Squalid Housing ACT conditions respond to media poking

OMG Cleo ! Do you have a god complex or something ?

Your last post makes you sound like you expect everything to be done to your standards and within YOUR time frame.

Have you ever thought to get off your butt and do a few things yourself ?

I mean oh no the Government cut down some trees and left the stumps behind, they made the ground uneven when putting in some lights.. OMG its the end of the world !

If your sick of the rats and mice, invest in some rat sack. But that might cause some bad smells if you do end up killing some.

peterh # 75

As for being a RAAF brat, and being in the forces yourself, and never living in housing that is allocated to the RAAF, maybe your dad and yourself were higher ranking, so therefore you would not be put in a govie standard house, the forces lease from public housing, and the private sector, I know this because my then husband worked in this area in Canberra with the RAAF.

My then husband went through the ranks, we did live in these type of premises, until he went further up the ranks, we also lived on base, in Richmond NSW.

I would NOT like to move to outlying suburbs, although I do drive, but who is to say there might come a time when I cannot drive, I would like to stay in the city, where I can walk where I wanted to, within reach. The transport in Canberra is too unreliable, and you could only stay out a certain time due to buses not running.

Spotless are supposed to do a clean up around the flats, they had put up a notice saying they would be doing just that, what a joke, all they did is put in new outdoor lights, a bit of gardening, we didn’t need new lights, we the tenants have been begging for security for our cars, eg: put a roller door in.

Then they left a mess with the dirt around the new lights, the ground was uneven, so of course I complained.

They came out and put soil on the ground around the lights, months before that they chopped some of our trees down for no reason, some of the tenants complained, they never removed the stumps, which were finally done when I had complained about the dirt around the lights, I mentioned this also. On a regular basis there is someone who comes out and sweeps the underground carpark and sweeps the stairs, not much, maybe mop the stairs every month.

We had an area’s where people were putting their food scraps for mulch, of course they were only encouraging the rats and mice, so this idea was scrapped, tenants were informed not to do this, I think it’s called recycling, but it didn’t work in this case.

When someone has birds, it will attract rats, mice and snakes. We had chickens when I was a kid, when my father decided to get rid of the chickens he found mice nests beneath the ground.

We have had new private flats being built around us, this has been going on since I first moved here, which is about eight years, each time a new flat goes up we are inundated with the rats and mice, you could smell this foul odour coming from the ground around the new flats where the rats and mice were living under the ground, with the disturbance they moved to our block of flats, (lucky us).

Captain RAAF # 74

I think your telling porkies lol!

How is the Shrew going?

Yep still blaming everyone else, actually I haven’t had time to give housing a ring, will do so tomorrow in regards to the rats and mice, and my exhaust fans, so slack, I think they need a cracker up their arse’s!

@cleo,

in my time as a raaf brat, and in the forces, I never ever lived in public housing accommodation. We lived on base, or via allocation via the equivalent DHA group at the time.

(can’t remember what it was called, so long ago now)

There ARE issues with the public housing system. flats that are being torn down aren’t being replaced, there is a private sector rental problem already, single people are living in 3 bed houses because they “got in” before the housing crisis was around and won’t be asked to leave, and the ACT Government continues to use Ainslie village as “emergency housing”.

There aren’t any alternatives, there are plans to bring the common ground system to canberra, something that I believe is a great idea, as long as the Government doesn’t get involved in any way. We need estates in the outlying suburbs to be developed purely for government housing. This will take some of the pressure off, but the underlying problem is still there.

One fine example of an estate was Oaks estate, touted to those of us in ainslie village who had managed to get a job as the ticket out, but we weren’t interested in moving out to an estate with limited bus services – if you didn’t have a car, you couldn’t go anywhere.

Squalor in tenanted places isn’t just a public housing issue, it is also an issue for the private sector. There are people who have no personal hygiene standards, that think it is ok to dump rubbish into their backyard, and they see it as their right. I have a clean house, but my neighbor keeps birds. I get mice and rats in my yard as a result, but they aren’t the greatest concern to me, the snakes that follow them are.

As for using a contractor cleaning service, doesn’t act housing have a cleaning team on staff?

cleo said :

Tooks # 72

I think he can speak for himself, obviously he didn’t reach his expectations!

Actually, I reached mine this time last year, so everything else is now a bonus.

So, have you sorted out the rats yet or are you still blaming everyone else?

And Tooks, everyone knows aspire means a tall tower with a pointy thing on the top!

Tooks # 72

I think he can speak for himself, obviously he didn’t reach his expectations!

cleo said :

Vix # 69

Lol, I don’t think so, I think I hit a nerve, someone else eg: Tooks is trying to speak for Captain Big Mouth.

Trying to speak for him? I was just pointing out your mistake. Maybe you don’t know what the word ‘aspire’ means.

Vix # 69

Lol, I don’t think so, I think I hit a nerve, someone else eg: Tooks is trying to speak for Captain Big Mouth.

Just a couple of things:

As to rats meaning you’re a pig – this is not necessarily true. I once lived in a house (private rental) that I kept tidy and clean; yet I had to put up with rats a lot of time because the neighbours had a rubbish tip in their backyard and were utter pigs! Ratsak seemed to keep things under control until the tossers next door moved away.

Public tenants having a holiday – I don’t actually have a problem with most housing tenants having a break away somewhere; so long as it’s not to go on a crime spreed in another suburb/town! And to begrudge housing tenants a break is like saying that people with a mortgage shouldn’t have a holiday either – after all, they owe money to a bank, so shouldn’t they be paying their debt off first!

re Cleo and Captain RAAF – is anyone scoring yet?

Captain RAAF # 64

No kidding, I knew you weren’t high ranking personnel of the RAAF, as you stated what type of people lived next door to you lol.

Either you are still in the forces or have left or possibly gone through the ranks, or a commissioned officer, the latter I doubt!

Genie – you also said ‘Hey I agree 100%’ with what you quoted, you can’t blame that on ‘bad HTML skills’

CraigT said :

If criminals are evicted their children should be taken into care.

There’s no way that having children should make you immune from the rules of society.

My point exactly.. !

If criminals are evicted their children should be taken into care.

There’s no way that having children should make you immune from the rules of society.

Genie said :

Oh and Cleo,

Chief of the Airforce is an actual position (perhaps not a rank) in the AirForce. captain RAAF maybe lying about what rank he held.. But the title still exists

Actually, she asked me what rank I aspired to, not that which I have ….or had, obtained.

Ummm, if someone is so incapable of looking after their house (gov’t or other), what sort of care are they giving their children anyway???

Sorry to bring it back, but some of you seem misguided. You are demanding things that already exist. Damage to property is billed to the tenant. If you don’t pay off the damage bill, then you are unlikely to be offered another gov house. Domestic violence is a bitch. Its not always the tenant that does the damage.

Debts with the Government do not go away.

Your rent is worked out as a percentage of your income. The more you earn the more you pay. That includes full market rate.

A basic benefit is $230 a week. Your welcome to try and live the good life on that. I dare you.

Same old. Never let the facts stand in the way.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

Genie do I really have to point it out to you *grumble* at post 40 you said “Damaged or failed to maintain the property – Evicted”

So where, pray tell, would the children of people evicted from govt housing live? Your place? the Hyatt? with the faeries at the bottom of the garden?

I was quoting post #4. Not my words.

Only thing i’m guilty of is bad HTML skills.

Genie do I really have to point it out to you *grumble* at post 40 you said “Damaged or failed to maintain the property – Evicted”

So where, pray tell, would the children of people evicted from govt housing live? Your place? the Hyatt? with the faeries at the bottom of the garden?

colourful sydney racing identity said :

Genie – wow, you really, really, believe that the children of people who break the law should be forced onto the street? Wow. Really?

Where in any of my comments do I say that people with children should be forced onto the street ? I only suggested that yes they should be punished in reference to their parents breaking the law. Which would naturally happen… if they lived with a single parent and that parent went to jail they would be sent off to foster homes, or with relatives.

You almost seem to imply that anyone with children should be treated like royalaties, and god forbid if they do anything wrong or illegal because they are children and are excempt.

I have mentioned people with NO children should be considered for re-housing into smaller properties. Not that they should be turfed onto the streets, the same with people now earning enough money to rent privately.

Genie said :

Hey I agree 100%, and this should also be applied to Centrelink too… reassess everyone every 6-12months. Anyone earning over a certain amount shouldn’t be entitled to public housing, even after their circumstances change ! (Eg/ person is unemployed gets centrelink and public housing, person gets a minimum wage job, after a year or 2 is earning well over $60k in a cushy public service job – should be given notice to find alternative housing.)

Genie said :

For all those lazy buggers that wont get off their arse and work and who have been on centrelink and living in government houses for the last decade should be kicked out on their arse and stop “living the easy life”. I hear people all the time stating that why would they go get a job when Centrelink pays them enough to live off, and provides them with discounted housing.

The Greens wouldn’t allow it.

Genie – wow, you really, really, believe that the children of people who break the law should be forced onto the street? Wow. Really?

cleo said :

Genie # 51

I shall ask my ex-husband if this is so, as I wasn’t in the Air force myself, just went along the journey!

I doubt that anyone with who was Chief of the Air force would be such a prick!

To be fair, you asked Captain RAAF what rank he aspired to. He never said he was chief of the Airforce!

cleo said :

Genie # 51

I doubt that anyone with who was Chief of the Air force would be such a prick!

Oh I could tell you stories about a former Chief of (unnamed force). You’d be surprised !

cleo said :

Genie # 50

I totally agree that people who live by themselves in three or four bedroom houses should give up their government homes, it’s unfair for the families waiting, but most of these people want to have their grandchildren stay over, I gave mine up for a flat, must admit it’s a tight fit if family come and visit, but we manage.

This is where most of my issues lie. I’m sure people deserved 4 bedroom houses 10 years ago when they had children, but there are so many older people living by themselves in large houses. In my opinion they shouldn’t be entitled to keep it just because they may want their grandchildren to stay over. Heck I used to sleep on the floor in the loungeroom of my grandmothers retirement villiage when i was a child, Sleepover style ! I didn’t need a whole bedroom.

I believe there needs to be a system in place where they re-assess tennants every 1-2 years. Most people believe that they are entitled to their Govie house forever, whereas I believe it was originally meant to help you while you cant help yourself.

An early post mentioned criteria for evicting people from a Government house, while I kinda agree with it. Bare minimum they should have some of the following terms:

– 1 person living on their own in a 3+ bedroom house, should be rehoused into a smaller dwelling if possible/convenient
– Anyone who earns over say $150k + a year (conbined income or not, children or not) should be given notice to find their own private place to live.
– Anyone who continually breaks the law, IMO shouldn’t be given a government hand out while other responsible needy people need help.
– Anyone who continually trashes or destroy’s a Government property. Should NOT get moved around from house to house because that property is too damaged to live in.

People renting privately have to maintain the house to a certain standard, yet while living in a Government house it doesn’t matter. You can fail the inspection time and time again, but they wont evict you. I think the Gov’ment needs to wake up to themselves and start being harsher !! Because unfortunately so many people are rorting the system and its disgusting when you see so many people in need getting screwed over.

DJ # 28

I have the right to live in Public Housing, I have worked most of my life, and worked two jobs, and paid my taxes over the years.

I’m on a disability pension now due to severe arthritis, which was caused by taking malaria tablets, which had a severe effect on me, I thought I had cancer, the defence department took their time getting me home back to Australia, for medical attention, as PNG didn’t have the resources, in that time I lost so much weight I got down to 6 1/2 stone about 46 kilo’s in weight, therefore if you don’t eat your body eats itself, which causes arthritis, I couldn’t eat due to stress, so of course there is no record of this with Defence, (how convenient) as they would be paying me compensation, so no I don’t feel guilty, as the government owns me compensation, they had not checked wheather I was suitable to take this type of malaria tablets, I have looked it up myself, and discoverd that I should have never taken it.

Genie # 50

I totally agree that people who live by themselves in three or four bedroom houses should give up their government homes, it’s unfair for the families waiting, but most of these people want to have their grandchildren stay over, I gave mine up for a flat, must admit it’s a tight fit if family come and visit, but we manage.

Genie # 51

I shall ask my ex-husband if this is so, as I wasn’t in the Air force myself, just went along the journey!

I doubt that anyone with who was Chief of the Air force would be such a prick!

Oh and Cleo,

Chief of the Airforce is an actual position (perhaps not a rank) in the AirForce. captain RAAF maybe lying about what rank he held.. But the title still exists

colourful sydney racing identity said :

Genie said :

colourful sydney racing identity said :

And what should happen to the children of parents that fail to maintain an appropriate standard?

Sooooooooooo because their parents eg break the law (point #2 made earlier – Convicted of a criminal offence on the property, such as drugs, domestic violence or possess stolen property – evicted ) They can keep their Government supplied house just because they have kids !? So a mate of mine who has a toddler and has been couch surfing, and staying at the womans refuge for the last 6-12months gets to keep doing that all because the ACT Government wont take houses of people who dont seem to deserve them!?

For all those lazy buggers that wont get off their arse and work and who have been on centrelink and living in government houses for the last decade should be kicked out on their arse and stop “living the easy life”. I hear people all the time stating that why would they go get a job when Centrelink pays them enough to live off, and provides them with discounted housing.

So you think the children should be punished? *gosh* what an enlightened soul you are.

YES I think the children should punished if their parents are BREAKING THE LAW! Right now a mate has been near the top of the emergency housing list for 18 months and STILL hasn’t been offered a property. She has a 3 year old child, and can’t afford to rent anywhere on her own. So YES I think there needs to be an overhaul and reassessment of people currently in Government housing.

fgzk said :

Genie “because the ACT Government wont take houses of people who dont seem to deserve them!? “

Government housing is based on need. Private housing does not have a moral criteria, its based on the ability to pay or pay back. Two things that public housing tenants have difficulty doing.

Everything you said is just drivel.

“Centrelink pays them enough to live off”
Ha ha.

Yes Government housing is based on need, so why does the old lady at the end of my street still NEED a 4 bedroom house now that her children are all grown up and moved out ? Why does the crazy guy downt he other end still NEED the 3 bedroom govie house he lives in ALONE ?

And yes centrelink DOES pay some people more than enough to live off. I used to work 40 hour weeks at a cafe, and my sister still earnt more money on her centrelink benefits than I got paid.

I have a second – cousin who has been on Centrelink for as long as possible living it up in a Government house, refusing to work. He manages to support his kids off the money and cheap housing to Government supplies.

Trix # 23

Thanks for the support, yes my youngest daughter paid for my airfare, and accommodation, as I needed a holiday out of Canberra, due to a very stressful and difficult time we were all going through, and still are.

Captain RAAF # 39

You are a A1 arshole, your not winding me up lol.

Chief of the Air Force really, don’t you mean Air Vice Marshall? You can’t even admit what rank you were (if any) probably an AC who didn’t make it or just stayed a Sargent, one of those fat sloppy one’s who never quite made it, in the Sargents Mess drinking.

I have lived in 7 houses, two states, and two overseas postings, during my years with my spouse while he was in the Air Force, during that time we never had rats either, so it doesn’t say much about Canberra’s Public housing does it. Oh I forgot we did have shrew’s in Malaysia, no doubt you have one of your own.

I can imagine that you are experienced in chocolate body painting, as I’m sure you dribble enough of it!

I don’t need to have experience to eradicate the rats or mice, that’s housings job, I pay my rent and don’t own my property, that’s the beauty of living in housing, they do it all for you, (when they get around to it).

Only one email sent, as I had spoken to the local member of Parliament, she took it from there, just filled her in on more details.

And sour grapes to the rest of those who have made nasty comments!

Genie “because the ACT Government wont take houses of people who dont seem to deserve them!? “

Government housing is based on need. Private housing does not have a moral criteria, its based on the ability to pay or pay back. Two things that public housing tenants have difficulty doing.

Everything you said is just drivel.

“Centrelink pays them enough to live off”
Ha ha.

Genie said :

colourful sydney racing identity said :

And what should happen to the children of parents that fail to maintain an appropriate standard?

Sooooooooooo because their parents eg break the law (point #2 made earlier – Convicted of a criminal offence on the property, such as drugs, domestic violence or possess stolen property – evicted ) They can keep their Government supplied house just because they have kids !? So a mate of mine who has a toddler and has been couch surfing, and staying at the womans refuge for the last 6-12months gets to keep doing that all because the ACT Government wont take houses of people who dont seem to deserve them!?

For all those lazy buggers that wont get off their arse and work and who have been on centrelink and living in government houses for the last decade should be kicked out on their arse and stop “living the easy life”. I hear people all the time stating that why would they go get a job when Centrelink pays them enough to live off, and provides them with discounted housing.

So you think the children should be punished? *gosh* what an enlightened soul you are.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

And what should happen to the children of parents that fail to maintain an appropriate standard?

Sooooooooooo because their parents eg break the law (point #2 made earlier – Convicted of a criminal offence on the property, such as drugs, domestic violence or possess stolen property – evicted ) They can keep their Government supplied house just because they have kids !? So a mate of mine who has a toddler and has been couch surfing, and staying at the womans refuge for the last 6-12months gets to keep doing that all because the ACT Government wont take houses of people who dont seem to deserve them!?

For all those lazy buggers that wont get off their arse and work and who have been on centrelink and living in government houses for the last decade should be kicked out on their arse and stop “living the easy life”. I hear people all the time stating that why would they go get a job when Centrelink pays them enough to live off, and provides them with discounted housing.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

Genie said :

And what should happen to the children of parents that fail to maintain an appropriate standard?

Soylent Green!

Genie said :

All tenants should be reviewed every six months.

– Damaged or failed to maintain the property – Evicted
– Convicted of a criminal offence on the property, such as drugs, domestic violence or possess stolen property – evicted
– Earning above a certain threshold – Evicted
– Unwilling to take an offered job or training – Evicted

This would free up a vast amount of public housing for those in genuine need. In fact much of it would no longer be needed.

Hey I agree 100%, and this should also be applied to Centrelink too… reassess everyone every 6-12months. Anyone earning over a certain amount shouldn’t be entitled to public housing, even after their circumstances change ! (Eg/ person is unemployed gets centrelink and public housing, person gets a minimum wage job, after a year or 2 is earning well over $60k in a cushy public service job – should be given notice to find alternative housing.)

And what should happen to the children of parents that fail to maintain an appropriate standard?

Are the rats even housing’s problem? I thought it was the tenants responsibility to deal with pest control.
I do understand where you are coming from with the rest of your complaints though. Housing or not if you pay rent the landlord needs to keep the property in a reasonable condition.

a 2nd example could be as follows:

Single mother and 3 children are moved into a 4 bedroom home. Children grow up and move out. Mother should be moved into a 1 or 2 bedroom unit so other needy families can make use of 4 bedroom home being used by one person.

After all the government is providing discounted housing, so why cant they move them ! They tried to a few years ago but people had to volunteer to move into smaller properties.

All tenants should be reviewed every six months.

– Damaged or failed to maintain the property – Evicted
– Convicted of a criminal offence on the property, such as drugs, domestic violence or possess stolen property – evicted
– Earning above a certain threshold – Evicted
– Unwilling to take an offered job or training – Evicted

This would free up a vast amount of public housing for those in genuine need. In fact much of it would no longer be needed.

Hey I agree 100%, and this should also be applied to Centrelink too… reassess everyone every 6-12months. Anyone earning over a certain amount shouldn’t be entitled to public housing, even after their circumstances change ! (Eg/ person is unemployed gets centrelink and public housing, person gets a minimum wage job, after a year or 2 is earning well over $60k in a cushy public service job – should be given notice to find alternative housing.)

cleo said :

Captain RAAF # 25

WTF are you talking about rat infested hell hole, these rats were infested in the flats way before I moved in, if you read where I talk about having trouble with my telephone when I moved into my flat due to rats and mice,

and they’re still there….speaks volumes really.

cleo said :

My flat is spotless, I’ve always had excellent reports and I’m thanked each time I have an inspection.

I bet the inspection is over pretty quickly too, as they hotfoot it out of the rat hole!

cleo said :

I have worked in Property Management myself, so I know what I’m entitled to as a paying tenant, and what is expected,

Yet you don’t have any contacts or previous experience in dealing with Rats then?????

cleo said :

I didn’t have the letter thrown into the bin, as there were other issues that needed to be addressed on a very serious matter, which made the Canberra Times a few weeks back, and was addressed in a sitting in Parliament House, when they last sat, I also sent Alistair Coe an e-mail, which they rang me back, so you really don’t have a f..king clue do you Mr RAAF?

Oh, I have no doubt they know exactly who you are and deal with you as promptly as possible, “Another letter from the nutjob!!!”

cleo said :

If you ever served in the forces (which I doubt) what rank did you aspire to?

Chief of the Airforce.

cleo said :

If you were in the Forces you would have lived in Government Housing, so you would know what I’m talking about, of course rank makes a difference, when you go up throw the ranks it’s a different matter altogether as to what accomodation you have.

I have lived in about 7 Defence houses in 4 states…..none of them had rats.

cleo said :

how dare you imply that all people who live in government housing should not enjoy their life, and take holidays, we are not in prison, you almost sound envious, you must be a very very sad little person.

Yes, rat infested apartments are my bag, when do I move in, btw I am experienced in choclate body painting so can take up where all the other blokes left off….

cleo said :

I used to have a Qantas club platinum card lol.

Rats ate it, eh? Bummer!

Wow – six post nutbag – that’s a record surely, even for cleo.

Captain RAAF said :

Reply

Sepi # 29

I do clean my window’s inside, and have tried to clean my exhaust fans with the vacuum cleaner, I cannot remove the exhaust fans, nor could the maintenance man, I live on the first floor, bought myself an extended window cleaner for the outside, but can’t stand the thought of rats nests near my feet, Yuk!

Hells_Bells74

Thank you, good luck to you also.

Captain RAAF # 25

WTF are you talking about rat infested hell hole, these rats were infested in the flats way before I moved in, if you read where I talk about having trouble with my telephone when I moved into my flat due to rats and mice, when new buildings go up around the units, the rats and mice move house, and emigrate to our block of flats, I don’t live in a stand alone house, but in a block of flats.

I think you have me confused with your neighbours!!!

Just because we live in ACT Public Housing, doesn’t mean we live in ghettos, if others are being pigs, eg: leaving rubbish around, I will pick it up, if it continues I will contact housing.

My flat is spotless, I’ve always had excellent reports and I’m thanked each time I have an inspection.

I have worked in Property Management myself, so I know what I’m entitled to as a paying tenant, and what is expected, I’ve also painted my flat inside myself, as most of the males in my family were painters, so I knew what I was doing.

I didn’t have the letter thrown into the bin, as there were other issues that needed to be addressed on a very serious matter, which made the Canberra Times a few weeks back, and was addressed in a sitting in Parliament House, when they last sat, I also sent Alistair Coe an e-mail, which they rang me back, so you really don’t have a f..king clue do you Mr RAAF? If you ever served in the forces (which I doubt) what rank did you aspire to?

If you were in the Forces you would have lived in Government Housing, so you would know what I’m talking about, of course rank makes a difference, when you go up throw the ranks it’s a different matter altogether as to what accomodation you have.

I have worked most of my life, and worked two jobs while bringing up my children, so don’t get on here grandstanding on your soapbox you narcissist clown, how dare you imply that all people who live in government housing should not enjoy their life, and take holidays, we are not in prison, you almost sound envious, you must be a very very sad little person.

I used to have a Qantas club platinum card lol.

Took # 19

Anything for you!

Opps should be conclusions

Captain RAAF # 18

There you go, jumping to conculsions, my daughter paid for me to go, as I needed to get away and have a break, I hadn’t been overseas for some years, it was a cheap holiday, we went to Bali.

I had never been there before, as I had lived in Malaysia, and PNG, we had visited many countries, being posted overseas with the Airforce (RAAF).

As a private tenant and as a homeowner I’ve always had to clean my own windows and exhaust fans.

Reply

I believe that Public Housing is necessary for a wide range of reasons… but…

It’s time to review ALL tenants and contracts. I understood the system to be intended to help people in the short term. With a few obvious exceptions, since when is a Public Housing place for life?

For those in public housing you SHOULD be grateful not complaining – you have a place.

It shouldn’t be a right – it is a privilage that the rest of the community pays for.

If you can afford an overseas holiday, or have a job as a MLA, you need to be reviewed. I don’t care if you have relatives overseas, if you can save enough to travel use your money better to eventually move on and stop burdening the rest of us.

From the above posts the ACT Government lacks the ability to manage the system so privatise it and get tough on offenders.

If you think Spotless are performing poorly – ask yourself who else wants the contract to clean up the mess others make and respond to the sometimes unrealistic expectations of those (in some cases) that don’t have the time to better themselves or even live like civilised people.

Captain RAAF said :

georgesgenitals said :

trix said :

Screw those of you moaning about the HORROR of a public housing tenant DARING to travel overseas. Maybe they saved their pennies long and hard to cough up the $300 it can cost to fly to NZ, and stayed with relatives. Like $300 will go far when paying for full-cost accommodation in this town (a week’s rent for my 2-bedder, woo-hoo). Maybe they had the whole trip paid for by some nice person. Maybe they won a trip in some giveaway.

No matter what, if they fit the criteria for needing housing support in other ways, it’s none of anyone else’s goddamned business where and when they take a holiday.

And maybe and maybe and maybe…

My filth Housing Commission neighbours have a menagerie of exotic birds, worth a freakin fortune, several cats and have just bought a dog, they must be doing it real hard!

Aren’t there people on the street that can’t get housing at all? Surely, my neighbours and their 37 children and hangers on could go and rent a property outside so a really poor family with no Rainbow Lorikeets can have a place to live?

No wonder Spotless don’t want to turn up and fix your rat infested hell hole, your a pig, clean up your act you bloody sponge!

How come the cats are still alive?

cleo said :

We’re still having trouble with rats and mice, they’ve have come back… the rats and mice have been reported once again, someone came out and had a look and said yes rats nests in the garden.

I will be getting back on to that one soon.

I can actually see your letter arriving on the Ministers desk…..

Minister seated at large, solid oak desk, feet up while his setchatary massages his toes with her tongue, is perusing his daily mail…..

“Oooh, here’s one from one of my loverly tenants, Oh’ it’s Cleo, I wonder how she’s doing…(starts reading and talking aloud to himself)…Dear Minister…blah blah blah…would like to inform you blah blah blah, I have rats nests in my garden..(letter scrunched up and tossed into bin, moves to next letter), Oooh, Qantas Club Platinum card has arrived! YAY!!!!!”

georgesgenitals said :

trix said :

Screw those of you moaning about the HORROR of a public housing tenant DARING to travel overseas. Maybe they saved their pennies long and hard to cough up the $300 it can cost to fly to NZ, and stayed with relatives. Like $300 will go far when paying for full-cost accommodation in this town (a week’s rent for my 2-bedder, woo-hoo). Maybe they had the whole trip paid for by some nice person. Maybe they won a trip in some giveaway.

No matter what, if they fit the criteria for needing housing support in other ways, it’s none of anyone else’s goddamned business where and when they take a holiday.

And maybe and maybe and maybe…

My filth Housing Commission neighbours have a menagerie of exotic birds, worth a freakin fortune, several cats and have just bought a dog, they must be doing it real hard!

Aren’t there people on the street that can’t get housing at all? Surely, my neighbours and their 37 children and hangers on could go and rent a property outside so a really poor family with no Rainbow Lorikeets can have a place to live?

No wonder Spotless don’t want to turn up and fix your rat infested hell hole, your a pig, clean up your act you bloody sponge!

trix said :

Screw those of you moaning about the HORROR of a public housing tenant DARING to travel overseas. Maybe they saved their pennies long and hard to cough up the $300 it can cost to fly to NZ, and stayed with relatives. Like $300 will go far when paying for full-cost accommodation in this town (a week’s rent for my 2-bedder, woo-hoo). Maybe they had the whole trip paid for by some nice person. Maybe they won a trip in some giveaway.

No matter what, if they fit the criteria for needing housing support in other ways, it’s none of anyone else’s goddamned business where and when they take a holiday.

And maybe and maybe and maybe…

Screw those of you moaning about the HORROR of a public housing tenant DARING to travel overseas. Maybe they saved their pennies long and hard to cough up the $300 it can cost to fly to NZ, and stayed with relatives. Like $300 will go far when paying for full-cost accommodation in this town (a week’s rent for my 2-bedder, woo-hoo). Maybe they had the whole trip paid for by some nice person. Maybe they won a trip in some giveaway.

No matter what, if they fit the criteria for needing housing support in other ways, it’s none of anyone else’s goddamned business where and when they take a holiday.

cleo said :

Spotless as far as I’m concerned have a bad reputation, they never turn up for jobs, when they do it’s only after a few phone calls made to ACT public housing or complaints, from my experience they are ripping ACT public housing off, and lying about the jobs they have supposed to have done, and overpricing the work, when someone has left a property, the tenant will have to pay this bill, the tenant is not contacted to rectify this, Act public housing are not inspecting the properties before or after the tenant has evacuated the property,and not taking a DVD for record, they are not doing their job, and just relying on what Spotless has told them, so all I can say is sucko to ACT public housing, YOU ARE BEING RIPPED OFF and so are the tenants! The taxpayers are also being ripped off with their tax dollars going towards these fraudulent rip offs, I only hope that Spotless don’t get the contract ever again. I have also found that ACT PUBLIC HOUSING to be dishonest, I’m am referring to a few in Belconnen office, who have lied regarding a person working there, who I spoke to or ever receiving a letter sent to them by my daughter which was done on my computer to Maureen Sheehan, I posted this letter myself, Maureen Sheehan never relieved the letter as it was still in the in mail or folder as I was told, the person I spoke to was called Rhonda, I was told no Rhonda never worked there, this was a serious matter, due to certain events regarding safety, my daughter was asking for a security screen door and a peek hole in the main door, as I’d told my daughter the property was not secure, she should have had security all around the flat as it was ground floor, the other two flats either side had security on window’s and door’s. I will end now, I’m not finished with this and will pursue this further, after a certain period of time that is appropriate.

Breathe Cleo, breathe…

bigfeet said :

Deref said :

If the grubbymint’s trying to save some money, they could do worse than sack the people responsible for public housing.

They could also drastically cut down on the amount of public housing. That would save a fortune.

All tenants should be reviewed every six months.

– Damaged or failed to maintain the property – Evicted
– Convicted of a criminal offence on the property, such as drugs, domestic violence or possess stolen property – evicted
– Earning above a certain threshold – Evicted
– Unwilling to take an offered job or training – Evicted

This would free up a vast amount of public housing for those in genuine need. In fact much of it would no longer be needed.

So the children of parents who can’t/won’t maintain their houses should be forced onto the streets?

Have a twinkie snapperhead.

Captain RAAF said :

cleo said :

one night, she promised that they would ring me when I came back from overseas,

Overseas? I assume you were doing missionary work or had been kidnapped by pirates….or had the low cost housing you’ve been taking advantage of allowed you enough savings to take a jolly overseas?

Maybe your Public Service job sent you there…you sure you should be in public housing?

Didn’t you hear? If you’re under 45 years old, overseas travel is now a documented Human Right.

cleo said :

Hells_Bells74

The best thing to do would be to contact complaints in ACT housing, that seems to work.

I have had telephone problems when I first moved in about eight years ago, due to rats and mice chewing on the wires, eventually I told them I would sue if there was a fire, for Christs sake they didn’t even know where the box was for the telephone lines, no record, that’s housing and telstra, the guy upstairs told them. They did eventually do something.

We’re still having trouble with rats and mice, they’ve have come back, I want to clean my windows from the outside but will need to stand in the garden, the windows have never been cleaned since I moved in, the rats and mice have been reported once again, someone came out and had a look and said yes rats nests in the garden, but he couldn’t put baits due to rain effecting the baits, I don’t think they have done anything. I will be getting back on to that one soon.

We have had our cars vandalized on several occasions, no one will use the underground parking, housing will not secure the parking for residents.

I have contacted the local member of parliament regarding parking, and Spotless not making an appointment after receiving a letter stating that they would be out to clean exhaust fans for kitchen and bathroom, there were other reasons also.

I had someone last year from housing contact me after this, she rang at 7.15pm one night, she promised that they would ring me when I came back from overseas, on the Monday, nothing happened.

Then I get a fl-yer from housing stating how to clean exhaust fans, so I rang and said no I won’t be cleaning them, as I have tried before and cannot move them, well someone did come out, and he couldn’t move them either, nothing happened yet again, so have rang complaints, they will be sending someone else out, still waiting, that was two weeks ago.

Much easier to read. Thanks 🙂

cleo said :

one night, she promised that they would ring me when I came back from overseas,

Overseas? I assume you were doing missionary work or had been kidnapped by pirates….or had the low cost housing you’ve been taking advantage of allowed you enough savings to take a jolly overseas?

Maybe your Public Service job sent you there…you sure you should be in public housing?

Thanks for the advice cleo, I’ll give it a try. I’m certainly not faultless but I do think I (my family) deserve a touch better.

That’s not good what you are putting up with either and I hope it gets sorted for you soon.

Good luck with it and nice use of paragraphs.

🙂

Hells_Bells74

The best thing to do would be to contact complaints in ACT housing, that seems to work.

I have had telephone problems when I first moved in about eight years ago, due to rats and mice chewing on the wires, eventually I told them I would sue if there was a fire, for Christs sake they didn’t even know where the box was for the telephone lines, no record, that’s housing and telstra, the guy upstairs told them. They did eventually do something.

We’re still having trouble with rats and mice, they’ve have come back, I want to clean my windows from the outside but will need to stand in the garden, the windows have never been cleaned since I moved in, the rats and mice have been reported once again, someone came out and had a look and said yes rats nests in the garden, but he couldn’t put baits due to rain effecting the baits, I don’t think they have done anything. I will be getting back on to that one soon.

We have had our cars vandalized on several occasions, no one will use the underground parking, housing will not secure the parking for residents.

I have contacted the local member of parliament regarding parking, and Spotless not making an appointment after receiving a letter stating that they would be out to clean exhaust fans for kitchen and bathroom, there were other reasons also.

I had someone last year from housing contact me after this, she rang at 7.15pm one night, she promised that they would ring me when I came back from overseas, on the Monday, nothing happened.

Then I get a fl-yer from housing stating how to clean exhaust fans, so I rang and said no I won’t be cleaning them, as I have tried before and cannot move them, well someone did come out, and he couldn’t move them either, nothing happened yet again, so have rang complaints, they will be sending someone else out, still waiting, that was two weeks ago.

Yep totally agree cleo, I have had inspection after inspection where I tell my ACT housing manager what’s up with their place (because that’s apparently what they are there for) and time and time again they tell me to contact the maintenance team. Which I do.

The only times I actually got action pretty much was when I’d threatened legal action over something very unsafe and recently when my heater was broken in Autumn. The same call I logged massive electrical problems and more unsafe windows (windows you try to open the whole time you’ve lived here but they fall out in your hands (among other things) and I’ve showed them this physically on this occasion, again).

Was told as that was not so urgent as a broken heater, I would be put in line and maybe seen end of week or the next. Umm.. I think that was 6 months ago (and after waiting 3 weeks I had talked to my housing manager who said she would ring them and ask them to put an alert next to it, still nothing, new manager now (new one everytime almost), who failed to turn up to my last inspection).

They wonder why I laugh when they ask me to explain to them any problems at all then tell me to get it fixed by a disrespectful organisation they contracted (I mean sold out to).

End of the day, I’m grateful to have a steady roof over my head. So I don’t jump up and down much.

It’s just a little bit bullshit!

Isn’t it funny how you never see any fraud investigator positions advertised by the ACT Government?

Most Commonwealth departments and agencies have fraud control sections and advertise for investigators regularly on APS Jobs.

Fraud eventually becomes an OH&S issue. The longer it is swept under the carpet, the more likely someone is liable to trip over it.

cleo said :

Spotless as far as I’m concerned have a bad reputation, they never turn up for jobs, when they do it’s only after a few phone calls made to ACT public housing or complaints, from my experience they are ripping ACT public housing off, and lying about the jobs they have supposed to have done, and overpricing the work, when someone has left a property, the tenant will have to pay this bill, the tenant is not contacted to rectify this, Act public housing are not inspecting the properties before or after the tenant has evacuated the property,and not taking a DVD for record, they are not doing their job, and just relying on what Spotless has told them, so all I can say is sucko to ACT public housing, YOU ARE BEING RIPPED OFF and so are the tenants! The taxpayers are also being ripped off with their tax dollars going towards these fraudulent rip offs, I only hope that Spotless don’t get the contract ever again. I have also found that ACT PUBLIC HOUSING to be dishonest, I’m am referring to a few in Belconnen office, who have lied regarding a person working there, who I spoke to or ever receiving a letter sent to them by my daughter which was done on my computer to Maureen Sheehan, I posted this letter myself, Maureen Sheehan never relieved the letter as it was still in the in mail or folder as I was told, the person I spoke to was called Rhonda, I was told no Rhonda never worked there, this was a serious matter, due to certain events regarding safety, my daughter was asking for a security screen door and a peek hole in the main door, as I’d told my daughter the property was not secure, she should have had security all around the flat as it was ground floor, the other two flats either side had security on window’s and door’s. I will end now, I’m not finished with this and will pursue this further, after a certain period of time that is appropriate.

Paragraphs would make your posts so much easier to read. It’s easy too – just hit enter occasionally. Cheers.

Spotless as far as I’m concerned have a bad reputation, they never turn up for jobs, when they do it’s only after a few phone calls made to ACT public housing or complaints, from my experience they are ripping ACT public housing off, and lying about the jobs they have supposed to have done, and overpricing the work, when someone has left a property, the tenant will have to pay this bill, the tenant is not contacted to rectify this, Act public housing are not inspecting the properties before or after the tenant has evacuated the property,and not taking a DVD for record, they are not doing their job, and just relying on what Spotless has told them, so all I can say is sucko to ACT public housing, YOU ARE BEING RIPPED OFF and so are the tenants! The taxpayers are also being ripped off with their tax dollars going towards these fraudulent rip offs, I only hope that Spotless don’t get the contract ever again. I have also found that ACT PUBLIC HOUSING to be dishonest, I’m am referring to a few in Belconnen office, who have lied regarding a person working there, who I spoke to or ever receiving a letter sent to them by my daughter which was done on my computer to Maureen Sheehan, I posted this letter myself, Maureen Sheehan never relieved the letter as it was still in the in mail or folder as I was told, the person I spoke to was called Rhonda, I was told no Rhonda never worked there, this was a serious matter, due to certain events regarding safety, my daughter was asking for a security screen door and a peek hole in the main door, as I’d told my daughter the property was not secure, she should have had security all around the flat as it was ground floor, the other two flats either side had security on window’s and door’s. I will end now, I’m not finished with this and will pursue this further, after a certain period of time that is appropriate.

bigfeet said :

fgzk said :

Bigfeet. As long as it applies to all renters and mortgage holders. I can also see the banks liking this idea. We should give the banks the same powers.

The first two points should certainly apply to all renters. I would seek to evict any of my tenants if they were damaging the property or using it for illegal purposes.

+1, as would I.

Housing is a right.

But with that right comes certain responsibilities…and yes…those responsibilities go both ways.

If the tenant of either a private or public property is abusing their responsibilities then they no longer have a right to that housing. I am not talking about a failure to pay rent, there are other means to address that. I am talking about deliberate criminal acts in relation to that property.

Of course, as in this case, if the landlord is failing to meet their responsibilities to maintain the property, then there are sanctions available there as well.

Public Housing is an unfortunate necessity. But it is easily abused to the detriment of those who actually need it.

(I am not talking about this particular case, I have no knowledge of it. Just public housing in general)

fgzk said :

And you should evict bigfeet, before the banks cancel your loans and take back the properties you have mortgaged. The sooner landlords are held accountable for their tenants, the sooner we have only good people living in houses. This would be much better.

fgzk, you really are quite silly, aren’t you.

What is wrong with taxpayers expecting the Government to use their money effectively; and as part of that, expecting people who are living in public housing to have an understanding that if they repeatedly trash a house, fail to pay the rent without valid reason, or use the premisies for illegal means, then you will be evicted?

And you should evict bigfeet, before the banks cancel your loans and take back the properties you have mortgaged. The sooner landlords are held accountable for their tenants, the sooner we have only good people living in houses. This would be much better.

fgzk said :

Bigfeet. As long as it applies to all renters and mortgage holders. I can also see the banks liking this idea. We should give the banks the same powers.

The first two points should certainly apply to all renters. I would seek to evict any of my tenants if they were damaging the property or using it for illegal purposes.

Bigfeet. As long as it applies to all renters and mortgage holders. I can also see the banks liking this idea. We should give the banks the same powers.

Deref said :

If the grubbymint’s trying to save some money, they could do worse than sack the people responsible for public housing.

They could also drastically cut down on the amount of public housing. That would save a fortune.

All tenants should be reviewed every six months.

– Damaged or failed to maintain the property – Evicted
– Convicted of a criminal offence on the property, such as drugs, domestic violence or possess stolen property – evicted
– Earning above a certain threshold – Evicted
– Unwilling to take an offered job or training – Evicted

This would free up a vast amount of public housing for those in genuine need. In fact much of it would no longer be needed.

I lived in a government housing complex with a centralised hot water system. Whenever there was maintenence done that required the water to be turned off, the plumber would need to turn everyone’s water off.

A few years ago a Spotless plumber turned the hot water off on a Friday afternoon to do some work and forgot to turn it back on. By the time the residents were able to contact Spotless it was after 5pm. Despite numerous phonecalls over the weekend they refused to come out and turn the hot water back on as they would have had to pay someone extra to come out on a weekend. Eventually they sent a plumber on the Monday afternoon to turn it back on.

It was annoying enough for me (a single person), but there was also families living in the units including people with young babies. All because they didn’t want to pay someone to come out and fix their mistake on a weekend.

Damn shame that it took a newspaper article to get something done about this. If the grubbymint’s trying to save some money, they could do worse than sack the people responsible for public housing.