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Housing advice

Discussion in 'General Support and Advice' started by zolly1988, Aug 18, 2013.

  1. zolly1988

    Regular Member

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    Gender:
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    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Hi,

    My partner, daughter and I live in a 2 bed first floor flat.

    We feel unsafe, uncomfortable, awkward, scared, unhappy and worried where we are living.

    It is mainly due to the residents that live above us. They seem to have a problem with people who are gay, thinking its funny to victimise us with homophobic abuse.

    There is not proof from the Police, but in April this year, my partner was followed by men from a pub, after she went to Co-Op, she was on her own and it was dark. They started by saying "That's that lesbian that lives in the flats!", then proceeded to shout things, grab her hat of her head, grab her and broke her coat and threw a glass bottle at her feet when she ran away.

    We have spoken to other residents, and one has experienced the same thing. A 70+ man was followed from the same pub, jumped on and beaten. They have an adopted gay daughter. I can only imagine what might have happened to my partner if she hadn't ran away!

    The police couldn't take it further as it wasn't caught on CCTV so the incident file was closed.

    Around 5 residents I know of have been making evidence logs about noise pollution, drug dealing/taking, assaults, allegations, abuse, death threats, harassment,* amongst other things. Nothing has been sorted by the housing association. I have been sent evidence logs but some resident have been filling them out and sending them weekly for around 2 and a half years so I don't see how a few more will help. Some residents have even taken recordings and photographs. One family have moved out and moved in with their parents to get away.

    I would like some helpful advice that can help us now before it escalates even further. We moved from Eastleigh in November 2011 due to not being able to walk anywhere without someone saying something homophobic, or being harassed by a mal former partner I had who was arrested in the end. My partner was also taken to hospital after a homophobic attack by a group of people but nothing was sorted, so you can see why we are worried and feel unsafe. It is terrible that we cannot live happily in a place where were have kept ourselves to ourselves.

    I don't want one or both of us to be targeted and beaten up before someone, if they would, do something. My 6 year old daughter shouldn't have to live like this or exposed to anything they are saying as she doesn't have a problem with my partner and I's relationship and is excited about the prospect of being our bridesmaid one day. I don't want my daughter to feel hatred or anything else towards us because of somebody else's problem with gay people/families.

    My partner also suffers from Bipolar Disorder and had had to start medication again since this all started.

    It would be helpful to be offered options that are likely to help. We have been on Homeswapper for a year, registered with exchange locata and homehunt, declined for east dorset homechoice, sent an application to be placed on new forest housing list but been advised it could take up to 7 years, advertised in shop windows and gumtree and been told by the council that they could only rehouse if the police said it was unsafe for us to live here but they need to witness anti-social behaviour or hate crime to help, or the council said to register ourselves as homeless and be given temporary accommodation.

    I have asked the housing association for a management move as the council advised they were able too, but the only vacant property they have is in the flats behind us.

    Is there anyway we could get accommodation some other way or by referral? We can't try to buy or share ownership as we are both University students with not so perfect credit history, and can't rent privately as we are on Housing benefit.

    Many thanks in advance for your rapid reponse,

    Zolly