmy87 said:

Council housing is a very very scarce resource, even people with top priority can face long waits. 

Have the council clarified exactly what additional information they need so your friend can supply it? 

Has the information supplied so far been relevant? When I did my application I left off some medical information or made light if it, focusing instead on the bits that related directly to my need for a ground floor, wet room property. 

I'd also suggest becoming familiar with the council's allocation policy so your friend can see where he fits, and quote it at them if needed. 

Their own lettings policy says:“requiring rehousing to recover from the effects or threats of violence or physical, emotional or sexual abuse” are eligible for priority Band B. Those requiring rehousing due to “harassment, including racial, sexual or homophobic harassment or abuse, or other hate crimes where a need to move is agreed in conjunction with police or Social Care” are deemed eligible for priority Band A."

He's on Band D!

Kimmy87

From your OP the council has said everyone is low priority (band d) until their needs have been assesed. Given they've asked for more information it doesn't sound like he has his final banding yet.
Get them to state exactly what information they still require so it can be supplied.

When the application has been finalised if he is unhappy with the banding, there is an appeals process. 

bookrabbit

That sounds like a horrendous situation and I hope they properly assess his case soon. He clearly deserves to be in a higher priority band.

The police actually made a referral to housing on our behalf beyond the police reports of the incidents themselves. If they haven't done that already asking for it if they have to be called out again could be helpful.

Remina

I got supporting letters from my doctors/medical team, finally I was placed in the gold band (A band) with my local authority's housing waiting list.. However - even though I was in one of the highest priority bands I still ended up waiting a little over a year before I was finally able to be allocated my home.

The hard fact is there's just not enough supply to meet the huge demand for housing and it will only get worse as time goes on, sadly. There isn't anywhere near enough new social housing being built to keep up with the current population boom, so many people with urgent needs will continue to have to suffer long waits.

Adrian_Scope

Hi @wandering_chris, I'm really sorry to hear about your friend's situation. Can I ask if he's reported the abuse and intimidation to the police?

wandering_chris

Adrian_Scope said:

Hi @wandering_chris, I'm really sorry to hear about your friend's situation. Can I ask if he's reported the abuse and intimidation to the police?

yep 17 in total, big list of ref numbers