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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

I live in gorelston road n15 and park my campervan in the street.

Last night I was surprised to see a letter from the council attached to my van.

The letter accused me of 'living in the van and I'd been observed urinating, deficating , drinking alchohol, fighting, littering as engaging in anti-social behaviour'

It went on to threaten legal action and that immigration services would be visiting and would deport me if I was an illegal immigrant.

Finally at the end of the very aggressive and threatening letter was a contact number for housing services.

Is this the way the council intimidates homeless people?

I'm pretty appalled and ashamed at their attitude.

We've had homeless people living in cars further down the street in terrible conditions. These people are not criminals but vulnerable people that need out help.

Tags for Forum Posts: homelessness

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Wow at the letter. I'm on the next street, and I agree that there has to be a better way to address these problems. Also not sure all of them are caused by the people who are, or were, living locally in vehicles.

Sorry i don't understand, are ypu living in this van as a homeless person alone ?

No.   Jonathan says not, and very clearly.

Submit a formal Stage 1 complaint to the Council. Your camper van is presumably registered to your address, has a residents parking permit which verifies you are a Council tax paying resident etc. Ask to see their "evidence" and as a foot note to all of that you can comment on the threatening tone and content of the letter.

No need for a parking permit on Gorleston Road (or Newsam Avenue) - not sure about Ida Road which is an estate -  it's (just) outside the CPZ. Though it presumably is registered

Are you sure that the letter is not some sort of prank?, before you tear into LBH make sure that it is an official notice with a form number and reference. As a registered vehicle this letter could have been posted to you rather than stuck on the van.

It's not a joke. I've seen very similar letters at the Council where I work. I think it probably is a case of mistaken identity in that there probably is someone living in a camper van pissing and shitting in the street that may not always park in the same place (which possibly isn't registered to an address) and they have simply attached the letter to the wrong van.

Here's the letter I found on my windscreen. I've now seen same letter on car nearby. (Ps to clarify, I live in house and park campervan in street outside.

I realise its mistaken identity. That's not my concern. What I'm appalled by is the treatment of homeless people by haringey council. The council is there to support people not threaten them!

I agree it's not a good letter. I hope your post will help bring it to the attention of the Council and they can arrange to rewrite it. 

I suppose the letter is intended to carry some legal force. So, to that extent it needs to contain some clear messages in formal language. Nonetheless, there would still be plenty of room for a more understanding approach and perhaps some references to agencies who can help. 

I imagine that many of us would hope for the Council to do more to help. I imagine the reality of the situation is that with funding cut to the bone, they're not keen to encourage any behaviour that will bring rough sleepers into Haringey. It's a copy of the governmental response to immigration we're seeing played out on a global scale - make it unattractive for them to be here and they'll be less likely to come. 

Send it to the local press...see if they want to run with it. I couldn't see the letter when I tried to open it... Hugh is it possible for you to work your magic and paste it into a post?

Anyone got Alan Bennett's phone number?

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