Kavi Ugl Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Can someone tell me why people who are breakers of the law and nothing but trouble are being housed in brand spanking new housing schemes while many an honest, hard-working individual finds themself sliding down, rather than coming up, the housing waiting list ....?. This is the second individual in a matter of weeks who has been in trouble with the law from the new housing scheme called Grodians(at Quoys). http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2011/03/09/teenager-lashed-out-at-policeman-and-assaulted-man http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/2011/February/news/Two%20Smiths%20in%20court%20for%20thefts.htm [***Mod edit - thread renamed to reflect the content. While the OP refers to two news stories, posters are asked to remember in discussions that invasions of privacy and defamation are against the forum T&Cs. Answers on the subject of housing policy may be welcomed. ***] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Njugle Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 You could try phoning the SIC housing department(0) 1595 744509 or Hjaltland (01595) 694986 , if you really want an answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Something I have heard discussed many times and the best answer I can come up with is that either the council has a legal duty to house these people as part of a plan to rehabilitate them or alternatively the council has decided at some stage in the past that it has a moral duty to house them for the same reason. Of course the cynical view might well be that they are better at playing the system than the honest hard working people or maybe just have more time to play the system. The council/Hjaltland would, quite rightly, refuse to give you information on these or any other individuals but it ought to be possible to discover what the policy is although you might have to approach one of your councillors or use the Freedom of Information Act to discover the answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piddly Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Can someone tell me why people who are breakers of the law and nothing but trouble are being housed in brand spanking new housing schemes while many an honest, hard-working individual finds themself sliding down, rather than coming up, the housing waiting list ....?. This is the second individual in a matter of weeks who has been in trouble with the law from the new housing scheme called Grodians(at Quoys). http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2011/03/09/teenager-lashed-out-at-policeman-and-assaulted-man http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/2011/February/news/Two%20Smiths%20in%20court%20for%20thefts.htm [***Mod edit - thread renamed to reflect the content. While the OP refers to two news stories, posters are asked to remember in discussions that invasions of privacy and defamation are against the forum T&Cs. Answers on the subject of housing policy may be welcomed. ***] Have complete sympathy with this. I had a friend rent a room from me for 6 years, when he moved in he was 29, had worked since he left school at 18(in Shetland), paying all taxes etc. He split up with his g'friend just before moving in with me, he put himself on both the council and hjatland housing lists in his first week living with me. 6 years later and over 130 applications for houses over that period he was eventually offered a flat, this was only after i wrote to Hjatland to say i was throwing him out as my girlfriend was moving in thus rendering him homeless, of course this was a lie, my view was if you can't beat them join them. People were telling him left, right and centre to lie about his situation and he would be housed, but am afraid he was to honest for his own good. I'm not sure what the housing associations policy is but as you have said above, it seems if you are a law breaker, junkie, alcoholic or some ned that has just walked off the boat you pretty much get housed, and if you are a good, law abiding, employed tax paying citizen then your f***ed!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 I wouldn't know what the "mechanics" in play are, but if someone is in SIC temporary emergency accomodation there's nothing like having a day in court on some slightly further up the scale than "minor" charge, or becoming "known" to the old bill, for that person to be very promptly allocated a full tenancy in the area of their choice. I've seen it occur several times too many to buy there's any "coincidence" involved. Names could be named, but this is not the place. I've always just presumed that it was done, probably with a little "off the record" pressure behind the scenes from Police/Court/Welfare whatever, as old bill really does not seem to like having to traipse long drives out of the toon every few days over the same person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 You could try phoning the SIC housing department(0) 1595 744509 or Hjaltland (01595) 694986 , if you really want an answer. No...because the chances are you'll never get a straight answer and sadly if you do it'll be the usual "legal obligations" excuse or it'll be "classified". I wasn't meaning or intending to "name and shame" but how else are folks supposed to feel when they see a brand new housing scheme cropping up time and again in court proceedings?. A comment I've heard about the Grodians scheme is "lovely new scheme and houses but they've filled it with druggies"..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Njugle Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Some good links here:http://www.hjaltland.org.uk/about/pdf/SICAllocationPolicyLeaflet-2.pdf http://www.shetland.gov.uk/housingoptionsguide/councilhousing/SICHousingAllocationPointsSystem.asp The second one probably hass all the answers, at a glance, depending on how you interpret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattie Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 The second one probably hass all the answers, at a glance, depending on how you interpret it.It could be written in Klingon lol!Wouldn't matter a damn.The Shetland Isles Council Housing Policy is a joke.My daughter, her partner and 3 month old child had to take a house in Mossbank. Riddled with dampness in a decrepit state. That was all they were offered..Although they had no connection to Mossbank. Work in Scalloway and have family here.The Council and Hjaltland weren't interested.I had to get Tavish Scott involved as the Council thought the state of that house in Mossbank was acceptable..A letter from his office. They were out on a Saturday cleaning it up!!They had also applied for several flats in Scalloway. Never got one.Although at least two of them were given to people involved with the Social Work Department.. I personally think a hard working family need a house better rather than idiots sitting on their arses all day playing the X Box smoking weed.. Just cause they are under social work care.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 With an allocation policy that offers 60% of empty properties to "homeless" people the slogan "Get Homeless--Get Housed" could well be displayed outside the SIC Housing and Hjaltland offices. But this is not the fault of either body as they have a duty to house some "homeless" people. Indeed it sounds like the new Westminster government wants to move social housing towards "social need" rather than homes for life and with a significant percentage of people on the waiting list being there as much for economic reasons (paying much higher rents in the private sector) than because their home is inadequate I suspect that at some stage new rules will come in that remove all but the most needy from waiting lists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pleepsie Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 What is needed is a hostel to accommodate all homeless people. It would provide basic shelter and would also offer advice about getting a job and would provide all the social care needed for people with problems. This would free up the houses and flats that are kept empty 'incase needed' and these could be given to employed people who can afford to pay rent for them, thus putting money back into the council. It would also discourage people from making themselves 'homeless' to get a house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peerie t Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 One major problem wi da council housing policy is dat dey canna make somebody homeless either, so if you have laid your house in bits time efter time, dey canna kick you out for it... they CAN move you to a different scheme if there are complaints from neighbors etc, but otherwise, once you have a council house, you can pretty much do what you want... Hjatland on da idder hand, can get dem chucked out efter a point, but den da council has to pick dem up anyway. I have no problem with someone who is homeless needing a house, I have been in that situation myself, but unfortunately I did not have a raging drug habit/social work involvement/criminal record as long as my arm (* delete as appropriate ) to enable me to get a house in the town, although I had both a full time and a part time job there at the time... I had to move to OLLABERRY - nothing against the place it was a lovely wee flat, and the folk were splendid.. just not practical for me, as 6 days a week I was leaving home at 7am, and only getting home at 6.30pm as I do not drive and was relying on public transport. I then got moved to Burra, but my rant over that is best saved for another forum post probably... What I do take great umbrage to is why is it more necessary for some layabout on the dole with a charge sheet like "war and peace", and a habitual drug habit to have a house in Lerwick, than someone who is working hard trying to contribute to society rather than just sponging off it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lively Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 Well said Mattie The housing policy is a disgrace. Dont forget those who move from south/abroad & walk straight into sic/hha houses before locals who have stayed here all their lives, working & paying taxes etc. Theres recently been mutual exchanges happening in Scalloway where people are moving into houses which are too big for their needs. I know a couple who have just moved into a 3 bedroom council house & they have no kids. There's alot of overcrowded flats & houes in Scalloway & that house could've helped towards easing that problem. The system stinks & needs changing now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiddles Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 I dont know how how true it is, but this was happening in n.wales to, they were moving people from the rough areas of some of the bigger city estates, one of the reasons i heard was that they were trying to split up people on certain housing estates in the hope of easing alot of the trouble on these estates, and not realising that they were basically just bringing trouble (drugs etc). to what was once a quiet area. and apparently the councils taking on some of these people were getting extra money for taking them. In their own daft well intentioned way they think that by giving addicts,alcoholics etc housing it would hopefully prevent them from going out offending, A lad who was a couple of years older than me, was an alcoholic at 18yrs old, and going out offending to get money for his drink... So they gave him a council house, disability benefits, housing and council tax benefits, plus extra money to buy drink with and also £25 a week extra to buy food for his dog, sadly he died 4yrs ago aged 42, but really speaking he no incentive to stop, they (the powers that be) killed him with kindness , i could understand them wanting to stop him committing crimes to get his drink, but instead of helping "fix" his problem it was easier to give him extra money and a council house so he had no need to offend, and why? because some "human rights" policy says you cant force help on a person, yet its ok to help a person end their life early by helping them get their "Fix" be it drugs or booze. Personally i think that if they insist on giving priority housing and disability benefits to addicts, it should come with conditions, as in they have to attend rehab programs and should do some sort of voluntary work until they are deemed strong enough mentally and physically to stand on their own two feet and find paid employment, but i believe thats an invasion of human rights. So im afraid no matter what you say or do,the councils etc will continue to keep giving these people top priority as in the their own bumbling tho well intentioned way,they think because someone has a job ,isnt an addict or constantly offending then they dont need the same level of assistance and dont have the "housing needs points" that addicts do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetland_boys Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 This might b off topic but i have 2 friends who were looking for a house, the 1st 1 has a job a partner and a baby, the 2nd is on the dole and single , the 2nd got a 3 bedroom house in brae and the 1st is still waiting? i dont get it lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinner72 Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 No off topic at all, you just described the housing policy down to a T. Anyone in a stable relationship where either partner has a job can basically forget it. Back to the very good point the OP had though. I understand the councils hands are tied by national legislation etc when it comes to housing the homeless, those on benifits etc etc. However, when a new scheme has been invested in, surely it would be econimilaly viable to offer those houses as exchanges to people/families with a proven record of keeping up payments and looking after thier properties, who would like to move to the area. Sure, it may add a week or two on to the time until their old house was avaliable, but at least troublemakers and vandals wouldnt be let loose in brand new properties. It would have no real effect on the overall process other than helping to protect the housing investment and "rewarding" good tenants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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