When the Chinese say "May all your wishes come true" it is meant as a curse!

[Paul]

We have had really cold weather over the past few days, and heavy snow on the ground. I have been wishing for the temperature to get warmer and for the snow to melt.

Last night my wish was granted.

During the night and this morning the temperature rose, and the snow melted.

And the ice melted.

Here is what I did not know: During the freeze the water in the pipe to the tap in the apartment above me froze up. They are the push type, so the ice pushed the pipe out of the socket and blocked the pipe.

This afternoon I went out into the hall and heard heavy rain outside. Then I realized that the rain was not outside, it was in my bedroom. The ice had thawed, the water had started running out of the pipe at the rate of several gallons a minute, flooding the apartment above mine, then seeping through the ceiling into my bedroom. By the time I found out the bed was soaked, and the floor under half an inch of water.

The apartment above me is empty and locked. I cannot get in. Stop cock for the building is in the cellar, which is also locked. No way I can stop the water. So I 'phone the landlord. He is out, I leave a message. I go to the water company's website looking for a 'phone number, to see if they can help. No number, they ask you to report any problems by posting on their Facebook timeline!!!!

I eventually get hold of a phone number (by Googling "emergency telephone number for Thames Water"). When I ring them they say that they cannot help as the burst is on private property. But they suggest I call the police. I do that, police say they will be around in 15 minutes and (as I mentioned that the water was running through the light fitting, among other places) they would call the fire brigade.

The firemen arrive first. Followed almost immediately by my landlord, who has at last got my message. I 'phone the police to tell them thanks, but not needed because my landlord is now there with the keys. Then my landlord unlocks the appropriate doors and the water to the leak is shut off.

I have very little left of value, having been robbed while in hospital, and most of what I have left is boxed and stacked in the bedroom, that too is probably now ruined by the water.

And it gets worse. When I was robbed the thief threw everything on the floor, and I have been slowly packing the mess away in boxes and stacking it. The chief fireman looked at it and decided it was a fire hazard (along with the mess I have not yet finished packing away). He is going to report my apartment to the council as "unfit for human habitation" on Monday. I want to leave this place, but in my own time, not rushed out by the council. With dialysis it is taking me a long time to pack up, I cannot do it quickly. Basically I'm screwed.

My Grandmother had a saying "I was down and depressed. Then I heard a voice saying "Smile, things could be worse. So I smiled. and low, things did get worse." Take it from me, however bad things get, there is always another level of bad into which they can sink.

[cassandra]

OMG Paul, what on earth are you going to do?


Love, Cas

[Paul]

OMG Paul, what on earth are you going to do?

I wish I knew!

[cassandra]

Do you have any friends or family in the neighbourhood where you could stay? Or want to stay?

[Charlie B53]

Wish I were closer and able to assist in some way.

Brings a whole new meaning to that old phrase,  "When it rains, it pours."

And "If it weren't for Bad Luck, you'd have no luck at all."

Sorry to hear of your trials but the Good Book has it written that 'another door Will open.' Be patient and stick with your Faith that some Good will come from this.

[Paul]

Do you have any friends or family in the neighbourhood where you could stay

Yes but I'm hoping I won't have to.

Sorry to hear of your trials but the Good Book has it written that 'another door Will open.'

Although in my case it is "As one door closes, another slams in your face".

[cassandra]

Do you have any insurance?

[kristina]

The chief fireman looked at it and decided it was a fire hazard (along with the mess I have not yet finished packing away). He is going to report my apartment to the council as "unfit for human habitation" on Monday. I want to leave this place, but in my own time, not rushed out by the council. With dialysis it is taking me a long time to pack up, I cannot do it quickly.

Hello Paul,
Since the fireman is going to report your apartment to the council as being "unfit for human habitation" and if the authorities are also being informed of the fact that you are battling with ESRF and accompanying exhaustion, plus dialysis on top of it all, don't you think it could be a good idea to let them help you to be rehoused? Sometimes it is a bit hard to admit that we could do with some help, but if you let them help you to be urgently re-housed in a better environment, it could surely help your better long-term-health-management? Please think it over ...
I send you good luck and my best wishes from Kristina.

[Paul]

Do you have any insurance?

Nope. This area is such a thief and junky area that there is no way I could get insurance against theft, so I did not bother. Did not cross my mind that I should have looked into fire and flood too. However since the quantity of stupid things done by people while high, around this area, I would probably have found that too expensive anyway.

[Paul]

Since the fireman is going to report your apartment to the council as being "unfit for human habitation" and if the authorities are also being informed of the fact that you are battling with ESRF and accompanying exhaustion, plus dialysis on top of it all, don't you think it could be a good idea to let them help you to be rehoused?

It would be a great idea except that I would not be an emergency case. They would put me on a waiting list and five to ten years from now they would find me somewhere. Too damned late.

[kristina]

Since the fireman is going to report your apartment to the council as being "unfit for human habitation" and if the authorities are also being informed of the fact that you are battling with ESRF and accompanying exhaustion, plus dialysis on top of it all, don't you think it could be a good idea to let them help you to be rehoused?

It would be a great idea except that I would not be an emergency case. They would put me on a waiting list and five to ten years from now they would find me somewhere.

You are quite right, to wait five to ten years is much too late, but if you could engage your doctors, your GP and your nephrologist etc. in your plight and explain your situation and ask them to please write a letter explaining your terrible situation and how damaging it is to your health, that surely could help?
Perhaps you also have another few medical letters which you could put together to assist you? The more letters the better ...
Another idea could be to also contact your local Labour MP Sara Jones and hopefully she could speed "things" up for you a bit?
Since she is a Labour MP she surely is interested to assist you to get out of this terrible situation?'
Is there a social worker at your dialysis-unit? Couldn't they assist you as well?
I keep my fingers crossed and wish you all the best from Kristina.

[Paul]

A few weeks back there was a case in the news: A guy was being evicted because the landlord needed the premises for his own use. The tenant applied to the council for help, his reason was that he was dying, only had two months left to live. The reply was that this was not a serious enough case for emergency help. He would have to live those last two months in the street and die in some shop doorway somewhere. They would not even put him on the waiting list as he would be dead before he was eligible for help.

My situation is bad, but I intend to be around for more than a couple of months. So if dying does not get you any help, my situation won't even register a polite letter.

[cassandra]

Hi Paul yes bad things happen to lots of people
Doesn't mean you have to A: believe them or B: lay down and give up.


I completely agree with Kristina. Sara Jones' Phone number tel:0208 191 7066
Make sure you mention how ill you are. Etc. And call your hosp social worker. And mention to all persons that you've contacted your MP. And also try the National Kidney Federation Helpline. 0845 601 02 09 Calls cost 5p a minute.

Before you call write down all the info you will need: How long you lived in Croydon, hosp address, D sessions etc.

Lots of love, luck and strength, Cas

[kristina]

My situation is bad, but I intend to be around for more than a couple of months. So if dying does not get you any help, my situation won't even register a polite letter.

... there might be some truth in the desperate housing situation, but every case is surely different and the point is really to give it a try ... please ! It does not take too long to describe your desperate situation in a one-page-letter and please make an appointment with your GP, another one with your nephrologist and your MP and describe your desperate housing situation plus your fragility due to ESRF with dialysis and how vulnerable your current situation makes you and bring them this one-page-letter and leave them with a copy of it with your address and telephone-number plus your e-mail-address etc. and please describe your situation and the urgency for you to move into a civilized place ...  and please, please give it a good try... you owe it to yourself ...
If they don't react ( and I honestly would doubt it), ok, but at least you know that you give it a good try ...
I wish you good luck from Kristina.

[Paul]

I have had dealings with Croydon Council before. I can assure you that the best I can hope for from them is that they do not find a way to charge me for asking for help.

Case One When I came out of hospital, found myself unemployed, disabled, robbed, and five minutes from dialysis I went into a depression. By the time I pulled myself together I had got through most of my money on friperies like food, rent, electricity, etc.. Being disabled I am entitled to disability benefit, so In went to the council to claim. they agreed I was entitled to it, but kept making excuses not to pay. This was money I was entitled to, and needed to survive. After several weeks my money reserves got down to about the equivalent of one dollar. So I went back to beg for the money they owed me. They still refused, so in an overly dramatic gesture I pulled all the money I had out of my pocket, about the equivalent of one dollar in small change, slammed it on the desk and said "That is all the money I own. When that is gone I ether have to start stealing or die. Which do you advise me to do?" They still showed no concern. They simply advised me to either borrow some money or beg from a charity that ran a food bank for homeless people. That is how much the council care.

Case Two I was in hospital for three months, so when I got out I was three months behind with my council payments. One of the things that had been stolen while I was in hospital was my debit card, and by the time I had got that sorted I was four months behind. I 'phoned them up and asked to pay. They told me that because I was over three months behind I had to pay a fine, equivalent to several hundred dollars. I told them my situation and said that I could not afford the extra money, but I would happily pay what I actually owed them. They refused to accept that payment, demanded the extra as well and would not accept one without the other. I could not pay that. Normally in that situation they argue for about two years before getting legal (I know this because several of my neighbours simply did not pay the bill). However I had made the mistake of telling them that I was disabled and suffering depression. That made me an easy target. Within weeks they had added the equivalent of about another $1500 onto the bill, taken me to court (without notifying me so I could not defend myself) added court fees and legal costs to the bill and got a court order allowing them to take goods to the value of the enormous amount I now owed.

Fortunately this was an election year (for national government) and before the bailiffs arrived someone from the same party as the local council knocked on the door and asked if I would vote for them in the national election. I was angry and at the end of my tether and simply screamed at him "No, because your party are a bunch of c***s." He asked me why and I explained. I also said that when the bailiffs came I would call the national press and let them come and photograph the event. He saw the party's chances of getting elected dropping to zero and sorted the problem out (for his own benefit). Moral of the story: When in trouble call your politicians c***s.

As a further irony, my council tax bill was calculated from my annual earnings, estimated from when the year began. But I ended up in hospital early in the financial year, then unable to work when I left hospital, so my actual tax bill was a lot lower. And when they finally re-calculated it I had actually overpaid, I did not owe them money, they owed me.

But if there had not been an election at just the right time they would come to take goods to the value of several thousand. I had just been robbed, so I doubt what I have left would fetch the several thousand they were charging me for late payment. So they would have taken everything I own. And they would have done it because they needed to balance their books in the time of austerity, and I was disabled and psychologically broken, so was an easy target.

To make matters worse they were aware of my depression, aware that once they had taken everything I would probably kill myself. They did not care.

So no, I do not think the council will help. And if I ask them they will probably simply send me a big bill for wasting their time when I have a perfectly acceptable cardboard box I can live in.

[Paul]

Sorry, I am used to converting our currency into US dollars when posting as I am usually talking to Americans. Just realized that I did that in the last post automatically, even though I was aware I was replying to British people. Sorry.

(PS also sorry for the American spellings, my spell checker does that automatically.)

[cassandra]

Dear Paul, I'm so sorry for all this misery you're in. But Sarah Jones is your MP not your councilor. The NKF is a pretty well of charity. I've never mentioned your council.

[kitkatz]

Find a news person who wants to write or tell your story and get it out there.  Tell everyone everything and let it be known how unfair things have become.  Look into an online donation place where people can donate money to assist you.