Bungling council sends bizarre letter to OAP after she passes away

Aug 17 2008 By Fariha Karim

BLUNDERING bureaucrats wrote to a pensioner to tell she was off a housing waiting list...because she was dead.

And incredibly, deceased Isa Thomson was invited to appeal against the decision.

Her devastated relatives were furious at the letter - sent just three weeks after she died of septicaemia.

Council service manager Jamie Pettigrew wrote: "I write to advise you that your application for housing has been withdrawn from the housing waiting list.

"The reason for this decision is: deceased.

"If you wish to appeal against this decision you should do so in writing to the service manager at the above address."

The letter was the fourth sent to Isa, of Coatbridge, by North Lanarkshire Council since they were told of the 70-year-old's death. It was opened by her sister Christine Smith, 65.

Christine, of Carmyle, Glasgow, said: "Getting these letters brought everything back again.

"I was trying to deal with so much as it is, like clearing out our family home where Isa had lived for 49 years.

"But when I got the last letter I just couldn't believe it.

"How can they expect her to appeal against it when they know she's dead?

"It's stupid, asking a dead person if they want to appeal against a decision. Then I started to laugh. You've got to see the funny side of it."

Christine's son Gordon, 43, of Easter house, Glasgow, added: "Within days of my aunt's death, my mum went up to the council with a copy of the death certificate.

"Two days later the council sent a letter to my aunt but that was OK because they had only just been told.

"None-the less, were minded them. Then followed a second letter addressed to my aunt. The council apologised but a few days later they sent a third one about unpaid rent.

"Once again, we reminded them but it made no difference.

"The fourth letter topped the lot. Writing to a dead person is stupid enough but then asking for a reply - I think it's disgraceful."

Pettigrew, who signed the letter personally, said yesterday: "This letter was automatically generated for our records after we received notice to cancel the application.

"It was wrongly sent out due to the high volume of letters produced that day and we have taken steps to make sure it does not happen again.

"We will contact the family to offer our full and sincere apologies for any upset caused."

SUNDAY EMAIL

reporters@sundaymail.co.uk