An Everyday Encounter with Homes for Haringey...

Oh dear...Homes for Haringey really do need to think about who they employ...

A Housing Manager called to tell me that the pest control people were meant to put the notes through re: spraying the communal areas (we have cockroaches - mmm) but haven't done. I said last time the Housing Manager put the notes through. She said Pest Control are paid to do that.

I asked if she was coming to next week's Residents' Association AGM. She said no. I said I would have appreciated it if she could have responded to my emails about the date for the AGM, even if just to say she could not attend. (Well, I tried to say the above, but she had already launched into her tirade, as follows):

She repeatedly said I treated her like a child, that I was condescending, that I was 'telling' her what to do, telling her how to do her job, that we would never get on, that I was bullying her, that I was aggressive. She threatened to put me on speaker phone - which was odd, as I wasn't actually saying anything - more like sitting in shock! I tried to interject to say that I was not 'telling' her what to do, merely 'asking' for her to respond to emails. But there was no getting a word in edgeways. I noticed that I was shaking and my heart was racing, and as we were not getting anywhere, I said "Goodbye" and hung up the phone.

I then called the switchboard and asked to be put through to the manager's manager (!), to report this outrageous incident. I was put through to a woman and in the background I could hear the Housing Manager still ranting on, saying "She's called to complaint about me!" etc. The woman repeatedly tried (properly?) to put me though to senior manager and 'failed'. She then gave me his direct number. I called this direct number and it went through to the same woman again. I left a message with her asking him to call me.

The fact that she almost hung up without even asking for my phone number - I interjected and gave her the number - made me suspicious about whether the message will be passed on or not.

I was left extremely shaken by this unprovoked, personal attack. Another triumph, Homes for Haringey! Oh, for a telephone with a built-in recording facility - I could start podcasting these incredible exchanges! Watch this space etc etc...