For the last 7, nearly 8 years, we have had 4 cats. Just recently, July 2010, we were abruptly told to remove them or face eviction. Here is the full story( it is rather long, so if you don't feel like reading it, then i understand ) :
In 2002 I moved into a new place in Blackpool, at the time, it was council owned, and there was no problems. A few weeks into my tenancy, I got 2 cats. I immediately went to the local office to inform them that I had indeed obtained 2 cats, and was it allowed in my tenancy agreement. The counter staff at that time reassured me that it was allowed and was OK providing they were informed, in which I was doing, so they were happy with that. I was happy with that too, so I continued as normal.
A year later, in 2003, my partner moved in with me, and we met some of the neighbours in our block. Our neighbours had 2 cats as well, but a smaller property. In due course, their cats had kittens, and so 8 weeks later, they were running around trying to re-home them. We were delighted at the sight of 2 kittens, and so we took 2 kittens off their hands. Both myself and the neighbour went to the local housing office to inform them of the situation and to ask permissions. Again, myself and my neighbour were reassured that it was allowed, and permissions were given by the counter staff.
At no point, either before, during or after signing the original tenancy agreement, were we told or reminded we had to have this permissions in writing, nor were we shown the exact ruling the council used at that time, or after. So since 2003, we assumed that we had full permissions to have 4 cats, and we were happy. At no stage were we consulted as to weather we had all female cats, and that we do not plan to have any other animals in this property. Nor did anyone bother to inquire that our cats are fully neutered and couldn't have kittens even if they wanted to. Nor did anyone consider that we have no plans to get any more cats after our current ones pass away.
Anyway, between that point and mid November 2009, I had to go into a different accommodation, to help with my depression. This involved social services and other medical professionals, in fact probably involved a load of folk I never even heard of. As part of this rehab type thing, I had to be removed of the tenancy agreement, because you can't have 2 tenancies at the same time.
My partner had to sign a new tenancy. This new tangency was with the all new Blackpool Coastal Housing. I was there when she signed it, and I swear down now, at no point was my partner shown or explained the rules of the tenancy. All they wanted was for her to sign it, without looking at it or understanding it. It was as if she was signing under duress. I was basically told to be quiet, because it was my partner that was signing it, not me. So even I didn't have that option. Even in the months leading up to this, social services knew we had 4 cats, and it wasn't a problem then either.
While I was in care, it was getting more and more evident, that there was no support for my partner, and I got frustrated. I got even more frustrated that my medications were being messed with, so I had a few disagreements. Finally in December I left, I had enough of the place, plus it wasn't helping me one little bit. They got annoyed that I so called "bribed" them into getting my meds back, but I wasn't there for medication review, I was there to get help. However, since December 2009 and July 2010, nothing was said, and as far as I’m concerned everything was back to normal. That was, until someone from Blackpool coastal Housing sent a letter saying..we want to come round to inspect the property. I never seen that before, and apparently they do this every year, so we let them come round, just out of curiosity if nothing else.
That was when the sparks fly, they came bursting in, and immediately picked up that we had 4 cats, and barked lout orders, in no uncertain terms " get rid of the cats or face eviction". As you could imagine, I went ballistic, I was in no way going to tolerate that sort of attitude from anyone..I don't care who they work for. There were a few other issues that needed addressing, which we have solved, that was the easy bit, but to come into my domain and tell us to remove our cats..I was having none of it. So I went to the local office, and I created an argument of my own, I returned the favour They didn't like it, so how do they expect me to like it.
After a few letters here and there, we had to put into writing that we want permissions to have 4 cats, so we did, and it was refused. I heard some pretty good excuses in my time, but the best ones were to come, including “ it's got a shared entrance” and “ too small”. In a few weeks we eventually agreed to 2 cats, and I put that in writing, and that was approved. So, we are at a crossroads now, where to re-home 2 cats, especially in a society that has far too many cats and dogs, even the animal charities are overwhelmed, to bursting. I had 1 place told me that if the council seen their place..it would be shut down due to overcapacity. That shows you the state of things.
Best of all though, I contacted the Blackpool Gazette, the local newspaper, as I thought it would be a nice story for them, plus to show my anger, and all they said was “is it in the tenancy agreement”...I replied yes, because we had been shown it after someone came round and explained it. They said they would send a reporter round...not heard from them at all. I thought it would make a nice story, since I’m not the only one affected by this issue in the whole of Blackpool, or if I am, then that's a whole new ball game altogether. It's as if the newspaper is bias towards the council, which would explain the response I got from a phone call about 3 days earlier, in which I was told “good luck” by a council employee, when I said I was going to the newspaper.
So what are we supposed to do? Personally, I think this is a load of bollocks, the economy is in crisis and all Blackpool Coastal Housing are worried about is if I got 4 cats or not. Someone needs to get their priorities right.
If anyone can help...especially in full English Law, weather there is anything I can do legally, then please contact me.
You may love or hate any animals ... but lets put it this way, some people, me included, love their animals, and do take care of them, sometimes better than myself, they are treated as one of the family. My question is this...what would you do if someone tried to take away your child or pets...without a genuine or reasonable excuse? That I leave to you.
Disclaimer:
Under no circumstances am I, or anyone else suggesting or claiming that Blackpool Coastal Housing is good or bad, right or wrong, I am only giving the correct and true facts that actually happened to me and my partner in this case, weather it's ongoing or not.
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