Some council tenants are being asked to give their landlord four weeks notice of when they might die.You know, if they can reliably do that, they probably aren’t going to be living in council accommodation in the first place, are they?
The ruling has sickened families who have been left to pay the rent charged to their relatives after their deaths.
But Charnwood Borough Council in Leicestershire said the only way the charges could be avoided was if the tenant notified officials of being a month away from death's door.
Jim Seaton, of Ibstock, Leicestershire, was sent a rent bill 18 days after his stepfather, Raymond Smith, died aged 80.A perfect little vignette of modern Britain, isn’t it? Someone’s set a rule that cannot possibly be followed, and all employees dutifully carry it out, denying that it’s an impossible task when called on it.
'I asked the council, “How does a dead man give one month's notice?' But they told me, “Sorry, rules are rules.”'
Cllr David Slater, lead member for housing, said he would do 'everything in his power' to overturn the 'absolutely ludicrous' and 'distasteful' policy.Which probably means ‘not much’ because an outfit that can get away with setting this kind of policy in the first place doesn’t seem to amenable to reason, does it? Or morality.
After all, they clearly aren’t even worried about bad publicity:
However, Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing, which deals with the contract, insisted the notice period was needed to maintain income and to ensure properties were re-let quickly.It’s all about money…
'I asked the council, “How does a dead man give one month's notice?' But they told me, “Sorry, rules are rules.”'No. Rules are only WORKABÖE rules when people comply.
ReplyDeleteHere we have the sanme kind of thing we see all over the police blogg sites. All complaining about "stupid rules" and "paperwork" yet not ONE of them telling the boss to "stuff it up his ass".
Remember that principal? It was the same principal that got a lot of people hung at Nürnberg, and Dachau in the late 40s, for NOT applying.
It would appear those lessons have been forgotten.
If you do not fight it, you support it.
Von Brandenburg-Preußen.
Absolutely daft - and another example of how we have abandoned common sense in favour of regulation.
ReplyDeleteFunny how some state rules are cast-iron laws of physics, while others are as insubstantial as the air.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it is only a coincidence that the former apply to the sad saps otherwise known as "the public", whereas the others apply to State agents.
Oh, BTW, I thought it was rapacious private landlords who were evil and that the State as landlord was the saviour of The People? Ho hum, another liberal canard popped.
This isn't mere regulation, this is the exercise of power. This is "fuck you, you proles, you are going to dance to my tune".
ReplyDeleteThe stepson should refuse to pay it. Debts die with the person if he has no estate to pay any outstanding bills.
ReplyDeleteYou might ask who's running Charnwood BC, the councillors or the officers or, as appears likely, an out of control private company (latest accounts here). BTW Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing Ltd has a "vision" so that makes it all right.
ReplyDelete'CNH Ltd has a vision' Oh dear!
ReplyDeleteOur management has recently had an outbreak of 'vision and values'; we're hoping it will clear up soon so we can get back to normal.
According to their 'vision', those c*nts will "treat people with respect and dignity".
ReplyDeleteOh really?
"If you do not fight it, you support it."
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
"...BTW, I thought it was rapacious private landlords who were evil and that the State as landlord was the saviour of The People?"
Yeah, but the State doesn't see 'people', it sees 'pets'. You don't reason with your dog, do you? You just issue orders...
"You might ask who's running Charnwood BC, the councillors or the officers or, as appears likely, an out of control private company.."
Another one..? Oh, well, makes a change from a fakecharity, I suppose...
"Our management has recently had an outbreak of 'vision and values'.."
Yeah, that one spreads faster than swine flu. And does far, far more damage....
"According to their 'vision', those c*nts will "treat people with respect and dignity".
ReplyDeleteOh really?"
I'm sure they said 'rules are rules' in a very respectful tone of voice.
What if you give notice that you expect to die next month, and don't?
ReplyDeletePresumably they'll already have a new tenant lined up so they'll send someone round to kill you.
Rules are rules...
I'd like to see every council tenant give notice of impending demise every month, just in case. Later each month, they then phone in to say 'It's okay. I'm feeling better but I might die next month instead'.
Use their own rules to make their life hell!
"What if you give notice that you expect to die next month, and don't?
ReplyDeletePresumably they'll already have a new tenant lined up so they'll send someone round to kill you.
Rules are rules..."
Hmmm, good point. Of course, being local council employees, they'll go to the wrong house and kill someone else...
"Use their own rules to make their life hell!"
Oh, I like the way you think! ;)
Leg-iron said...
ReplyDeleteUse their own rules to make their life hell!THAT is what I found so bloody frustrating in Britain. In France you may well just pull enough people together that are bloody minded enough to do it. I Britain you do not stand a CHANCE.
If you had OVWERWHELMING proof that the world would end on Thursday if every one in Britain did not shout "fuck" at 08:00, you would get 33% of the population refusing, 33% writing to a web site about it, but not bothering themselves to set the alarm, and the rest getting arrested for so called"foul language" as the earth broke up around their ears.
I have been at a work place where a REAL piss up in a brewery was arranged. Free beer the whole evening, as much as you could drink. We never went. Because all Hel broke loose about which bus company we should hire the coach from.
THAT is why Britain is sinking irretrievably into it's self built cess pit.
Von Brandenburg-Preußen.