SAC0028
Written evidence submitted by Rana-Hume
My husband and I are a serving couple in the Army. Both my husband and I were based overseas and on our return from overseas assignment we had no SFA to move into. We applied for a SFA in line with the policy and within the time frame for application yet we had no SFA to come in to when we arrived in Scotland. My husband and I had to source our own accommodation (regiment’s welfare house) for 5 weeks which we paid for ourselves £720, we were told we can’t claim back. We weren’t offered an alternative housing or solution. No one from housing DIO or Pinnacle updated us even when we requested for updates and spend many hours on telephone with no luck.
My husband and I were then told to move out of regiment’s welfare house as it was booked for other paying customer over a weekend. We ended up moving into Single Living Accommodation in our respective barracks. My husband and I are both located in Edinburgh with different regiments, 6 miles apart. As a married couple this shouldn’t have been allowed! The stress my husband and I went through as well as financial burden occurred is not acceptable.
Timeline:
- 1 Aug – Husband arrived at his new regiment from overseas.
- 3 Aug – submitted e1132 (housing application form). After not hearing anything or getting an update on e1132 application, we rang Pinnacle and they said application still sat with NSC for their action.
- 19 Aug – I departed Canada after end of assignment to go on relocation leave at parents’ home in Hampshire.
- 1 Sep is when we requested the house for to move in. After arriving in the UK and staying with my parents and not hearing anything, we rang Pinnacle again few times but with no luck. We were told every time that they can’t do anything, there are no houses available! I then started worrying as I was due to start my new job on 12 Sep.
- 26 Aug – Pinnacle finally updated the application with following - update ‘relationship status’ to married even though we had put down married.
- 5 Sep – is when the application was finally submitted by Pinnacle even though we requested to move in a SFA on 1 Sep.
- 6 Sep – moved into regiment welfare house
- 19 Sep – 23 Sep – we were told to move out of the welfare house by 30 Sep for other booking. We also, informed our hierarchy asking for help as we were getting desperate and homeless.
- 20 Sep – was offered a SFA but not available to move in till 13 Oct.
- 27 Sep – move in date was brought forward to 10 Oct.
- 29 Sep – my husband and I moved into our respective accommodations in separate camps.
- 10 Oct – moved into our SFA.
20 October 2023