Council Housing

[Tâf]

My late parents' neighbours moved in to the council house next door 26 years ago, both pensioners. There were no 1 or 2 bedroom homes or flats available, so they were temporarily moved into the 3 bedroom house after their last home was condemned and demolished.

The next year, the husband passed away, and still no 1 bedroom flats were available.

Anyhow, the wife stayed there until last year when she disappeared. Moved away or passed away, is unknown to anyone around here, but at 96, she was receiving home visits from nurses. She paid full rent all that time as her pensions were just above the limit for any Benefits.

During all that time, no upgrades or major repairs were done on the house. It was a hovel, but a clean and tidy hovel.

But now she has left, the council has ripped the place apart. All downstairs walls replastered. new kitchen, new bathroom, new toilet, walls insulated, attic insulated, double glazing, gas central heating, all new interior doors, retiled roof, total rewire, downstairs floors leveled and tiled. Plus a line of huge Leylandii that predated their arrival, have been cut down today after years of legal threats against her to reduce their height.

Once the whole house is redecorated, a new family will be moving in. They have visited a couple of times with their FOUR flash cars. A Middle Eastern couple with 2 grown sons (early 20's) and a teenage (18 or 19) daughter. The daughter is the only one who speaks any English at all, and she has a mouth on her like a drunken docker. When politely asked to mover her car from across a driveway, she exploded into a stream of abuse and tried to slap the woman who had made the request!

Fun times ahead I fear... 

[Tâf]

I reported a blocked rain gutter on 3rd May. 2 guys came on 27th May and said "We'll get it booked in". They are coming on 3rd July!

I reported a faulty sink tap on 8th May, 2 guys came out on 28th May and said "We'll get it booked in". They are coming back on 10th June!

And the guys sent for the tap said "We should replace the sink, the toilet, the bath, the shower and replace all the tiling and flooring". Despite all being in perfect condition! "But we can't replace the very rusty bathroom radiator until it actually leaks".

And we wonder why the council is strapped for cash every year.