House was wondering how much time other advice providers give for their Local Authority Housing department to answer simple queries in letters sent to them. Whilst the questions nearly always rather simple ones such as when did you take a ‘homeless approach?’ or ‘have you ever nominated x to a Housing Association property’ ? they are questions it seems that LA’s often don’t want to answer. One of the Local Authorities that House deals with has steadily got worse at answering such letters. I think this is due to a combination of understaffing and a deliberate tactic not to help.
Building on Mr Flack’s excellent comment on my post below I don’t think there is any incentive at all for my Local Authority to reply quickly to such letters. Perhaps the only incentive would be to avoid a complaint but working in a rather less than independent organisation (Yes I do work for a CAB) means that I’ve been unable to push one of the only solutions to this problem.
Ho hum, in other news I have a new job, well references dependent, so I shall soon be reporting from new housing pastures!
[...] Rehoused: Is silence golden? – House was wondering how much time other advice providers give for their Local Authority Housing department to answer simple queries in letters sent to them. [...]
Congratulations on the new job. Still housing related?
yup, a very exciting opportunity, will say more when appropriate
I usually allow two weeks for a reply to a letter. They then get one reminder after two weeks. If no reply is forthcoming after a further two weeks they get a warning that a complaint will be made. Then its the complaint if no joy after two more weeks.
Sadly I often have to make complaints. I guess that’s part of the reason why I get accused of being aggressive on my blog by HPU staff.
That is good news about the new job. I hope it all goes well for you.