For an up-to-date Timeline and FAQ's, please go to page 4.
HOME | PAGE 1 | PAGE 2 | PAGE 3 | PAGE 4
| Thursday 16th February 2006 This site posted to web, various Nottingham city councillors and Nottingham city homes managers politely informed. Monday 20th February 2006 We receive a phone call asking us if we would like to view another property. After TWO years someone has listened to us - or perhaps the publicity may have influenced somebody? - We put aside our cynicism and gratefully concur. After a wait in the driving rain, patch manager Dave Barnes shows us number 65 in another block on the same close. - Oh dear, is this 'deja vu?' - same design of maisonette, same layout, exactly the same damp problems - Those patterns of black mould are carbon copies of our own! We are shown an alternate flat / cell. True, damp free - but unfortunately bath free! and window free! Despondancy looms - but wait, we enquire if we may view number 36, different design and next door to our current slum. After a slight struggle with the security shields, (It has been boarded up for two years) We see light at the end of the tunnel, despite the terrible disrepair, this maisonette appears to be dry, well most of it anyway - we don't care, after all we are desperate - Yes please! |
| Friday 24th February We receive a message from Chanel Walters, Area housing manager, Southglade. (A region of Nottingham city homes) Offering us number 36. We are so pleased, that we confirm our acceptance in writing and return it within the hour. However, a little cynicism still lingers, so we ask for confirmation of receipt. Wednesday 8th March 2006 At last - we receive our letter of confirmation. We know the repair works will take some time - so we just have to be patient. After waiting to move out of our damp infested slum for over two years, another couple of months can't kill us - can it? |
| April 2006 We have not heard from Nottingham City Homes, neither does anything seem to be happening repair-wise to number 36. We are slightly uneasy, but convince ourselves that all is well. All holidays are cancelled in anticipation of moving - but for some reason we cannot bring ourselves to start packing. Then we get a strange phone call from Dave Barnes - would we like to have another look around number 65? - er.... it's number 36 Dave! - He calls back and says 'sorry, my mistake' - faint alarm bells start to ring - 'is there a problem?' - we are assured everything is fine and work will start next month. Phew! May 2006 Yay! - work has started next door (number 36) The noise can be a little grating - but we don't care - we will be moving soon - even the weather is improving - we start to plan for our new home and garden. Surely the security shutters will come down soon - with difficulty we refrain from pestering Nottingham city homes with enquiries about moving dates etc. Oddly, we cannot bring ourselves to start packing... |
| Tuesday 23rd May 2006 Unable to contain ourselves...we ring Chanel Walters (Area Housing Manager) for a progress report - 'will get back to you in a couple of weeks' she cheerily informs us.... We start to assemble packing cases. Monday 19th June 2006 Slightly worried about the lack of response from Chanel Walters, we ring her again only to be informed that 'she no longer works for this office, and no-one knows about our new home!' - the sound of alarm bells is deafening! Dave Barnes calls us and informs us we are not being allocated number 36! - we were offered and accepted it three months ago! - what is going on? Tuesday 20th June 2006 We call our local councillor and explain the situation - she asks us to leave it with her. Within the hour Paul Stanley, Manager, southglade Nottingham city homes, calls back, assures us he is dealing with the matter and asks us to call him back in a few days. Friday 23rd June 2006 We call Paul Stanley back - only to be informed 'he is on annual leave!' Immediately place a call to our local councillor, who assures us we are not being given the run-around and will contact us after the week-end. |
| Monday 26th June 2006 Paul Stanley calls to inform us that our new home has been 'allocated to another party!' - no explanation - thats it! Call our councillor, she claims to be powerless to help us. It is true then - an ALMO can operate without any responsibilites to tenants or elected bodies. We are GUTTED Tuesday 27th June 2006 Nobody calls - just as well, we are in mourning, debilitated with crushing disbelief and disappointment. Wednesday 28th June 2006 Woken by the crashing of steel - the security shutters are being taken down on number 36. Someone will soon be moving in - sadly it won't be us. E-mail Paul Stanley requesting a full written explanation of why our home is being witheld from us. Don't expect much joy there. Also backed up the e-mail with an actual letter and a copy of the original confirmation of acceptance. (Nottingham city homes may not keep records - but we do!) Bugger it! - Have e-mailed the world and his wife with links to this website. Pathetic - but very theraputic. Thursday 29th June 2006 Can hear new tenants moving in next door - We bear no malice to them, after all it is no fault of their own that we are in this situation. Impossible to describe our feelings at this point. Not a word from Nottingham city homes. (They never call or write to us anymore - we wonder why?) Friday 30th June 2006 Receive an e-mail from our councillor stating, 'Paul Stanley has told me that Nottingham City Homes, having made a formal offer to another person, is unable to offer the property to yourself.' Er...what about our formal offer? (Okay, you leave us no choice - view our formal offer here - note the date.) Still no word from Nottingham city Homes. Monday 3rd July 2006 Letter from Paul Stanley quotes ' Unfortunately the property at number 36 was inadvertently advertised (on Nottingham city homes' new baby - homelink ) as being available to let' Er...Didn't Homelink only launch on 12th June 2006? - someone bid, was granted, and moved into what was rightfully our property, in only (a maximum of) 17 days!!!? (including week-ends) Ain't the internet wunnerful ? It is now coming on to THREE years, that we have been unwitting participants in this farce. We still live in a damp slum and now it appears we have to start this unholy process all over again! PM We stand corrected - we do not have to re-apply - Paul Stanley is looking into it personally. This is not Deja - Vu....this is Deja - Fu 'The vague feeling that sometime, somewhere you have been kicked in the head like this before' When angry and frustrated - a little philosophy helps. |
| Tuesday 4th July 2006 In all fairness we are getting lots of apologies from Nottingham city homes. We will put aside our feelings and try to be patient. Wednesday 5th July 2006 We have received a few promising e-mails from an unexpected quarter - more later.... (We've got some more silly ones too - thank you web wags!) Thursday 6th July 2006 A Message is received (Well several actually, to different answering sevices.) - A Nottingham city homes appointed surveyor would like to make an inspection. (What, again?) Why certainly, any embarrassment once felt by living in these conditions has long since dissipated. Friday 7th July 2006 Call from Paul Stanley - 'Another property has become available on Kingsthorpe Close.' Deja - Fu alert! (See Above) - we graciously defer. After all, three out of four of the similar properties we are aware of here, suffer from damp. Besides, we are now armed with the knowledge that we do not have to be bullied into accepting offers 'only in this location.' |
| Saturday 8th July 2006 The surveyor cometh, and after a thorough inspection inside and out confirms that we do, indeed, suffer from severe 'unspecified' damp. Also, among other things, our door bell does not work! (The entire door entry system has been a bone of contention since the day we moved in - but that's another long story.) A letter from Paul Stanley informs us 'a colleague from the St. Anns area housing office will be looking into your case' The warning light labelled 'Deja - Fu' glows dimly - and then goes out. Sunday 9th July 2006 We ponder the events of the week and assess our progress so far - Conclusion: NOWHERE - 30 months and we have made precisely ZERO headway in securing a decent home. |
| Monday 10th July 2006 Message from the surveyor ...'I will be around shortly with a man to fix your doorbell' Then a little later...'Er... no I won't, it's a little more complex than that' Our case rests..... Tuesday 11th July 2006 We would like to offer our acknowledgements and thanks to all Nottingham city homes staff and associates who are rooting for us. (You know who you are.) Wednesday 12th July 2006 2006 Receive a letter from a local politician, offering to take our case further. We won't hold our breath - it seems this ALMO is a power unto itself - but thank you anyway. Thursday 13th July 2006 2006 Decide to hold our breath after all - The hot weather combined with the spore ridden miasma in our home is playing havoc with our lungs. |
| Friday 14th July 2006 Receive an e-mail from Peter Wycherley of www.communities.gov.uk stating, "The Housing Act 2004 introduced the Housing Health and Safety Rating System - a risk assessment procedure, which replaces the housing fitness standard. Local authorities have enforcement powers under the Act and can intervene where conditions are unacceptable. They cannot in law enforce against themselves." !!!??? - Okay, time for a commercial break.... Buy a copy of the unofficial ALMO staff handbook. (If you do, we get a small commision - Note to Nottingham city homes - full transparency on this website!) |
| Saturday 15th July 2006 Google has picked up this URL - We're going ultra global. Monday 17th July 2006 2006 The silence from Nottingham city homes is deafening. Wednesday 19 th July 2006 2006 Lynne Pennington, chief executive of Nottingham City Homes jacks it in - read the full story here The tagline, "heralding a new era of optimism," makes us chuckle. |
| Friday 21st July 2006 Paul Stanley asks us if we would be interested in a ground floor flat situated in St.Anns Saturday 22nd July 2006 We view the property externally and notice that the address given appears to be occupied - but we observe a first floor flat that seems empty. We have noticed that Nottingham city homes get easily confused over addresses Monday 24th July 2006 2006 Express to Paul Stanley that we are very interested and request the keys to view the property - Oh dear - he does not have them, but promises to get back to us within the week. Wednesday 26th July 2006 Pass by the address and oh - oh, we suspect that new occupants are moving in. Thursday 27th July 2006 Ring Paul Stanley and are informed, 'he is not in the office today' - Is this starting to sound familiar? - or do you think we are getting paranoid? |
| 'When is an offer not an offer?' - We are afraid only Nottingham city homes knows the answer to that one. 'Why can't we be moved to another area?' - Not really sure, but there appears to be some sort of rewards/points system that Nottingham city homes officers adhere to - it seems they have to keep you within the same area/region. No, we did not know that Nottingham city homes is under some kind of incompetence/corruption investigation - any information greatly appreciated on this allegation. Thank you for the many offers of snorkeling equipment - taken with the good humour we are sure is intended. Yes, actually we do keep our wellies in the bedroom! - our shoes have rotted away. ???? - Green! No we have not got a garden shed - but we do have a shed on our allotment - Hmmm food for thought Thank you for the e-mail purporting to be from John Prescott, offering us a 'grace and favour home' - Now, why don't we believe you? For some inexplicable reason we have been placed in 'Band 4' in the Nottingham city homes 'banding' scheme. (More info in 'PDF' format here) Yes we will consider campaigning for other dissatisfied tenants - send your details and we will arrange extra bandwith. |