Post by isthisaman on Dec 22, 2010 15:56:06 GMT 1
My Story
I am a 52 year old single male with a history of mental illness first diagnosed in 2007. I benefited from a first-rate education and in a previous life I have had a successful career as a scientist.
In September 2009 I found myself newly arrived in a medium sized town in Northern England. I had never set foot in this town before. I had been through an appalling experience. I had been unlawfully evicted from my home five weeks before. I had lived at that address which was my home for nine years previous to the eviction. I was made street homeless by my eviction, and furthermore I was in fear of physical assault were I to remain in the local area. As a result, I then wandered the country aimlessly, “with only the shirt on my back.” I had no money left. I had been illegally separated from all my worldly possessions. I was in mental depression and I was actively contemplating suicide. I had no-one to turn to.
Two days after I had arrived in this new town, in desperation, I went to the local Council to see if they could find me somewhere to live. Initially the Council's Housing Officer was sympathetic, but after she had spoken with her manager, she returned and persuaded me that I had brought everything on myself, and I would best leave the Council's offices of my own free will and seek help in some other part of the country, in particular back where I had come from. I had made plain to the Council's Officer that were I to return there I would risk hospitalisation by way of violent assault. On leaving the Council's offices I became suicidal. I should say that I have had a history of suicide attempts beginning in 2007, about which I had informed the Council's Housing Officer.
I called into the nearest high-street firm of solicitors, where I asked about getting legal aid. They said they did not do legal aid and they suggested I try another firm in town. In total I was referred in this way through a chain of no less than five firms of solicitors, until in one of them a receptionist suggested I try the local Citizens Advice Bureau.
The opening hours of the CAB were limited, and there was a lengthy queue at the reception. However, I did get an appointment to return when I would be seen by someone to assess my status. When I returned and met the triage worker at the CAB's offices, I explained that I had been evicted unlawfully, and I asked what I could do about that. I was at that time entirely ignorant of the law on matters of housing and property. Fortunately, the triage officer identified that I was in fact homeless and she said that there was a specialist Housing Solicitor at the CAB. I was given an appointment to see the Housing Solicitor.
When I was seen by the Housing Solicitor, I was told what the homelessness law was, and I was informed that in my case I was owed a duty by the Council to be housed temporarily. I was given a letter to take to the Council, and when I showed the letter to the Council's Housing Officer I was offered accommodation. It had been the Council's intent earlier to trick me into voluntarily walking away.
Upon reflection I wonder what would have happened to me had I not discovered the service provided by the CAB. Had I been left street homeless, I think there was a distinct possibility that I would have made another attempt on my life within the next 48hrs. Either I would have succeeded in killing myself or in crippling myself. The only other conceivable option would have been that I would have walked to either Manchester or London (who knows?), and most likely I would have ended up in the gutter. My mental state would have imploded and further suicide attempts would have followed. I think my life would have been destroyed.
I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that the life-line thrown to me by CAB has possibly saved my life. I had no-one else to turn to, and I was contemplating ending my life at that point through suicide.
Having secured accommodation, albeit temporary, I was able to get access to medical help, and sign-up as a patient with a local GP surgery.
Unfortunately my accommodation problems were not ended. The Housing Department of the Council, who had reluctantly agreed to house me on a temporary basis (and who had needed to be reminded by CAB that it was their duty under the law to do so), then set about doing everything possible to wash their hands of me and have me returned to street homelessness (their actual words). They made repeated efforts, many of which were border-line illegal, to end their duty to me and make me homeless again. This affected my mental health adversely. Given my near complete ignorance of the housing legislation, I have little doubt that the Council's Housing Department would have succeeded in un-accommodating me, were it not for the continuing legal help I was receiving from the Housing Solicitor at the CAB. The Housing Department's behaviour throughout was despicable (and included the fabrication of lies about me). A complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman has been made by me, again with support from the CAB, and this complaint is currently being investigated by the Ombudsman.
At length I have been able to secure accommodation with the mental health housing charity Carr-Gomm. I am now starting to try and turn my life around. None of this would have been possible without the help I received by way of legal advice and support offered at CAB. Had legal aid been unavailable to me, it is very likely that I would have become another of the nation's suicide statistics.
I am a 52 year old single male with a history of mental illness first diagnosed in 2007. I benefited from a first-rate education and in a previous life I have had a successful career as a scientist.
In September 2009 I found myself newly arrived in a medium sized town in Northern England. I had never set foot in this town before. I had been through an appalling experience. I had been unlawfully evicted from my home five weeks before. I had lived at that address which was my home for nine years previous to the eviction. I was made street homeless by my eviction, and furthermore I was in fear of physical assault were I to remain in the local area. As a result, I then wandered the country aimlessly, “with only the shirt on my back.” I had no money left. I had been illegally separated from all my worldly possessions. I was in mental depression and I was actively contemplating suicide. I had no-one to turn to.
Two days after I had arrived in this new town, in desperation, I went to the local Council to see if they could find me somewhere to live. Initially the Council's Housing Officer was sympathetic, but after she had spoken with her manager, she returned and persuaded me that I had brought everything on myself, and I would best leave the Council's offices of my own free will and seek help in some other part of the country, in particular back where I had come from. I had made plain to the Council's Officer that were I to return there I would risk hospitalisation by way of violent assault. On leaving the Council's offices I became suicidal. I should say that I have had a history of suicide attempts beginning in 2007, about which I had informed the Council's Housing Officer.
I called into the nearest high-street firm of solicitors, where I asked about getting legal aid. They said they did not do legal aid and they suggested I try another firm in town. In total I was referred in this way through a chain of no less than five firms of solicitors, until in one of them a receptionist suggested I try the local Citizens Advice Bureau.
The opening hours of the CAB were limited, and there was a lengthy queue at the reception. However, I did get an appointment to return when I would be seen by someone to assess my status. When I returned and met the triage worker at the CAB's offices, I explained that I had been evicted unlawfully, and I asked what I could do about that. I was at that time entirely ignorant of the law on matters of housing and property. Fortunately, the triage officer identified that I was in fact homeless and she said that there was a specialist Housing Solicitor at the CAB. I was given an appointment to see the Housing Solicitor.
When I was seen by the Housing Solicitor, I was told what the homelessness law was, and I was informed that in my case I was owed a duty by the Council to be housed temporarily. I was given a letter to take to the Council, and when I showed the letter to the Council's Housing Officer I was offered accommodation. It had been the Council's intent earlier to trick me into voluntarily walking away.
Upon reflection I wonder what would have happened to me had I not discovered the service provided by the CAB. Had I been left street homeless, I think there was a distinct possibility that I would have made another attempt on my life within the next 48hrs. Either I would have succeeded in killing myself or in crippling myself. The only other conceivable option would have been that I would have walked to either Manchester or London (who knows?), and most likely I would have ended up in the gutter. My mental state would have imploded and further suicide attempts would have followed. I think my life would have been destroyed.
I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that the life-line thrown to me by CAB has possibly saved my life. I had no-one else to turn to, and I was contemplating ending my life at that point through suicide.
Having secured accommodation, albeit temporary, I was able to get access to medical help, and sign-up as a patient with a local GP surgery.
Unfortunately my accommodation problems were not ended. The Housing Department of the Council, who had reluctantly agreed to house me on a temporary basis (and who had needed to be reminded by CAB that it was their duty under the law to do so), then set about doing everything possible to wash their hands of me and have me returned to street homelessness (their actual words). They made repeated efforts, many of which were border-line illegal, to end their duty to me and make me homeless again. This affected my mental health adversely. Given my near complete ignorance of the housing legislation, I have little doubt that the Council's Housing Department would have succeeded in un-accommodating me, were it not for the continuing legal help I was receiving from the Housing Solicitor at the CAB. The Housing Department's behaviour throughout was despicable (and included the fabrication of lies about me). A complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman has been made by me, again with support from the CAB, and this complaint is currently being investigated by the Ombudsman.
At length I have been able to secure accommodation with the mental health housing charity Carr-Gomm. I am now starting to try and turn my life around. None of this would have been possible without the help I received by way of legal advice and support offered at CAB. Had legal aid been unavailable to me, it is very likely that I would have become another of the nation's suicide statistics.