Hi,

We have applied for a council flat some time ago, and the housing officer
said that we should be on the emergency list because of a mobility problem.
As I am working outside home, my partner stays home with our under 1 year
old baby. Of course, they need to go for a walk and she has to take the
pushchair down and up the stairs to the second floor. Would be fine, if she
didn't have problems with her back and was strongly advised by the doctors
not to carry heavy things as she may end up on the operating table. The
officer said a health visitor would come and assess how we live, and that it
should be no problem to be put on the emergency list after health vistor
have visited us.

Today she came, I was absent when she was here. As my partner said, the
health vistior said everything was fine as my partner IS ABLE TO take baby
and pushchair up and down the stairs. She didn't take into account doctors'
advice, the fact it is painful and she hardly manages to do it. When
leaving, she said that the decision would be negative as long as she thinks,
and we wouldn't be put on priority list. And as she is going on holiday now,
we should receive it in 3 weeks time.

Wel, I am not sure, but as for me this is pure incompetence and she just
wants to put us off. As we are not familiar with all this council flat
stuff, and only know that may wait for ages unless put on priority list,
we'd like some advice as you here probably know better than us.

Is the health visitor right in this case? We are strongly convinced she's
wrong. This is pure mobility problem as it endangers her health.
We are thinking of contacting our leading housing officer asap, before the
decision comes. Or maybe we'd better wait for he decision?
We are unsure what to do.

Please advise,

Cheers,

Paul