View Full Version : MQ - Would you want to stay?
Ex-RAF Wife Battles MOD over Married Quarter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2380805/Helen-Nicholas-ex-wife-RAF-squadron-leader-eviction-court-battle.html)
Six years of fighting to stay in an MQ? Would you bother?
sisemen
30th Jul 2013, 06:52
The Mail also needs to kick the backside of their copy writer...
lived at the property for RAF personal with her husband
Mrs Nicholas, who was has been married
Valid point, I forgot to put the usual health warning on the thread:
'Caution - Daily Mail Story involved. Some readers may have an adverse reaction'
gijoe
30th Jul 2013, 07:34
This is nearly as puke-inducing as Mrs Sniper.
:cool:
goudie
30th Jul 2013, 07:55
Ex-wife of RAF officer fights MoD eviction order in court - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/10210079/Ex-wife-of-RAF-officer-fights-MoD-eviction-order-in-court.html)
Also in the tory/graph
gijoe
30th Jul 2013, 08:01
Doubly puke-inducing.
:cool:
Pontius Navigator
30th Jul 2013, 08:10
As I read it, it is an MOD property but is it on a patch?
If I had no where else to go and had been there as long as she has, and separated for 6 years at least, yes.
What about the husband? Has he stopped paying?
Genstabler
30th Jul 2013, 08:21
Looks as though she has been living rent free for 6 years. Lucky her.
teeteringhead
30th Jul 2013, 08:30
I had some (small amount of) sympathy when I read the headline, having known mates' widows on more than one occasion being given notice to quit - and then suffering a non-gentle March Out.
That said, I was imagining a year or so at most (I think you get 3 months "grace" without question) but 6 years!!!
Sorry Mrs Nicholas - that's taking the p!$$.
Wensleydale
30th Jul 2013, 08:31
The lengths some people will go to avoid a march-out!
Shack37
30th Jul 2013, 09:08
I had some (small amount of) sympathy when I read the headline, having known mates' widows on more than one occasion being given notice to quit - and then suffering a non-gentle March Out.
That said, I was imagining a year or so at most (I think you get 3 months "grace" without question) but 6 years!!!
Sorry Mrs Nicholas - that's taking the p!$$.
Unless you know more details of her actual circumstances than given in the Telegraph article I don't see how you can justify that comment.
In my opinion the mates' widows you refer to should have had more support to stay in their quarters, if they so wished.
TomJoad
30th Jul 2013, 09:52
The Mail also needs to kick the backside of their copy writer...
I'.m sure if you write to the editor he/she will be most concerned and thank you for pointing out such an outrageous error. You could also take the time to explain to him the meaning of "bunt" and congratulate him on the expose of teh MOD main building refurbishment scandal.
PS I have left some typos in here for your enjoyment:ok:
TomJoad
30th Jul 2013, 10:02
Unless you know more details of her actual circumstances than given in the Telegraph article I don't see how you can justify that comment.
In my opinion the mates' widows you refer to should have had more support to stay in their quarters, if they so wished.
Shack it is the way of PPrune these days - folk are all to ready to judge and pass ill informed comment. Where is the compassion and empathy, I don't know this lady personally but she and her husband could easily have been my neighbour on any of the quarter communities I lived on when in. She is obviously in a place of difficulty in her life and needs help. The Services all too often bang on about how we are a family - well now is the time to prove it, or like much else is that just so much mouth music. The quarter appears no longer to be needed, how about the MOD get's creative and explores a transfer to the local authority. How about the MOD sits down face to face and discusses with the lady her concerns and what she needs to resolve the situation. But hey don't let this stop the angry mob denigrate someone they do not know, over a story that has been written in a newspaper. Some family!:=
goudie
30th Jul 2013, 10:16
Some family!
The so-called 'Service family' is similar to actual family life. Live by it's rules and customs and you're in. Defy them and you're out!
IIRC an eviction order was required to be served so that the evictee could prove to the council they were not voluntarily homeless in order to be provided with council accommodation.
TomJoad
30th Jul 2013, 10:50
The so-called 'Service family' is similar to actual family life. Live by it's rules and customs and you're in. Defy them and you're out!
Really. I fear for the state of that family.
NutLoose
30th Jul 2013, 11:55
Looking at it from another point of view, they need her evicting, if they fail it could set a legal precedent for families leaving the services, or even for singlies living in Service accomodation if she is allowed to stay put..
The sell the house to the local Authority route also seems to be a minefield in the offing..
What next, right to buy? :O
TomJoad
30th Jul 2013, 14:31
Looking at it from another point of view, they need her evicting, if they fail it could set a legal precedent for families leaving the services, or even for singlies living in Service accomodation if she is allowed to stay put..
The sell the house to the local Authority route also seems to be a minefield in the offing.. Why - it is going to be sold anyway; why not sell it to the LA who have a remit to increase their housing stock - no minefield if intent is there to do some good
What next, right to buy? :O Already exists - time spent in Service accom (single or otherwise) provides points allocations when considering right to buy council housing. Some LAs may plead ignorance however
Blacksheep
30th Jul 2013, 14:49
I have personal experience of this.
1. As I approached de-mob, I secured a job offer with Big Airways at Heathrow. Knowing we would now settle locally (I was at Northolt) we made an offer on a vacant maisonette and set about buying it. There was a bureaucratic hold up and we were still in our quarter when the 60 days notice ran out. The Families office said they would start eviction proceedings and I said "Fine. But the court would not kick us out in our particular circumstances" So they backed off and we eventually moved out two months later.
2. Our friend's husband left his family and moved to "live in". The Families Office gave our friend 60 days notice. Hillingdon council refused to rehouse her as she "had no connection with the borough". If she left the MQ she would have made herself "voluntarily homeless" and the council would have no obligation to rehouse the family. When her 60 days expired, the RAF initiated eviction proceedings and after two years she was evicted at which point the council had a statutory duty to rehouse her and the children. Forty years later she still lives in that new home.
I suspect this case is something similar to our friend's situation.
Pontius Navigator
30th Jul 2013, 16:23
BS When her 60 days expired, the RAF initiated eviction proceedings and after two years she was evicted at which point the council had a statutory duty to rehouse her
Quite so, but there seems a little difference between 60 days/2 years and 6 years as reported.
airborne_artist
30th Jul 2013, 16:36
Quite so, but there seems a little difference between 60 days/2 years and 6 years as reported.
She's got a better lawyer than the MoD, perhaps? ;)
MPN11
30th Jul 2013, 16:44
Having apprised the OH of this one (she being former Admin Sec and encountered the problem often) it is easy to get a possession order but NOT easy to get an execution order from the Court.
PICKS135
30th Jul 2013, 17:13
Judges also get a little bit peed off when MOD turn up mob handed, with up to 6 lawyers. Whilst poor little wifey has only got the best that legal aid can afford.
Personal experience here
BEagle
30th Jul 2013, 17:15
Originally Posted by Shack37
Unless you know more details of her actual circumstances than given in the Telegraph article I don't see how you can justify that comment.
In my opinion the mates' widows you refer to should have had more support to stay in their quarters, if they so wished.
Shack it is the way of PPRuNe these days - folk are all to ready to judge and pass ill informed comment. Where is the compassion and empathy, I don't know this lady personally but she and her husband could easily have been my neighbour on any of the quarter communities I lived on when in. She is obviously in a place of difficulty in her life and needs help. The Services all too often bang on about how we are a family - well now is the time to prove it, or like much else is that just so much mouth music. The quarter appears no longer to be needed, how about the MOD gets creative and explores a transfer to the local authority. How about the MOD sits down face to face and discusses with the lady her concerns and what she needs to resolve the situation. But hey don't let this stop the angry mob denigrate someone they do not know, over a story that has been written in a newspaper. Some family!
On this occasion, I agree with you absolutely, Tom.
Insufficient data to comment further at this time.
Biggus
30th Jul 2013, 20:00
Regarding the comments about the supposed "service family" - it would appear from statements on the NEM roadshow thread that this "family" is now being deliberately dismantled from the inside!
NutLoose
30th Jul 2013, 21:36
Looking at it from another point of view, they need her evicting, if they fail it could set a legal precedent for families leaving the services, or even for singlies living in Service accomodation if she is allowed to stay put..
The sell the house to the local Authority route also seems to be a minefield in the offing..
Why - it is going to be sold anyway; why not sell it to the LA who have a remit to increase their housing stock - no minefield if intent is there to do some good
I mean in the sense that it sets a precedent, so the next person that comes along and wishes to stay put could argue the same point, regardless of its location.
muttywhitedog
2nd Aug 2013, 23:08
Ex-wife of RAF pilot loses High Court battle over family home (From Watford Observer) (http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/10588777.Ex_wife_of_RAF_pilot_loses_High_Court_battle_over_f amily_home/?ref=mr)
Her and her dog are in need of a new 3 bed home.
After yesterday's ruling, MoD lawyers assured the judge that no immediate steps would be taken to evict Mrs Nicholas and that she would be given reasonable time to move out.
Does that mean that the judgement isn't likely to be enforced in the near future?