Ok where to start here. As most might know i have disability and slowly going into a wheelchair, not that i am complaining but Housing NSW (or Department of Housing, like social housing as such) have been causing a constant headache for myself and my family.
First off late last year we applied to be permanently transferred to a new house with the intent it be fully modified to cater for a wheelchair to only have just before Christmas 2008 have that knocked back because i earn to much.
I understand the reasoning but with a declining person with restrictive mobility not being able to fully utilise a non wheelchair accessible house they are a listed tenant living their you think common sense would come into effect.
HELL NO, THIS IS NSW GOVERNMENT RED TAPE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE!
Not specifically having a go at anyone who i do know works for the NSW Government but still, it is a huge Joke if not just a major disappointment.
Now we are applied for a reconsideration to only find out that the reconsideration got lost, or they never got it to only have it handed into the office we deal with and to have it rejected because we didn't meet time frames (apparently you have to apply for the recon within 14 days yet there is no where i can find that actually says this within the legislation - typical eh)
Anyway we ended up going back as a party with my OT, Social workers and family members to work on a better proposal and try to re-apply for another transfer request which we have now down, but here comes the better part of the story.
As I type this, I am currently staying at a motel in Burwood because Housing NSW wanted to get the list of work it has had planned for the past oh.................. 11 years done with us being out of the house while this occurs.
The only good thing is that they are paying for this, the funny thing that isn't good about this is that so far the only jobs that have been completed are -
- Painting of internal walls and windows (mind you during the dust storm Sydney had on Wednesday) which started on that Wednesday and right through until Thursday
- Carpenters come in and fix any thing that needed a carpenters hand at fixing like the windows, doors, door frames, etc
But it is the things that need to be completed by tis coming wednesday that have us worried such as -
- New carpet and Lino to be put down, replacing what is still laid within the house
- New Electrical wiring to be done and completed
- Removal of a dehumidifier that hasn't worked for well over 5 years out of the roof
- further exploration of what damage has been done to the roof from the roofers who put on the new tiles without checking the supporting rafters or beams (Typical mind you if you ask me)
- treatment of the concrete cancer within the brickwork on the outside
- facia board at front to be fully replaced
- treatment of mould on the brickwork on the outside of the house
- guttering to be replaced
i could just keep going really but i wont, but that gives you the idea at least on what is really going on at our house, yet the Dept want to increase our rent by $20 a week because of the size of the house its the right thing to do in the area we live in
HELLLLLOOOOOOOOO..........IN THE WORDS OF A KELIS SONG HERE I DON'T THINK SO!
So that matter has gone to the tribunal (CTTT) and we are awaiting for all works to be completed before we even agree for the increase and let me tell you, they can fight us tooth and nail if they want because i will make sure that all work is completed before this happens!
It just amazes me that Housing NSW have had this list with them for well over 11 years but nothing has really been done about it until the federal government hands them some money and says "do what you need to do to fix all these problems"
Seriously it is just wrong and i wouldn't be surprised if the NSW government (Being the current Labour Government) gets a good swift kick up the rear ends it needs to get ousted and realise that enough is enough really!
On the other half i do have to say and make one small disclaimer here that our Client Services Officer (or CSO) has been brilliant when we have been trying to get things done and very helpful but for the rest of the Dept, if this was to be like an episode of Big Brother or the Brady Bunch, it would make those programs seem somewhat normal really
No wonder at the age of 25 i am starting to get grey hair..................
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