the long-awaited, disabled persons flat

Email to Chiltern Hundreds Housing Association

14th September 2002

Dear Chiltern-Paragon,
On April 17th of this year I was sent a letter from your office offering me the tenancy of 19 Ladymeadow Court, Middleton, Milton Keynes, which would be ready "in early May". Five months later I am still waiting to see the flat, let alone decide whether to move in.
Before you reach for your standard reply letter, consider this. I am disabled, so I have less choice about what kind of place I can live in. My illness is motor neurone disease, which has been going on for two years now. it is a terminal condition with a life expectancy of anywhere between several months to a few years. Given my curent rate of decline I give myself four years in total. Your inability to deal with builders has robbed me of a quarter of my remaining chance at an independent life. Since being thrown on the streets by rascally landlords I have spent the time waiting for your flat in a nursing home. I am a 54 year old male who is blessed with good friends and family, writes music and right now I live amongst 80 year old women who sleep in front of loud tvs every day and staff who shout above the tvs. My life is completely on hold and my possessions, such of them as I can access, are crammed in a tiny room. I have been robbed of my independence by this institution, by its very nature. I cannot prepare food for myself etc.
As for the way your office has handled this business of Ladymeadow Court, you should be ashamed. When I first saw the place in April there was about two weeks work left. Due to some stupid squabble of which I have never been give details my waiting has gone from two weeks to four weeks, then the end of July, then a social worker from MK who said it would be ready around the end of August and finally your agent for the Middleton area leaving an ansafone message saying she was getting the keys at the end of the week, Friday 13th. Another deadline come and gone.

When is this property going to be available?

John Close.