Dear Claudienne

I am a National Housing Trust (NHT) beneficiary of a one-bedroom lot at a housing scheme in Manchester since 1993. On receiving the unit I realised that, based on the location of the lot, a retaining wall should have been built by the NHT. I contacted them and expressed my view that they should have built the wall but they refused.

I also had the lot surveyed and discovered that the NHT had constructed a road on a part of my lot to give access to another lot. This was done without my knowledge or permission.

This situation was brought to the attention of the NHT and I asked the local NHT representative for compensation. Personnel from the head office visited the premises and a survey was conducted and they agreed to compensate me for this trespassing. However, to date I have not been compensated though this decision was taken over 13 years ago.

I would be grateful for your help in dealing with this matter.

CF

Dear CF

We brought your complaint to the attention of the NHT. The NHT has advised Tell Claudienne that they have written to inform you that they are not accepting responsibility to provide compensation for the construction of a road through your property.

According to the NHT, their decision is supported by records on your file and by the institutional memory of employees who worked on the project. The Trust said that you were previously advised to resolve your concerns with the developer of the property.

The NHT said that they were not responsible for constructing a road on your lot either before or after it was sold to you.

“The property had been sold to CF ‘as is’ and he had accepted those terms at the time of purchase.

“At the time of purchase also CF had been invited to inspect the property and note any dissatisfaction with the house and lot, on a Beneficiary Possession and Inspection Certificate. The signed certificate on our files shows that while CF had noted a few minor flaws which the NHT subsequently corrected, he had made no mention of a road on the property,” the NHT said.

Pertaining to the request that you had made for the Trust to build a retaining wall at the rear of your premises, the NHT said the following.

“After CF complained through the media about the need for the retaining wall, the NHT inspected the property and wrote to him to indicate that the Trust did not agree that there was any risk of erosion or threat to personal safety as he had claimed. The NHT therefore stated that it would not undertake construction of the wall. Notwithstanding this decision, the NHT had offered CF an additional loan to facilitate his building of the wall. This offer was not taken up,” the NHT said.

Good luck.

Dear Claudienne

I worked temporarily at Raymonds Health Centre, in Hayes, Clarendon from December 21 to January 7 as a records clerk while the permanent clerk was on vacation. I was told by the personnel manager that I would be paid on Friday, January 21. However, when I checked with the Clarendon health department I was told that my name was not on the system and they did not know the circumstances under which I worked temporarily at the health centre. Could you help me as I am a high school student and I urgently need the money.

SR

Dear SR

Tell Claudienne spoke with the Director of Finance at the Southern Regional office and note that you were paid on the promised date.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.