Straight to the Top

I rang the council this morning about security measures to protect me from Pseudo-Messiah. I spoke to a cold, distant housing officer called Steve who seemed to be going out of his way to be as unhelpful as possible.

'Personal security is the tenant's own responsibility.'

'What? Even when you've been physically assaulted by the psychopath who lives below you?'

I concluded the conversation with a sarcastic, 'Well, it's so good to know you take the security of your female tenants so seriously.'

He said he would ring me back within the hour. By the end of office hours I was still waiting. I telephoned the housing office again and the guy who responded (I never did get to know his name) lowered his voice conspiratorially and said, 'If I were you I'd go straight to the top, to the housing officer's boss.' and he gave me the number of her direct line.

I spoke to her and she agreed to 'release the funds immediately'. So, I shall be getting two shiny new Chubb locks fitted to my front door.

Mission accomplished.

There's a lesson in there somewhere. ;-)