Had to leave council house - advice

Nuvari

I'm hoping someone can help.


On christamas day a pipe cracked in my home which severely damaged the ceiling of the bedroom, its a one bedroom house, along with some of the wiring. Since then Id being unable to sufficiently heat the home, use tee electric cooker, which constantly flips the power switch or cope with the expanding black fungus that has crept through the reaming ceiling boards.


The wet insulation caused by the overflow, which can be easily witnessed by the water marks on all of the bedroom walls, had also begun to smell quite badly.


The original damage was very severe, destroying my bed, curtains, books, writing desk, chair, some carpets, clothes and even slightly warping a door.


Since the leak the pipe was repaired and a temporary ply board was put in place, a switch and a new light cord were also replaced. Apart from this and a visit from the council with a man from the insurance agency (who's photographs, findings and perhaps the financial payment that has ensured from the insurance claim, must attest to the state of the building) there has being no move on the repair of the ceiling or limiting the expanding damage caused but both the original burst pipe and spreading dampness.


I had already told the council of my intentions of moving out if the repair work was not done, as I have both my health and mental stability to consider. It is clear that the house is not fir for human occupation until the work has being carried out.


My mother, also spoke with one of their maintence workers in late February about the situation and was informed that the work has being passed out to tender and would be completed within ten days.


Sadly this has not happened.


It has also not escaped my attention though that work is currently taking place on a house two doors up. A house that has no tenants and has had none for some four. It seems both a bizzare notion and irresponsible act that the council would choose to work on a empty home when one occupied is allowed to come to ruin.


I feel that the Galway county council has really let themselves down in this case, I was living quite happily there for some years, around family and friends and have being left with no alternative but to seek other accommodation.


So I sold off my fridge, washing machine, sofa and dryer to help make the money for a deposit somewhere else. The rents 90 euros a week now and seeing as I'm on Job seekers (after the company I worked for closed shop at the start of Dec) I don't think I can manage much more.

The council now says they will do up the house in the coming week and I need to move back. I cant. I sold my basics to get out after waiting since December for them to fix it. Plus I will defiantly lose my deposit here if I move again.


I don't really know what to do now. Has anyone any suggestions? When I went to talk to the council to give them the keys back the woman just more or less kept telling me I wouldn't get rent allowance and would have to wait two more years before they'd even consider it. I told her what were my choices and she really didn’t have any come back for it. She herself saw it in January when she accidentally knocked on the door looking for a neighbour and at the time thought it “horrific”.


Its not as if I picked up sticks and decided to move. I was clearly forced out with terrible conditions. Sleeping on a sofa in a wet house for over 4 months isn't healthy and I cant see many more people lasting that long.

Any suggestions? Anyone I can report this situation too? Typical that they are now willing to do it up that im no longer in it.


Thanks

Ray Palmer

I am sorry to hear of your troubles but I am not sure you have taken the best course of action for your future. Moving out of the place was probably a bad idea as they may not re-house you as you refused the property available.

I am not sure how dampness has spread if the pipe was repaired. The place should be drying out not getting damper. If you had come on earlier you could have been given advice on how to dry the place out quicker and prevent mold or other health issues. One burst pipe is very unlikely to make the property unfit for humans if basic remedial clean up is done. Unless it had been running for weeks with nobody doing anything.

It sounds like your best bet is get private rental property with equipment in it. After a period of time you can apply for rent allowance. It is likely to cost you more than council rents. I would take the place back if I was you and worry about new stuff as and when you can get it it will be chaeper in the long run.

edellc

please dont listen to RAY PALMER he has given advice if thats what you want to call it on other threads and frankly its appalling advice

i would not be moving back in there either what i would do is go back and take pictures lots of them showing the damage done, and go back to the council and show them the damage, ring the environmental officer in your area and report your house get them to come out and assess it a report them gets sent to the LL ie the county council the environmental officer works for :-D

whatever you do dont let this lie it is down to their negligence that you had to move out so why should you have to pay private rent that you cant afford and then have them tell you that you cant get RA it truly is one f*cked up system

if it where me and it meant going down to the offices everyday to get their attention then thats what id do, pester them until they do something ask to speak to managers, write letters go to your local TD and show them the pictures but do not give up as it is you that will pay in the long run

Nuvari

Thank you for your advice, it is much appreciated.

The burst pipe caused about two thirds of the bedroom ceiling to cave in and cracked out into the hallway, bathroom and kitchen – which is every room in the house. The insulation in the attic spaces were thoroughly soaked and took on a rotting scent after a few weeks. The pipe was replaced but not sufficiently repaired as it was still leaking and they never returned to fix it. Despite documented attempts asking them to do so.

I did invest in a dehumidifier and tried to air the place out daily, with little improvement. Its an old building to start with and the winter was anything but kind.

Its a very frustrating situation to be in and I will genuinely take your kind advice on board.

Ray Palmer

While everybody is entailed to their opinion bear in mind their is actual practical advise that deals with reality and other advise that lives in the ideal world.

You can do all as said above but it will take a very very long time before you get results.

If you want to keep the cheap rent I would advise you do as much as you can while waiting as the longer you leave it the worse it will get.

psycho-hope

Nuvari wrote: »

I'm hoping someone can help.


On christamas day a pipe cracked in my home which severely damaged the ceiling of the bedroom, its a one bedroom house, along with some of the wiring. Since then Id being unable to sufficiently heat the home, use tee electric cooker, which constantly flips the power switch or cope with the expanding black fungus that has crept through the reaming ceiling boards.


The wet insulation caused by the overflow, which can be easily witnessed by the water marks on all of the bedroom walls, had also begun to smell quite badly.


The original damage was very severe, destroying my bed, curtains, books, writing desk, chair, some carpets, clothes and even slightly warping a door.


Since the leak the pipe was repaired and a temporary ply board was put in place, a switch and a new light cord were also replaced. Apart from this and a visit from the council with a man from the insurance agency (who's photographs, findings and perhaps the financial payment that has ensured from the insurance claim, must attest to the state of the building) there has being no move on the repair of the ceiling or limiting the expanding damage caused but both the original burst pipe and spreading dampness.


I had already told the council of my intentions of moving out if the repair work was not done, as I have both my health and mental stability to consider. It is clear that the house is not fir for human occupation until the work has being carried out.


My mother, also spoke with one of their maintence workers in late February about the situation and was informed that the work has being passed out to tender and would be completed within ten days.


Sadly this has not happened.


It has also not escaped my attention though that work is currently taking place on a house two doors up. A house that has no tenants and has had none for some four. It seems both a bizzare notion and irresponsible act that the council would choose to work on a empty home when one occupied is allowed to come to ruin.


I feel that the Galway county council has really let themselves down in this case, I was living quite happily there for some years, around family and friends and have being left with no alternative but to seek other accommodation.


So I sold off my fridge, washing machine, sofa and dryer to help make the money for a deposit somewhere else. The rents 90 euros a week now and seeing as I'm on Job seekers (after the company I worked for closed shop at the start of Dec) I don't think I can manage much more.

The council now says they will do up the house in the coming week and I need to move back. I cant. I sold my basics to get out after waiting since December for them to fix it. Plus I will defiantly lose my deposit here if I move again.


I don't really know what to do now. Has anyone any suggestions? When I went to talk to the council to give them the keys back the woman just more or less kept telling me I wouldn't get rent allowance and would have to wait two more years before they'd even consider it. I told her what were my choices and she really didn’t have any come back for it. She herself saw it in January when she accidentally knocked on the door looking for a neighbour and at the time thought it “horrific”.


Its not as if I picked up sticks and decided to move. I was clearly forced out with terrible conditions. Sleeping on a sofa in a wet house for over 4 months isn't healthy and I cant see many more people lasting that long.

Any suggestions? Anyone I can report this situation too? Typical that they are now willing to do it up that im no longer in it.


Thanks

Hi i would ask for a copy of your tenancy agreement and see what it says about surrendering the house and if it mentions rent allowence, I know the council we rent from has stated in the agreement that if we surrender the house we cant go back on the list for 5 years and we cant claim rent allowence for the first 18months

mari2222

Get onto your councillors at once. They are PAID now (since the last ten years or so), and they are RESPONSIBLE for managing the council. Make it your goal to talk to one of them every day (at length!) until you get sorted.

donalg1

You wont be entitled to Rent Allowance if you surrender your Council House, if you are in Private Rented and wish to get Rent Allowance you must get a letter from the Council stating you have a 'housing need', by surrendering a Council house and moving they would deem that you do not have a 'housing need' you would not be put back on the list and would not be entitled to Rent Allowance.

Speak with your AHO, dont surrender the house, write to your local Councillors, write to the SEO in charge of Housing the problem will be sorted and you will ultimately end up in a better position than you would be in if you were to surrender the house and move to private rented.