The family of an elderly woman with dementia have lambasted Renfrewshire Council after it sent threatening letters to her home.
Margaret Cook, who is deaf and suffers from short-term memory loss, was sent a letter from the local authority stating officers would force entry to her sheltered housing property in Elderslie if she did not arrange a time for a gas safety check. The 87-year-old was left rattled when she opened the letter, which also said she would be charged for any costs associated with the action.
Her son, Graham Cook, who acts as Margaret’s power of attorney, says the pensioner lacks the capacity to make arrangements and is unable to speak on the phone as a result of her hearing problems.
Explaining his mum moved into the Altpatrick Gardens complex a few years ago, he told the Express: “The frustrating thing is that this has been going on for a few years, it’s not an isolated incident. They keep giving us platitudes that they will do something. Previously, she was threatened with eviction for not having paid a £40 bill while the finance department was processing a £900 refund.
“One department doesn’t speak to the other and all the while I am her power of attorney and they continue to send letters to her instead of me. This was the last straw for me.”
He added: “The fact that she is in sheltered housing would, you would think, suggest she may be vulnerable. Fortunately for my mum, I have intercepted some of the letters, but my concern is not just for my mum but other people in sheltered housing who don’t have relatives.
“I don’t know what they would make of letters like these.”
Graham has urged Renfrewshire Council to establish a vulnerable tenants’ register which would alert staff to their needs should they need to contact them. It should also, he says, contain the contact details of family members and the person’s power of attorney where appropriate.
The move would, he argues, ensure the council gets the information or response it needs while protecting elderly people from any upset.
A spokesman for the authority has apologised for the “distress caused”.
He said: “We’re sorry for any inconvenience or distress caused and we will contact Mrs Cook’s son to discuss how future correspondence regarding this important safety check should be directed. Gas safety is very important and we have a legal duty to do this work every year.
“Tenants and their families could be at risk if gas appliances aren’t regularly serviced or if safety checks are missed.”
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