Emails you don't want to read

Friday 2/12/10 6.24pm. I have opened it now. Saturday afternoon.

Dear Ms De Nim

Thank you for your emails of 10 and 11 February 2010, regarding your housing situation.

I am aware that [Tory] kindly took time out of his busy schedule to attend a visit to your home with [Lease End] and [Support Worker] from our Homeless Household Support Service. As you know we have been talking to you for sometime about the pending cessation of the lease on [your temporary accommodation] and the options that are available to you. These options could be private sector housing, hostel accommodation or accommodation outside of the borough. [not council housing, I hope you read that loud and clear]

Whatever option you choose, it does mean that you will be unable to remain [where you are living now]. I know [Support Worker] has advised you of the benefits of taking private sector housing and we have achieved a great deal of success housing families into this form of housing [hitting targets, ticking boxes]. I would ask you not to rule this out in its entirety but give it due consideration. If you do decide to rule out private sector housing then the distinct probability will be that you will be offered hostel accommodation and if this is unavailable at the time, accommodation outside of the borough [and you only have yourself to blame for that].

I am sorry to learn that you have moved four times since your son has been born, but our records show that since you approached Camden for assistance with housing, we placed you [where you are] and now are proposing to move you again [to somewhere equally insecure]. Therefore, the other moves must have taken place before you approached us for assistance. [I approached you in 2003. You should have a record of that. I do. I did you a favour and went into the Private Rental Sector. Came knocking on your door again in 2004. We have moved three times. We're staring at the fourth]

As I've explained in previous correspondence, not all applicants who registered in 2009 would be in a successful position to obtain a home, in actual fact a majority will not be housed for a number of years to come. However, there will be a few that because of their circumstances will be in a position to secure a home, but many will be be waiting for years and because of this we advise that the private sector may offer an appropriate housing solution. The points you have been awarded reflect your current housing situation and are in line with the points that can be awarded under our Allocations Scheme, I am sorry that you felt that no one was able to explain this to you yesterday.

We give priority to families with child a under the age of five living above the second floor and who are overcrowded for ground floor properties only, but this is only after consideration has been given to those who have been medically assessed for a ground floor properties. I hope this explains this particular issue for you and hopefully clarify that we are not giving priority to all families with a child under the age of five living above the second floor. [we are not going to tell you why not families with children over 5]

I have looked at your application and your medical points have been assessed, this was done on 2 February 2010 and you should have received a letter advising you of the Medical Assessment Officer's decision [no I haven't]. From what I can see the Medical Assessment Officer has not changed his recommendation and your medical category remains a C. This takes into account the letter dated 9 December 2009 from [your doctor] [we will never consider the earlier one from your shrink].

I am sorry that you felt that at the meeting Lease End had laughed, but I have spoken to Lease End and he assures me that this was not the case [which he would say of course, wonder if support worker will back ME up? Tory might not dare either]. He did say that he advised you that he thought that given your points level that he didn't expect you to be successful, but everyone at Tuesday's meeting agreed that you should continue to bid, as sometimes properties go to second and even third shortlists. [not everyone, not Lease End]

I know that you feel that you are being ignored, but as you know Support Worker has been assigned to assist you and help you through the process of the lease ending on [your temporary accommodation] and both [Quality] and I have responded to your emails, so we are well aware of your anxiety about the situation and we are doing all we can to ensure that you are kept aware of your options and what is happening.

I hope that I have been able to clarify matters for you, but please do not hesitate to keep in contact with [support worker] if you have any further queries.

Regards

Allocation Service Manager
Needs and Access
Housing and Adult Social Care
London Borough of Camden

It is good she responded so quickly. It's quite clear what she is saying, but I will respond to this on Monday because it's not quite clear enough to me.