Letter to DHA - Reckon it'll get anywhere?

[MilkOnTap]

Do you think they'll do it? Probably not :( worth a shot though I guess....


Good Evening Michelle,

I was advised to email you with regards to maintenance and home upgrades.

I’m living in ********************* and have just discovered that I’m pregnant. I have an 11 month old who needs to be carried up and down the stairs, and I’m concerned that this may become more difficult as the pregnancy progresses. I’m concerned about tripping on the stairs as my stability is compromised by my growing baby belly and feel that a handrail would be beneficial for both my safety, and that of my son and unborn child. Would you please contact the home owner with respect to them installing a handrail in order to upgrade the safety of the stairs.

My baby is due to arrive in December, and last summer in this home was exhausting. The heat was terrible, and with a newborn baby to try to keep cool I’m concerned about cooling in the home. It would be extremely appreciated if the owner would consider installing an air conditioning device on the ground level of the house.

The bathroom had problems prior to us moving in, as it was leaking through the ceiling into the kitchen, and left a waterstain on the ceiling. This has since been rectified; however water is still escaping the shower and causing a main beam in the bathroom (edge of doorway) to rot and wear away. This is not only compromising the safety of the bathroom, but is a health and safety issue as well.

Thank you for your interest in rectifying these issues. I hope to hear from you soon.


Kind Regards,

[KJEmum]

That sounds very sophisticated and hopefully they will take note.
What I have done in the past when I've had issues to be dealt with, I have emailed the 'info' email addy on the DHA website .. so it goes to canberra and if the local DHA is a slackarsed bunch, I think it gives them a kick in the butt.

We had stairs at our house in Darwin and it was a biatch carrying shopping up and down while pregnant. Oh and I did slip down lol .. cut my ankle open thnx to the wearing of an anklet and catching my heel under the wooden step. Missed the achilles tendon by a smidge. Luckily was only a couple months pregnant and wasn't a traumatic fall, only down about 4. Oh and we did have a rail on one side lol. DH reckons I'm a clutz though.

I hope these things are rectified, especially the hand rail. I find them essential when having a stairway.

[Bree3]

That sounds very sophisticated and hopefully they will take note.
What I have done in the past when I've had issues to be dealt with, I have emailed the 'info' email addy on the DHA website .. so it goes to canberra and if the local DHA is a slackarsed bunch, I think it gives them a kick in the butt.

We had stairs at our house in Darwin and it was a biatch carrying shopping up and down while pregnant. Oh and I did slip down lol .. cut my ankle open thnx to the wearing of an anklet and catching my heel under the wooden step. Missed the achilles tendon by a smidge. Luckily was only a couple months pregnant and wasn't a traumatic fall, only down about 4. Oh and we did have a rail on one side lol. DH reckons I'm a clutz though.

I hope these things are rectified, especially the hand rail. I find them essential when having a stairway.

Nah i don't think your a clutz i have fallen on our stairs during both my pregnancies.

MilkOnTap - The letter sounds good i hope you get somewhere with it. I can't believe that the stairs don't have a rail on them.

[MilkOnTap]

Thanks ladies - we're the 6th family in this house with kids (or so my neighbours tell me) so I reckon the owner is just a tighta$$ and wont pay to have it installed. Surely SOMEONE in the lats 5 families would have asked?? Surely!

I hope it gets somewhere though - otherwise I might ask for access to homefind to look for something else... would they give it to me?

[splish n splash]

I hope your letter gets the job done, we always had so much luck with DHA what ever we requested always got done and within 2 weeks.

Dha have strick requirements for leasing houses and I find it odd that your house has no railing for the stairs, unless it is owned by defence itself. That's why a lot of houses on defence bases are **** as defence solely own them. Just remember that you can reject any house the defence offer you, sometimes it is best to look at houses for a higher rank as they are much nicer and don't really cost that much more.

As for moving house defence will let you but they won't be nice about it you will have to pay for everythign yourself such as removals, connections and disconnects etc.

Good Luck

[tootiredtosleep]

It never hurts to try. We have an open storm water pit in our backyard, it was about 1m drop to the bottom. When DD started walking I was really worried and asked DHA to fence it off.

First a lady came and said "We'll see", then 3 weeks after DH rang back and got the manager to come - he said "Urgent, will be done ASAP"... It was done 5 MONTHS later - in the meantime we had to make our own arrangements and put up some chicken wire.

Our previous house (brand spanking new) was built with a garden right at the front door, so I had to push the pram through plants to get inside... I was told on the phone that it was too bad as we had picked the house.. I had a wobbly and asked for a manager to come and see for themselves, that time it was fixed within 2 weeks.

PS We actually moved from a spider infested house into a new house, but it was at our own expense.

So, I would ask for an inspection and get someone to look.. Even if the house is owned by someone else, I'm sure DHA could install a handrail at their expense. Same with aircon. Keep trying!

[lavenderpegasus]

I think that they'll say we dont care but as long as you pay for it...


Stupid DHA


lp in wa

[MilkOnTap]

So I finally heard back from DHA today.. an email saying that they'll be in touch with the owner about the air con and handrail and then get back to me.

They sent a plumber round today to check out the shower - and he recommended exactly the same as the last 2 have recommended; that the entire shower unit be replaced. He also said that the damage is getting too bad to the timber and that it'll need to be replaced - but god knows HOW they'll do that.

We only have one bathroom and I'm guessing that if DHA finally do what has been recommended and replace the shower unit then they will have to put us up in accommodation or something. Do they do that? What would happen?

[KJEmum]

I'm not sure, who knows you might get to move ? Some sorts of work they won't do while tenants are living in the house. Nice idea about temp accommodation though.. at least things are moving.
Great news for you and that they are onto it. Didn't take long did it really. Must be that you put it so nicely and sophisticatedly lol and mentioned OH&S.

I'm going to write to DHA also and ask for a door put on our laundry. We have kitty litter in there and it can get a bit of a pong after a cat has been and my kids rooms are at the end of the house near there. Also I have the dryer and diswasher on late so it's quite noisy. I've put a safety gate there so Eve doesn't go playing in the litter but I think a door would be better for all things. Sux too when I give my cat a chicken neck and he runs to another location in the house with it.

[MilkOnTap]

I hope so... Ideally I'd like to move out of this house. Its a great neighbourhood though - but its just... I dunno. Something doesn't seem right. It feels uncomfortable... probably sounds silly huh.

[MilkOnTap]

Right so someone came out to look at the shower... AGAIN. They're always looking and making recommendations - but nothing ever eventuates.

This morning I have emailed DHA again about it. Jedd was able to put his entire FIST in the hole in the beam this morning... I'm just glad he didnt get any splinters!!!


Hi Michelle,

Someone has come around with regards to the shower – however as I indicated the problem isn’t with the shower itself. It’s a by-product of a shower issue that has been prominent since moving into the property in Dec 06.

The beam in the bathroom is wearing away and rotting away rapidly. This morning my son was playing near it and managed to insert his entire 11 month old hand into the hole in the beam. This is dangerous! The beam is not supporting the wall – the wall is supporting the beam!

Please rectify this ASAP.


Kind Regards,


I also cc'd in the info@dha.gov.au address as well. But I'm thinking about just calling them now - this is getting beyond a joke!

[MilkOnTap]

This is ridiculous. Still haven't heard from anyone. Have left phone messages for my area manager AND her supervisor. Still nothing.

This is a full on health and safety issue - I dont know what to do next... Any suggestions?

[MilkOnTap]

One month on and I'm still waiting for a response about the stairwell and the aircon!! I received this a few days ago...


Sent: Monday, 19 May 2008 5:10 PM
Subject: Repairs to Bathroom

I have today raised work orders to have the following work done:
a piece of plastic to be mounted onto the bottom of the shower door to prevent water splashing out
timber door frame etc to have damaged timber replaced and painted
carpet near bathroom to be cleaned
new piece of smooth edge to be installed and carpet refixed
Please let me know if you haven't heard from the contractors by 30 May

So today replied with this!!!! I doubt they will want to put us up in accommodation - but hey I'm gonna push it while I can hehehe...



I still haven’t heard from the contractors. I understand it isn’t the 30th of May yet so I will keep in touch.

It has now been a month since I first emailed you (24 April) with queries about installing a hand-rail for safety on the stairwell, and an airconditioning system. Can you please let me know what arrangements have been made to install these items.

I assume that overnight accommodation will be provided when the below works are carried out. As you are well aware, I am pregnant and inhaling paint fumes is unsafe for both myself and the baby; therefore we will require overnight accommodation for health and safety issues.

Kind Regards,

[magjh]

Good luck with all of this. Keep the updates coming - we all love a good DHA story, and fingers crossed yours will have a super happy ending!:fingerscrossed: It is just so unbelievable but I don't know why I continue to be surprised ...

[lavenderpegasus]

OMG Ally, keep on their back about it... Did that number I gave you help you at all. Sorry I haven't been on to keep up...:(

lp in wa