Bromford Living Lichfield.
I’m sat here crying at the moment, I don’t normally write about the bad things, but right now I need to rant and I need to get out my feelings towards a so called ‘caring’ company – Bromford Living I’m sure this will do no help but I was just looking at the twitter feed of my landlord and it drove me mad, all the ‘positive’ stories of how supportive they are. You can even check their page on how much they support people HERE.
So I want my story on record on how everything I have found Bromford Living because my story is the complete opposite.
This story starts almost two years ago, when my mobility really started going downhill, I started struggling getting in and out of the bath, the outside steps that lead to my door are very slippery when wet and lethal when icy or the snowed on even for people who don’t have problems.
I use a wheelchair if I need to go more than a few meters, and just doing those few meters is slow and painful even on my ‘best days’ I’m very shaky on my legs. So September / October last year my doctor wrote to Bromford Living telling them I needed to move, I couldn’t deal with the steps and I needed a shower. A month or so later we received a letter back saying we had been put into band 3 (the lowest band no need to move) on investigating we found out they had ‘lost’ my doctors letter, so we took it to them again, and they moved me into band 2 needs to move but with no urgency.
Not long after this all came up, my neighbours down stairs moved out, they contacted our shared landlord and suggested before they moved, a swap was done meaning we would just move into downstairs and this one would be free for another person. But according to Bromford Living that would be taking a flat from a homeless person – doesn’t matter they would still have one flat either way. (BTW the person who moved in downstairs is completely mobile so would have dealt with the stairs perfectly and the flat was already partially adapted due to my old neighbour suffering with mobility problems as well!)
None of the Bromford Living offices seem to run the same rules, on being moved to band 2 I was told I could bid on bungalows and anything I did bid on needed to be already adapted, yet the Lichfield office has different rules which it says are government written? They say you have to be over 60 for a bungalow unless you have a double amputation and then I could have one (their words not mine), but they also admitted it was next to never a ground floor comes up for rent though I can have a non-adapted I will just have to go through applying for funding to have the place adapted – oh and when it comes to my mental health problems I just have to suck it up, they would house me in an area I may be subject to ridicule in as they just don’t care (again they said it I’m not making it up). I had an interesting conversation with my CPN the other week they don’t have any sort of liaison with the mental health services anymore as it was seen as un-needed (again check ‘supportive link HA).
Last month I finally got moved into band 1 which then changed my sign up date, to last month thus moving me to the bottom of the band (I was in band 1 when I moved in here I had a 9 month wait back then, from their own admission it is a lot longer now).
So it’s almost a year later, I haven’t had a wash in my own home for well not sure I want to work it out but it’s got to be near 2 years – isn’t it a good job I don’t live too far from my parents – but that means making it down the stairs and then later back up them, which isn’t good..
I feel at a complete loss, I just want a home again, I wish I could work and pay for my own place, yet my illness’ mean that is nowhere near possible sadly.
So no in my experience Bromford Living are anything but supportive, and right now I can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel…
I totally agree, they are a disgrace and are only interested in filling properties and collecting rents. I was assaulted by a neighbour, he punched me in the face just because he didn’t like me.
I reported this to Bromford, they said they would speak to him. This was two weeks ago and nothing has been done, they didn’t even give me the courtesy of a follow up call.
I have since found out from neighbours that they have all had similar experiences with this idiot. He sits at his window all day shouting obscenities at people for no reason whatsoever. He hasn’t done a days work in his life and we all have pay his rent, benefits and support his two brats for him while we have to suffer and Bromford don’t give a dam. I am due to move out in October and I cant wait!
I really sympathise as I too suffer with my health, mentally, I suffer with agoraphobia and am unable to go out.
fortunately we were moved to a house as we were over crowded but the move was far from smooth as bromford would not allow me to sign the new lease in my current flat. unless I signed the lease in the new house (3 streets away) we were going to loose the house.
this stress left me wanting to take my own life as my wife had to put the kids first and i was the reason we could not move bromford offered no help what so ever. in the end the crisis team was called, i was nearly sectioned my marriage was in tatters and my mental state was worse than ever!!
we finally moved into a house that is in my opinion barely liveable with leaky sewer pipes floor-boards that are not supported….. it goes on and on, OH and the mandatory insurance is great we’ve been waiting since December 2013 for someone to come out after over flowing sewerage destroyed our new carpet and dryer.
If their is any help or if we can add weight to your cause count us in!!
That sounds terrible, but I would agree with you about the image they present. I applied for a job there and they make you do a practical assessment before they consider you for a job. It’s really embarrassing with grown women running around like schoolgirls, while a team of stony faced ‘assessors’ who already work there sit glaring and looking you up and down. If they can tell that you are more intelligent than they are they automatically kick you out of the process so that they can remain superior. Yet they maintain this image of being ‘a great place to work’. Mmm all seemed rather false and farcical to me.
Hi Sarah-Louise.
I have just read about your ordeal. I myself have mobility problems and until very recently lived in a first floor flat, when I deteriorated social services had Bromford put a stairlift in. A disabled neighbour on the ground floor moved out and I asked to move in. They said yes. I feel sad and annoyed that you have been treated so badly.
Hi Stella,
Thank you so much – thankfully we have moved now just a couple of months back into a downstairs flat – a lot of people said about a stairlift but our steps were outside ones so it wasn’t possible. I’m so glad you got to move into the downstairs one – I really hope it is working well for you and if you ever need a chat I’m always around 🙂 xx
HI Sarah, Im am so sorry to hear of your plight, can I make a few suggestions to you, which you probably have done anyway, but in case you haven t yet. My first advice is to make an appointment with your gp, when the receptionists asked what is the appointment for you say its private. then tell your doctor or consultant. they should be able to write to Bromford or at least give you letters to say of your urgent needs. Next is social services who will put you in touch with the appropriate person for your circumstances, next write to MP they should have an Email on line. if you are still having difficultes then write to your local newspaper or even a national newspaper to highlight the wrong doings in your case, they arealways pleased to hear about these things. all acrossed for you. jo.
Hi Jo,
Thank you so much – I’ve done a few of those steps – GP has written a letter, waiting on hearing from Social Services (may well have to try and get in contact with them again as it’s been rather a long time). MP couldn’t do anything :/. Newspapers I have thought of, but I’ve always put it off as the story would be taken out of my hands and it worries me what they might say or make out (does that make sense).
xx