The truth does not make good radio

I finally received a reply from Ann Sutcliffe (Group Executive Director of Neighbourhoods for South Shropshire Housing Association) to my letter which arrived on her desk on 3rd January. Basically I'm stuffed and unless I'm prepared to make my sons homeless I can rot in my shed.

However, what is interesting is her response to my questions about what she said on Radio Shropshire on 16th December.

I asked her why had she said it was possible to rehouse my sons before me when I'd been told that it wasn't possible.

Her reply in the letter says

I agree that I stated on the radio that it is possible to rehouse you before your sons are rehoused. But what she didn't say on the radio and what I didn't find out until the letter I received from Nirmal Samrai on 23rd December was that my sons would be charged a daily 'use and occupation charge' whilst they remained in the property and whilst we sought possession of it. I understand it wouldn't have made good radio if she'd said, yes they can stay there but we'll charge them and then evict them.

Misleading or what?

She also agreed on the radio that it was possible for us to consider signing the tenancy over to my lads.

I had been told this was not possible.

She goes on to say 'but they had told us they wanted to live separately.'

I agree this was what was advised in June, however, at the time of the interview the lads had received a new application form from SSHA because they'd said they were quite prepared to share a house. Sue Perry, my housing officer told me she'd advised Ann about the situation before the interview and Sue Perry was very much aware that the boys were changing their application but as I said - that wouldn't make good radio.

In view of this joint application however, no one has mentioned transferring the tenancy as she said on the radio but they have said that when this house is advertised on Homepoint the boys can bid on it. That's not a transfer.

Regarding the boys being on Priority which they were on from July until 21 December following Nirmal Samrai's visit and I literally mean as soon as she got back to the office - banding normally takes three weeks this didn't even take three hours they were downgraded to silver banding. Ann Sutcliffe's explanation  'Your sons' initial applications were mistakenly awarded priority banding. This was subsequently corrected when a joint application was submitted.

Five months on the wrong banding when one of my sons were bidding and it was not questioned????????

As I said not good radio.

Health wise, it's not good. I went to the hospital this morning and on top of my medication I was given a steroid to help ease the pain but as they said, it will get worse while you're living and sleeping under these ridiculously stressful conditions.