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CFHA Residential Housing Unit (RHU)-old PMQ [MERGED]

Der Panzerkommandant.... said:
True enough, but if they have yougins, reactions could be severe to small amounts.

That's true, however, they'd more than likely have those reactions (allergic) while outside as well.  There's all kinds of mold spores floating around in the air that aren't visible.  Just for the record, from a PMed point of view, if mold is visible, that's enough reason for remediation.  We don't even care what type it is and won't sample.  Costs too much $$$$.  :nod:

On that note, I'm thankful we (PMed) have nothing to do with the PMQs RHUs.
 
I was wondering if anyone would know what to do when you are having major neighbour problems when living in the Qs?  Can anything be done? My family and I are experiencing some pretty big harassment but nothing that I can prove (of course).  Is moving my family my only alternative?  I've tried talking to CFHA, MFRC, MPs.  The issue is animal related (they have three very loud dogs).  After a year of having them do nothing, I finally complained and now they are resorting to playing a dog whistle sound everytime we let our dog out (and throughout the night).  We actually have to keep our windows closed at night to keep our dog from flipping out!  My husband has only been in the military for a year and a half and this is our first time living in base housing.  This was not the image of the tight-knit military community that I had believed we would be moving in to.
 
You'd have to prove they're using the dog whistle, and then you'd have some recourse.

Keep in mind the CF community is a microcosm of society. We have our share of idiots that live on base, but you'll find most are generally friendly and good neighbours.
 
tuffbutterfly said:
I was wondering if anyone would know what to do when you are having major neighbour problems when living in the Qs?  Can anything be done? My family and I are experiencing some pretty big harassment but nothing that I can prove (of course).  Is moving my family my only alternative?  I've tried talking to CFHA, MFRC, MPs.  The issue is animal related (they have three very loud dogs).  After a year of having them do nothing, I finally complained and now they are resorting to playing a dog whistle sound everytime we let our dog out (and throughout the night).  We actually have to keep our windows closed at night to keep our dog from flipping out!  My husband has only been in the military for a year and a half and this is our first time living in base housing.  This was not the image of the tight-knit military community that I had believed we would be moving in to.


Sorry for that; I didn't know the CF screened out normal people now. We have been, and always will be, a cross section of the Canadian population. Seems you have an idiot living next door. Same thing could happen outside of the Qs and outside of the CF in an apartment or house downtown --- it has zero to do with it being "military" or "base housing".

Dog-whistle: how do your neighbours' big three loud dogs react to it being whistled day and night? I am curious as to how it would not affect their very own dogs too?
 
SHELLDRAKE!! said:
"There really Is 'No Life Like It' if you live on base"
October 15, 2003
Imagine how you'd feel paying rent for a house or an apartment â “ your home â “ that was so poorly insulated your family's food froze in the cupboards in the winter.   Imagine the risks to you and your children's health arising from the black mould on the walls and water smelling of sewage or under a long-term boil water advisory.     

Imagine your outrage at living under these conditions as your landlord increased your rent every year by $100 a month â “ far higher than the rent hike limits protecting most Canadian tenants.   Then imagine your frustration at being able to do nothing about it because your landlord, who also happens to be your boss, had such power that health, safety and tenant protection laws in your province couldn't help you.

For thousands of families living in Canadian Forces housing, no imagination is required.   Welcome to their reality.     

It's a sad fact that many Canadian families are living in similarly intolerable conditions.   However, if they rent, they at least have some recourse available to them under provincial laws designed to protect tenants from irresponsible and exploitive landlords.   But what if your landlord is the Government of Canada?   The provinces have no jurisdiction over rental increases and maintenance levels of federal housing units.  

On November 1st, residents living in Canadian Forces housing will be hit with yet another rent increase for their Private Married Quarters.   Many tenants have seen their rents jump by as much as 25 percent.


The Canadian Forces Housing Authority (CFHA) says it simply wants to charge fair market rents that reflect the local real estate markets.   Yet it isn't equally prepared to match the living standards of local units.  

On-base housing provides military families with a valuable resource to address their specific needs.   The life of a soldier is no 9-to-5 job.   Most are on call 24-hours a day.   Proximity to their base is critical.   They must uproot their families every few years, to wherever they're asked to serve.   They're deployed for months at a time, leaving their spouses and children behind.   Often, the community on a military base is the only source of emotional and practical support for these families.  

True, the men and women of the armed forces chose this life, accepting there would be sacrifices.   But all of Canadians benefit from the personal sacrifices they make to be able to serve our country.   And far from some low-cost luxurious perk, the housing that facilitates their ability to do their job is often a substandard health and safety hazard.  

Soldiers and their spouses are reluctant to complain about their living conditions.   Yet, the military housing situation has gotten so bad that some have begun to speak out.   For those who continue to endure in silence, we must fight on their behalf.     

That's why I announced a petition campaign this week to demand the CFHA suspend any future rent increases at least until the Government of Canada makes substantive improvements to the living conditions of housing provided for military families.

If like me, you believe our soldiers deserve fair treatment and more respect, copies of the petition are available at: www.jayhillmp.com or www.canadianalliance.ca.

Pretty much sums up the slums in comox, and also that you are powerless to get resolution when CFHA's contractors damage your personal property as was the case when they damaged my motorcycles with brown overspray.

tuffbutterfly said:
I was wondering if anyone would know what to do when you are having major neighbour problems when living in the Qs?  Can anything be done? My family and I are experiencing some pretty big harassment but nothing that I can prove (of course).  Is moving my family my only alternative?  I've tried talking to CFHA, MFRC, MPs.  The issue is animal related (they have three very loud dogs).  After a year of having them do nothing, I finally complained and now they are resorting to playing a dog whistle sound everytime we let our dog out (and throughout the night).  We actually have to keep our windows closed at night to keep our dog from flipping out!  My husband has only been in the military for a year and a half and this is our first time living in base housing.  This was not the image of the tight-knit military community that I had believed we would be moving in to.

If you have a mayor or somthing thats equal take it up with them, I was dealing with almost the same issue here in comox and that seemed to help after they threatened to take action against him.
 
Cpl_Kellehar said:
Pretty much sums up the slums in comox, and also that you are powerless to get resolution when CFHA's contractors damage your personal property as was the case when they damaged my motorcycles with brown overspray.

Talk to your local AJAG about a "Claim against the Crown."  If your property is damaged by something DND, it's Special Operating Agencies (i.e. CFHA) and/or its contractors have done or neglected to do, they can be held liable. 

I have to ask though, did they warn you that work was going to take place and ask you to move your stuff accordingly?
 
cypres78 said:
Comox has horrible PMQ's and their CFHA is more then useless. I had so many issues and bad experiences that it convinced me to never rent again....not that that's necessarily a bad thing.

I have never had any issues with CFHA in Comox.  They have been more than helpful with every problem I bring up, and issues are usually resolved within a few days.

I can't really compare them to other CFHA's, but considering I have never felt like climbing over the counter and going postal on them.  I'd say that is a good thing.

As for the PMQ's sure some are older, but there are a few nice remodeled RHU's.
 
CFHA work:

2007 - told front steps would be replaced and was repeated every year I asked.  Done in 2011.

Dec 2010 told shed would be installed Feb 2011.  IAW letter moved my shed (and caused some damage as it was frozen to the ground already) and some fencing.  Still no shed.

Summer 2011

Central AC - done but like almost always late.  For some reason moved from top of list to bottom of list as they had to order parts??? Don't understand that one as all the units got the same thing.  Don't know if it works as it was too cold to test by the time they installed it.

New water heater - on time!!  Water heater sucks though.  Even set to max level the water doesn't get very hot (I can put my hand under it without getting burned).  Doing dishes and laundry can be a pain as the water heater can't keep up.

driveway replaced - nada

backyard fenced - nada

Hole in kitchen ceiling fixed - nada

Crappy neighbours - moved!!!!!  (at least something good happened)

Inspections?? - oh!! that is when they come, set off the fire alarms, point out things such as the hole in the ceiling with a "we will have to get that looked at" and leave.

Smelly drains - still there.  Told to pour bottle of javax down it - didn't work.

Rent increase - every year.
 
Driveway replaced? I have an anti-tank ditch in mine and apparently its for drainage... I think there are a lot more PMQs in worse shape than yours, Count.
 
In Canada yes, here no.

Most units have been renovated and upgraded including the one attached to ours.  I am the last hold out with the single bathroom, peeling paint, holier than thou ceiling.

I would have preferred some basic maintenance over the AC/Water heater/driveway/shed/fencing but understand how the budgetting world works.  Don't have any money to fix that there tank but we can give you a new one of these corkscrews that only cost $10k.

AC - already have my own,  water heater - the old one worked better, driveway - use it everyday no problem, shed and fence - have my own (although I would now have to replace about 10 feet of the fence).

Stop the glamcosm projects and give me what I really need - ceiling fixed and installation in the walls.
 
That's how CFHA works. They are gonna wait till you move, or ask to move so they don't have to pay for it. Good friend of mine is stuck in a duplex that is literally falling apart and is waiting to be torn down. They won't move him into a new PMQ, they want him to ask to move so they're not out the cost of moving. He has 2 neighbours on his block, the rest are vacant lots after the PMQs all got taken down.
 
Has anyone had any luck moving from PMQ to PMQ on the same base?  The one we got has mold issues and it is causing my son to have breathing problems.  It is one of 2 on our street that didn't have any snow on the roof all winter (no we aren't running a grow op). 

This is in Petawawa.

Thanks.
 
Have you engaged your Chain of Command ?

I would get paperwork from your son's doctor and engage your battalion CO on this (if CFHA is giving you a hard time, of course).
 
Hi there.
My family and I did do  move from PMQ to PMQ on the base we live at now. We had some health issues to and because they said it would cost more then their budget they would have to move us at their cost . But others on the base have had to move themselves when dealing with issues such as mold. If you have contacted housing and they are not helping you or seem to be giving you the run around, yu should go through your chain of command mine here when I was having my probs were ready to have the PMEDs come in and do their tests and write up a report.
Hope you can get your probs solved quickly
 
Thanks for the quick replies. I haven't brought this up officially as we just decided today that we want to pursue this option. Just wanted to get a feel for it from my fine friends at army.ca

We are fully prepared to move ourselves and are not looking for them to pay for the move. Just the authorization to do so. Thanks again.
 
startbutton said:
yu should go through your chain of command mine here when I was having my probs were ready to have the PMEDs come in and do their tests and write up a report.

And unfortunately, Petawawa is wrong in using the PMed Techs to do this.  CFHA is its own entity and should be hiring a civilian company to come in and do it.  Glad I stood my ground on that when I was in Kingston or we'd have been in the PMQs all the time.  ::)
 
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