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Housing Complaints

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Sorry need to get this off my chest!

Our housing office isn't open til 9-15 and I'm wondering what to say. Don't mean to be ditz on that note.

They've always treated me bad when I've called so that's why I've never made any complaints.

I'm not really the complaining type, but our upstairs neighbour is driving me nuts! I have carers every morning at 7am, she's always up at 6-30. Anyway, recently she has been stamping upstairs and banging things around from the moment my carers come to the second they leave!

I'm getting really angry now.. It's not like we are overly loud - we're talking! She has made complaints about me in the past. Our walls and ceiling are so thin, she can hear almost everything and we can hear her! I can hear her sneezing! Really.

So now, just waiting so I can call. I don't like our housing officer - she's never been nice to me. Treats me like I'm some weird cow in a chair! Ok, I may be weird (LOL), but she treats me like a silly kid and isn't really too bothered when I have called.. Really puts me down. I don't know if there is anyone else I can speak to.

I feel shy and wrong!

Just looking for a bit of advice really and some luck to make me feel I'm doing the right thing.

Sorry it's so long


xx Mrs Player xx
 
If it was me I would speak to the manager of the housing department. Do you not know anyone who is strong who can ring on your behalf?
 
LOL How I wish! - managed to speak to someone else. Thank God! But she says it will need to be dealt with by the housing officer as she is the one in charge! Poo!

Hubby is too soft, my dad will give them what for and my mum only hears what she wants! So it leaves me!
 
Kelly, if your housing officer isn't dealing with your problem and you feel that she isn't treating you properly this can be dealt with.
Next time you speak to her, if you feel like you're not getting anywhere, ask her about the Council's complaints procedure and if she can send you the form needed to set the ball rolling. If she has any sense, she will try to avoid you going down this route but if she doesn't there is nothing stopping you from putting in a complaint. Complaints to councils are monitored so it will go on record. Us council workers do whatever we can to stop people complaining.
As for the loony lady upstairs. Keep a record of every time she does this and ask the carers if they are willing to be a witness. It will strengthen your case if it goes that far.
The CAB will also help you with this.
Unfortunately, these days there isn't enough sound insulation between homes so we do get to hear our neighbours all the time but excessive noise is very distressing and illegal.
Hope this helps a bit.
xx
 
Definately there's always a higher being to complain to, and you are within your rights to speak to the organ grinder, not the monkey.

Also try calmly explaining to her that although your legs don't work there is absolutely nothing wrong with your brain so could she kindly refrain from speaking to you like you are an imbecile.

Hopefully this will shame her into not being a patronising cow.
 
Yeah thanx both.

I know I should've started a diary much longer ago than this, but I'm not really the sort of person to complain. Afterall a majority of it is 'living' sounds, but you can hear almost everything. You can't make out words all the time, but when you do - gosh what a foul mouth she has!

She's been upstairs for just under 2 years now and has complained about us non-stop! We even have to laugh quietly! Which is difficult and also if I get the giggles for some reason at about 11pm, we're in trouble!

Once I had to apologise cos we had our nephews over and they were being quite loud during the day! She has a 1 year old herself and is much younger than me! But you woul've thought she'd understand what kids are like - hell no! I have been in touch with the council about getting a new place, because at the moment we're with a housing agency.

Think it would be so much easier if it was the council itself!

Now I don't want to be like I'm playing tit for tat. I'm really quite down about it. During the day I have my tv on like a whisper or if I want my music on then I have my headphones on.. I can't 'live' in the flat!

I will find out more when the housing officer gets in touch with me - hope she doesn't keep me waiting long.

Going to pop along to CAB hopefully this Friday.

Bev - you did make me laugh - I know you're right. It's not often these days I get spoken to like she does to me. I think it's too that when I get nervous I stutter a little (she makes me so edgy!), she's probably peeing herself laughing inside! And then all her words are like she's talking to a child (that being me!)

Sorry it's long again. Thank you all so much for being my tower of strength!


xx Kelly xx
 
If my neighbour was like that i would be really immature and set my stero up so that when i went out it came on really loud lol. sorry the officer is being harsh, give her a mouthful Kelly i would lol. hope everything gets sorted
 
LOL Verity.. I'm not like that at all!

I tell them the problem and what I want back, but wont give a mouthful.. That never gets you anywhere! ;D

Hoping it will be sorted soon

xx
 
Lol its my mothers influence, she has a short fuse lol I'm usually a very calm person but it builds up and then BANG lol hehe x
 
Kelly, what you describe is totally unreasonable. You can't not make noise at all. Everyone makes noise. As long as its not excessive we all have to put up with it. You should carry on as normal and if this lady complains let her. She has to proove that you are making excessive noise and believe me the noise level they class as excessive is bloody loud not just the odd giggle or sneeze.
Even though you are with a housing agency type thing they will still have a complaints procedure.
I would suggest writing a polite but firm letter to your neighbour saying that you are very sorry she finds the noise from your flat disturbing but that is the nature of living in a flat. Tell her that you try to be as quiet as possible and you would appreciate the same from her.
Let us know how you get on at the CAB
xx
 
Gosh how I know my love! This is a letter she sent us not so long ago;
Hope this is ok to post;


Next door 149
I live at 151. I am writing to you regarding the banging and noise from you. I'm not one to complain but, you obviously don't realise how thin the walls and floor boards are.
I have been around a couple of times but, you probably don't realise how loud you are.
The banging is quite late at night. Slamming doors and loud voices you probably don't know how loud your voices are and can be.
Your probably only talking but, I'm asking if you could keep it down. I understand that you have to have carers in the mornings but, every morning you wake my daughter up with the banging around and loud voices
My daughters bedroom is above yours and it's loud, and wakes her up she don't normally wake up until 8 am but, because she's being waken up, she's getting up at 7am. All I ask is for a bit of respect and consideration.
Thank you.
Kelly (151)


She's a Kelly too - and my letter back to her;

Kelly (151)

I’m sorry that you feel this way towards us, and have had to write to us explaining the problems.

Firstly, may I say that we know how thin the walls and floor boards are.. we know only too well.. we are able to hear you too, so it’s not one-sided.
We can hear; you walking from room to room, doing the washing up, hear you sneezing (!), crying, now and again your music, your phone ringing, drop things, playing with your daughter and also some talking and much more.. But, we haven’t mentioned anything because nothing can be done and so have accepted it because they are everyday living noises. We have always been able to hear everything, even the people who lived there before you.

We have at least tried to be even quieter than we are, but surely we have the right to talk in our own home? I’m not doubting anything you’ve said, but it’s just the way it has been since we moved in in September 2002. Nothing’s really changed in the way we live.

As for the slamming doors, we only close the bathroom door and the spare room door when my brother wants to stay over at the weekend, but it is not slammed.. It does make a noise when it's shut, but it's not slammed.. In the late evening, early morning, there might occasionally be the odd noise in the bathroom, but that's because I use a hoist and chair for the loo/shower and then call out when I’ve done.. Nothing can be done about that..

I've had carers in the mornings due to my husband working for the 3 years that we’ve been here. Yes, we talk and laugh in the mornings.. I don't see anything wrong in that. It's not overly loud, it's our normal voices, and it’s not like they can get me up in silence.
They know about your letter and have toned it down a bit.

I have an electric bed that you may hear, I also use a hoist which is noisy too.. But it hasn’t changed in 3 years..

We realise you have a young child.. we're not inconsiderate, we have 4 nephews and a niece and have looked after them since they were tiny and also planning for our own, so it's not like we're totally immature.. We do understand, but we can’t whisper in our home.

I'm sorry, but we are really doing everything we can to be quiet and of course we can't be silent of moving around because of my electric wheelchair, hoist and also the use of a shower chair... We are trying our best..

Thank you,

Kelly (149)



I can't be bothered with writing a letter back again as the ones before says it all!

xx Kelly xx
 
i think that in situations like this you need to just get on with your own life.

if you are always worrying about what everyone else thinkgs then you arent going to enjoy your life.

i hope that you are able to sort this out with your "neighbour"
 
Great letter, has she replied further since then? probably not I imagine as if that letter had been sent to me it would've shut me right up!
 
Kelly that is an absolutely brilliant letter. What could anyone say to that? Has she replied to it?
 
Thanx.

She never replied to it and things haven't changed. It's her who's now being the most noisiest (even though we weren't anyway) and I can tell you for a fact that they are not 'living' noises!

Stu - How on earth can I live normally, knowing that I'm heard even when I talk on the phone or to my carers? Yes, I know it sounds simple to forget her, but when you can hear everything she does too it kinda makes you nervous about 'living'!

Haven't heard from the housing officer as yet.


xx Kelly xx
 
Today, we got a letter from the housing officer to say that an informal letter has been sent upstairs regarding 'banging and slamming of doors when carers are here'..

I never said bloody doors! She was clearly jumping up and down on the floor and banging on the floor! I know when it's a door sound!

The housing officer was meant to call me too! I'm angry.

She's probably laughing her head off upstairs as I write! Am expecting her to come down any minute and give me a gob full!

Do I just leave things for now?
 
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