*very sensitive - mentions SIDS* Breadline Britain

[smileyfaces]

Just watched the video, its so awful.

I can't believe that in this day and age people are living in those conditions

Heartbreaking.

 

[Redhead84]

Shellie -

You mention your landlord is refusing to do anything about the damp problem at your home. Do you rent privately?

If so, your landlord is likely in breach of the terms of your contract - have a look at it if you can (or scan a copy and send it to me if you don't understand it all)... I'm sure there is a way we can get this sorted for you.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Heartbreaking

 

[Tasha]

Shellie -

You mention your landlord is refusing to do anything about the damp problem at your home. Do you rent privately?

If so, your landlord is likely in breach of the terms of your contract - have a look at it if you can (or scan a copy and send it to me if you don't understand it all)... I'm sure there is a way we can get this sorted for you.

This really made me smile. Amazing. I am so glad you offered this help

 

[shellie]

Shellie -

You mention your landlord is refusing to do anything about the damp problem at your home. Do you rent privately?

If so, your landlord is likely in breach of the terms of your contract - have a look at it if you can (or scan a copy and send it to me if you don't understand it all)... I'm sure there is a way we can get this sorted for you.

Thank you Redhead.: hugs: I will hunt my tenancy agreement out in a bit and pm you if that is ok. The baby is not well at the minute so he is being really clingy, meaning I cant get anything done as he is on my knee. xxx

 

[Redhead84]

Whenever is good for you - if I don't reply straight away I haven't forgotten about you.

ETA: I'm at court all day tomorrow also but I'll get back to you as soon as I am able - I'm not sleeping well currently so plenty of quiet time to think of solutions!!!

 

[DanielleM]

That video was awful, a family of 4 in a 1 bed flat. I actually thought it was London (with the ration of properties to people) not in York.

Shellie I really hope you get things sorted with the mould, landlords like that really do get on my nerves just buy a property and rent it out without taking on any of the responsibities that comes with being a landlord.

 

[shellie]

Sorry to hear you're not sleeping well I really appreciate you offering some advice. xxx

Danielle, it's landlords like mine who give other landlords a bad name. xxx

 

[Kate&Lucas]

So tragic

It always shocks me how some people view those on benefits. A very small minority may 'play the system' and make a living by being on them, but for most this is what it is - just surviving. Those who search for work everyday and put up with problems like the ones in the documentary wouldn't sell many newspapers, so they're forgotten about while everyone gets mad at the 'scroungers' and wrongly accept that they're the norm.

I'm really lucky, my council house is tiny but I only have damp in one area in the kitchen. Growing up in a council house and with friends in them I've never been in one round here that didn't have black mould around the bedroom windows. People just accept it, "all these houses are damp".
I've just last week started a job after 18 months of looking and applying. It was an apprenticeship (they've not took me on as an apprentice) so advertised at £2.65 p/h and there were still six other people interviewing for it. It is so hard to get anywhere at the moment so I'm thanking every God up there that I've got this.

It is insulting that so many people assume those on benefits would choose this life. The standard of living is often atrocious and the councils/HAs often do little about it (though I understand, with so many cuts to funding in certain areas they are stretched). Bizarrely, due to 'health and safety' my HA rip all the flooring out bar kitchen/bathroom before a new tenant moves in, even if there is laminate or the carpet is spotless. Over a year after moving here most of my house still has no floor and it's freezing! Anyway, I tend to ramble on these threads.

RIP little Telan

 

[special_kala]

I'm shocked that there are still council houses like this.

I have never been in a council house with serious problems like that. A lot of my family are in council houses and the council has always been pretty good at sorting out any problems. I guess it must vary area to area

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Our council houses seem ok but our old HA house had mould in it. It was getting worse before we moved! They never used to maintain the property either. Kate is right being on benefits for the majority of people really is just surviving. x

 

[babyno9]

So so sad

I can't believe it took the death of the families precious baby girl for the council to rehouse them, absolutely disgusting on so many levels. Too little too late imo.

No family with children, esp young children should have to live in those conditions. That council totally failed, they should have got that poor family out of there, it is a health hazard!

RIP to the beautiful baby girl, you really were a gorgeous bonny baby. x

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

Was in tears watching this knowing that beautiful baby as going to die It's appalling it took the death of a baby to move them to suitable accommodation x

 

[chell5544]

i think im gonna be the odd one out here although i feel extremely sorry for that couple and they should not of been left in a place like that that place looks like it needs to be ripped down and rebuilt before anyone else should have to live in that child or adult.

But they could of helped themselfs abit more and not relied on the council to rehome them into a bigger better place. the man said he had to give up his job because he kept forgetting to take his medication which meant he would have epeletic fits and she couldnt work because she was a stay at home mum.

now im not saying their to blame or anything im just saying if that was me and the council were taking their time in rehoming me/not fixing the problem propperly i would
1. be calling eviromently health in and
2. doing everything i can to get a job and get my family out of there

 

[smileyfaces]

i think im gonna be the odd one out here although i feel extremely sorry for that couple and they should not of been left in a place like that that place looks like it needs to be ripped down and rebuilt before anyone else should have to live in that child or adult.

But they could of helped themselfs abit more and not relied on the council to rehome them into a bigger better place. the man said he had to give up his job because he kept forgetting to take his medication which meant he would have epeletic fits and she couldnt work because she was a stay at home mum.

now im not saying their to blame or anything im just saying if that was me and the council were taking their time in rehoming me/not fixing the problem propperly i would
1. be calling eviromently health in and
2. doing everything i can to get a job and get my family out of there

But he cant work because his epilepsy is not under control...didnt it say he had had 48 fits/seizures in a few months? He cant go back to work until he finds a medication that suits him.
And the mum can't work because of the kids and her partners condition. She cant very well go to work and leave the kids with her partner in case he has a fit.

Im sure they didnt just see the mould and just hope someone would turn up and fix it. Im pretty sure that they would have been on the councils back to get this sorted and get them moved. The sheer state of that tiny bedroom with a double bed, single bed and a cot squeezed in suggests to me that they must have been absolutely desperate to get a bigger better place.

Luckily for me, I don't have to live in these conditions and God forbid I will ever have to experience it with my children. It is disgusting that ANYONE in this country should have to live like that let alone a family with two small children.

All the excuses in the world don't make up for the fact that the council did NOTHING about this and did nothing to help them get out if that horrid situation. The family could not have done anything else but sit and wait for someone to come out and fix the problem or rehouse them. Neither of which it seems the council were willing to do.

 

[Tasha]

I wrote a reply to Chell but its gone

I said I had no idea enviromental health could help with that sort of stuff before I joined bnb. I always thought they just dealt with food establishments, public places etc.

 

[bumpy_j]

I personally wouldn't trust a forgetful epileptic alone with two children including a small infant - he could have a fit whilst walking down the stairs with the baby in hand, or whilst giving them a bath. There are all sorts of risks involved.

 

[Lina]

It's so sad, landlords including local government know that very few people actually know their rights as tenants much less pursue. A friend at school lived in something similar to this and it took a year long battle with solicitors to get the council to rectify the issue, as a result her little sister developed respiratory problems.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I agree, I think they were stuck. Even if one of them was working it would be extremally hard to still get a deposit to move! x

 

[sophxx]

I feel so sorry for them but things like this happen all to often people living in house that are unsuitable. When there is ways for th
To move. I think alot of things like rent deposit scheme mist councils gave ect people font know about and what alot of people forget is quiet alot if people on benifits don't have access to a computer at at home and have Children so aren't able to sit looking for help on the net. Its sad for people like this who really can't work but have no one to help th
Move or inform them of rent deposit scheme ect .