Housing Association taking away internet access due to kiosk mode

[Dave2019]

I am in my late sixties and live in a housing association complex consisting of 45 flats under one roof. It is reserved for people over sixty.

 

For the past 12 years, we have had a communal computer giving us access to the Internet. It is never mentioned in the breakdown of rent charges, so it is perhaps provided as a free service. 

 

There have been no problems with it for all the years I've been here, but just recently, the housing association changed the browser from Google Chrome to Microsoft Edge, configured in 'Kiosk Mode'. Kiosk Mode only allows you to surf the Web, and nothing more - the rest of the computer is locked out.

 

This means you can't send a document as an email attachment, because there's no way of uploading it. It also means that if you book anything online that requires a printed document - say, you book a budget flight and you need to print boarding passes - you can't. It also means that if you send any information to an organisation via its own online form, and you want to have a record of what you've written, you can't copy and paste it to Notepad in order to save it as a document.

 

I and one or two other tenants like cooking recipes we find on the Internet, but this is now very difficult because we can't download and print the recipes to take them back to our kitchens. We can't even copy and paste within the browser now.

 

I cannot see any good reason why we are having our access to the Internet restricted this way, especially when there were no problems in the past. I've asked why the housing association insists on us having to go on putting up with Kiosk Mode, but all they say is, "It's our new policy". I'm making a formal complaint, but previous experience makes me doubt this will do any good, and I've never found the Housing Ombudsman helpful.

 

So here is my question: since our access to the Internet is very important, and we've been given it for at least 12 years, now that the housing association has partially withdrawn the service, do we have any legal grounds for applying to the Court to have it restored?

 

I'd be very grateful for people's thoughts on this.

[BankFodder]

I'm not sure what legal relations are in a housing association, but if you are able to say that you are in a tenancy contract, then I would have thought the 12 years of that Internet service would imply a term into the contract that that is part of the deal and that it should continue.
Their sudden change of policy amounts to a unilateral variation of the contract.

On that basis you could bring an action – but are you doing this on your own or do think other people would be prepared to join you?

[brassnecked]

They might mistakenly think they are protecting you from scams and phishing, but sadly Kiosk mode is a chocolate fireguard as far as digital inclusion is concerned, one way might be to get a cheap tablet with a 4G data SIM in it, but its a bit shady when most online activities require full access to email etc.

[brassnecked]

I have asked someone I know in TPAS the Tenants Participation Advisory Service what they would recommend without disclosing more than the basic facts as presented, and what redress they think there could be.

[stu007]

Hi

 

Before I go into a bit more detail could I ask you a few Questions:

 

1. As this is a Computer in a Communal Area (with a building of 45 Flats) is the Computer only accessible by those 45 Flat only or can other users within the Housing Associations area come into that Communal Area to use that Computer?

 

2. Is there a Housing Association Staff Member in the area where the Computer is located?

 

3. Is there a specific opening and closing time for the use of this Computer in the Communal Area?

 

4. Was there any letters sent to Tenant within your 45 Flats complex or within the area that the Computer is located notifying users of the changes to the Computer use?

 

5. Has at anytime since the Computer was installed till now the Computer being used to help train elderly users how to use the Internet by the Housing Association?

[brassnecked]

All salient questions, that will help frame further advice, one other, Is the Computer on its own  unique internet connection, or accesses internet through the HA network?

[Dave2019]

First of all, my sincere thanks to people here for trying to help. I'll answer the questions stu007 asked, but first, I'll talk about the reply I got from my housing association. It's dismissive and unhelpful, but that's par for the course with them. Their IT dept answered  five points I'd made, and all the answers were unhelpful.

 

I'd complained that Edge was far inferior to Chrome, and asked why we could not have Chrome back. Their reply: "That is simply a matter of opinion. We support and provide Edge as our main browser of choice". Notice that there's nothing about whether or not their tenants like it.

 

I'd complained that now they'd installed Edge, we were snowed under with ads, and I asked if they could install an ad blocker. Their reply: "We're under no obligation to provide this particular facility. Even our staff computers don't have advert browser plug ins on them".  But Chrome allows you to install a 'Chrome extension' to block ads, and that's what I'd done. I could probably do the same with Edge, but the housing association has shut us out of Settings.

 

I'd complained that there was no way of downloading and printing email attachments, or of getting files onto the PC in order to attach them to emails.  Their reply: "There should be no files stored locally on the computer as it's a shared resources. Anyone using it should be attaching/saving stored files on a USB device." Well, I've just tried that. I inserted a USB, but nothing came up to show where the USB was on the computer - no screen came up to show the files that were on the USB. So then I went to my email, found a message with an attachment and clicked the 'download' arrow. I just got a message saying 'download is blocked'.

 

I'd complained about not being able to print files. Their answer: "If there is a printer present and it's been installed, there should be no barrier to this". But this computer has never had a printer, and they know it. I've always got stuff from this to my own PC via a USB stick, then used my own printer, but now I can't.

 

I'd said that we can't now copy and paste text from a website to Notepad in order to save it to a USB stick and print it elsewhere (We used to do this with online recipes). Their reply: "You can always copy information to an online word processor such as Google Docs in order to print it." But as I told them in my complaint, copy and paste does not work on this PC anymore, since they reconfigured it to Edge.

 

I feel like replying to them and pointing out everything about their reply that is unhelpful, but I know from bitter experience that it would do no good: they'd just say something like, "We have now addressed the matter, and are not prepared to say any more". My flat's wonderful, but the housing association's attitude to tenants is, 'You'll take what you're given and like it'.

Now to answer those questions:

 

 

On 14/03/2022 at 02:48, stu007 said:

1. As this is a Computer in a Communal Area (with a building of 45 Flats) is the Computer only accessible by those 45 Flat only or can other users within the Housing Associations area come into that Communal Area to use that Computer?

It's in what we usually call the library, because it's got a bookshelf in it. It is available to tenants of all 45 flats (all 45 flats are in the same building). Friends of tenants can come in from outside the building and use the computer, but the tenant must sit with them all the time they're using it.

 

On 14/03/2022 at 02:48, stu007 said:

2. Is there a Housing Association Staff Member in the area where the Computer is located?

No housing association staff are permanently on site. Twice a week, a tenancy worker comes in (he has a tiny office on the floor below where the computer is) and knocks on tenants' doors to see if there's anything they need.

 

On 14/03/2022 at 02:48, stu007 said:

3. Is there a specific opening and closing time for the use of this Computer in the Communal Area?

No - any tenant can wander into the room (there are no doors - the room is just an area off the corridor where the upstairs flats are) and use the computer any time, day or night. There's no password - you just switch on and go.

 

On 14/03/2022 at 02:48, stu007 said:

4. Was there any letters sent to Tenant within your 45 Flats complex or within the area that the Computer is located notifying users of the changes to the Computer use?

 

No letters at all.

On 14/03/2022 at 02:48, stu007 said:

5. Has at anytime since the Computer was installed till now the Computer being used to help train elderly users how to use the Internet by the Housing Association?

I just switched it on one morning and everything had changed.

 

On 14/03/2022 at 02:48, stu007 said:

5. Has at anytime since the Computer was installed till now the Computer being used to help train elderly users how to use the Internet by the Housing Association?

Ever since I came here 12 years ago, there has been a notice above the computer titled 'Free Computer Training For Residents'. It says that if you want one-to-one training, you should give your name to a tenant they name (and they give his flat number). He's been gone now for years. It says that alternatively, you should contact the Warden (this used to be sheltered accommodation, but not anymore, so there's no warden), or call someone at IT. I don't think anyone here has asked for training, but I'm sure that if they did, it would be done on this computer. The only alternative I think would be for the tenant to go to their headquarter, which is in another town. 

 

On 14/03/2022 at 09:34, brassnecked said:

All salient questions, that will help frame further advice, one other, Is the Computer on its own  unique internet connection, or accesses internet through the HA network?

 

Not 100% certain, but pretty sure it's on its own unique internet connection. For instance, if I wanted to contact the housing association via the pc, I'd have to go to their website. I know they use a Wi-Fi hub called Cisco Meraki, whatever that is. If you can advise how I can find out whether or not it's on the HA network, I'll come back with the answer, but I'd say it was not. 

 

Hope all this helps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brassnecked]

Looks to me to be IT dept control freakery, as in lock it all down to make it in their mind safe, many firms and HA do lock out USB functionality to stop potential malware getting on if stick infected with something. 

 

Looks to me like they are just being petty to make their life easier.

 

Presumably this isn't  the same computer that has been there for 12 years?

 

They are being totally unhelpful by locking it down so its just a browser with no other interaction than viewing as a kiosk.  Sadly many HA don't actually engage with Tenants as they should.

 I will have a think around possible actions and ways to get them to reinstate what was previously in place.

[Dave2019]

Hi brassnecked

 

Probably the same computer. I've just looked at the case and there's a label on it that says 'property of...' and it gives a name that changed in 2014 when there was a merger between my HA and another. You say that many HA's don't engage with tenants as they should. With this one, it's the understatement of the century The staff the most arrogant people you can imagine, and it's just impossible to discuss things meaningfully: they decide how they're going to treat you and then just close their ears to any objections.

 

There's one other possible legal dimension to this. I have severe clinical depression and OCD that are barely controlled by my medication. My mental illness has been assessed by a psychiatrist and he declared that it was serious enough to make it a 'protected characteristic' under the 2010 Equality Act. I am also gay, which is another protected characteristic. My use of the computer over the years has been very therapeutic; in fact, I might even say that it has done me more good than my medication. I was originally compelled to come to this area from a town over 100 miles away because of homophobic intimidation (this is known to the HA) and as such, I knew no-one when I came here, And I also have no family living nearby. I have too little self-confidence to mix with people on a face to face basis (I could never think of going into a pub and trying to strike up a conversation, for instance) so most of my socialising is online, and this change to the computer has severely hampered this: if I want to paste in a link to a video or a website article into a forum post (like this one) or an email, I can't, and if I need to keep a text file to anything I've written on an online form, I can't, and so on. So perhaps my HA's locking me out of the computer like this means it might be breaching its 'public sector equality duty'. The thing is, I don't know if such a breach is actionable.

 

Hope this helps.

[brassnecked]

Which HA is this, and are you in England? There are standards they have to maintain, also that PC is so old its likely way past its use by date creaking under Edge.  Is there any way one of your healthcare Professionals could help you source your own PC in your flat, maybe one of the Computer recycling charities are some  essential user Broadband deals available

[The GodMother]

I would say that as no notice has been given and the computer is basically unusable now then they do need to do something about it and do you know the last time the computer was serviced/pat tested. I would say if its 12 years old and not been recently pat tested then it could be dangerous. 

 

The HA is correct about the Chrome/Edge thing. It is a matter of opinion. I cant get on with Chrome in any way on my laptop. Tried it so many times but nothing. In fact it hurts my eyes to use it. Give me my phone and its fine. I much prefer Edge on my laptop. 

Now my Teenage daughter can use both and does not have a preference. The school has computers which are either edge or Chrome and the children can chose what they want. 

[brassnecked]

From Post#1 :

 

"There have been no problems with it for all the years I've been here, but just recently, the housing association changed the browser from Google Chrome to Microsoft Edge, configured in 'Kiosk Mode'. Kiosk Mode only allows you to surf the Web, and nothing more - the rest of the computer is locked out. This means you can't send a document as an email attachment, because there's no way of uploading it. It also means that if you book anything online that requires a printed document - say, you book a budget flight and you need to print boarding passes - you can't. It also means that if you send any information to an organisation via its own online form, and you want to have a record of what you've written, you can't copy and paste it to Notepad in order to save it as a document. I and one or two other tenants like cooking recipes we find on the Internet, but this is now very difficult because we can't download and print the recipes to take them back to our kitchens. We can't even copy and paste within the browser now. "

 

Don't think the real issue is Edge of itself, more the loss of interaction so they disabled USB so can't copy files, can't cut and paste to save, no printer attached therefore cannot print nor save a file to transfer to USB to print elsewhere

Its running in a View Only Kiosk Mode, like a local information booth terminal.

 

As to browser's I personally have no special preference I use  Linux, but the user's in these flats are used to chrome, so can't see why they can't both be on there.

[Dave2019]

2 hours ago, brassnecked said:

Is there any way one of your healthcare Professionals could help you source your own PC in your flat, maybe one of the Computer recycling charities are some  essential user Broadband deals available

I do have a computer in my flat - it's a Dell I bought second-hand in 2009, but is adequate to my needs. It's what I use to print stuff. The reason I depend on the HA's computer is because it's on the Internet: with my finances as they are (I'm a pensioner), I just can't afford broadband. 

 

As I say, everything was just fine for 12 years until they locked us out of the computer.

2 hours ago, brassnecked said:

Which HA is this, and are you in England? There are standards they have to maintain, also that PC is so old its likely way past its use by date creaking under Edge.  Is there any way one of your healthcare Professionals could help you source your own PC in your flat, maybe one of the Computer recycling charities are some  essential user Broadband deals available

My HA is Platform Housing. It used to be Fortis Living until they merged with another HA.

[dx100uk]

does your HA not provide WF-FI?

 

many do.

 

or does your pc not have a wi-fi card or there are no wi-fi signals?

 

have you a mobile phone you can use to see if there are any wi-fi signals nearby.

i do quite a lot of work in OAP housing...and you quite often find someone or the HA has wi-fi, for a very small fee they will allow you access to it = internet. 

 

 

[brassnecked]

Looks like the HA IS the problem DX one question for Dave2019 do the HA staff when they do come in use that computer at all?

Reason being they might want to lock you all out due to a Data Security Policy they implemented for GDPR, they do get paranoid some HA IT depts.

 

 Good solution would be as DX suggests a shared connection,  if another Tenant has their own Broadband and wifi router  or something like BT essentials if you can manage £15 per month cut the HA out of the loop.

 

As you are disabled have you claimed all your entitlements along with Pension like Attandance Allowance?

 

 

[Dave2019]

12 hours ago, dx100uk said:

does your HA not provide WF-FI?

 

many do.

 

or does your pc not have a wi-fi card or there are no wi-fi signals?

 

have you a mobile phone you can use to see if there are any wi-fi signals nearby.

The only Wi-Fi comes from a box right next to this computer: none is provided in our flats. I couldn't hump my PC here from the other end of the complex, and anyway, it's too old to have Wi-Fi capabilities.

 

Their are no tenants near me that I could share wi-Fi with.

5 hours ago, brassnecked said:

Looks like the HA IS the problem DX one question for Dave2019 do the HA staff when they do come in use that computer at all?

Reason being they might want to lock you all out due to a Data Security Policy they implemented for GDPR, they do get paranoid some HA IT depts.

 

5 hours ago, brassnecked said:

Looks like the HA IS the problem DX one question for Dave2019 do the HA staff when they do come in use that computer at all?

Reason being they might want to lock you all out due to a Data Security Policy they implemented for GDPR, they do get paranoid some HA IT depts.

 

 Good solution would be as DX suggests a shared connection,  if another Tenant has their own Broadband and wifi router  or something like BT essentials if you can manage £15 per month cut the HA out of the loop.

 

As you are disabled have you claimed all your entitlements along with Pension like Attandance Allowance?

No, staff don't use the computer at all. Nothing related to the HA has ever been stored on it.

 

I'm pretty sure I'm getting all the state benefits I'm entitled to.

[brassnecked]

That HA might well need something like this to show it how it should be engaging with Tenants, something also available from TPAS in England.  Likely that HA not affiliated to TPAS

 

Embedding Tenant Participation: rate your performance

WWW.TPAS.CYMRU

---

Is Tenant Participation at the heart of everything your organisation does? Does the culture of your organisation live and breathe TP?

 

[stu007]

Hi

 

They will be using Edge which is part of Windows and will have it set to automatically update where as Chrome does not necessarily automatically update you have to into it's setting to update. 

 

So they are using Edge as a Security feature as it update with Windows.

 

No files should be stored locally as its a shared resource. Anyone using it should be attaching/saving stored files on a USB device. Except you have tried and proven you can't save/view files from a USB Device.

 

The USB Device is a Security feature which most Companies including Housing Association will Lock Access to as it is a way of stealing/hacking that computer system/servers.

 

Cisco Meraki will be the IT System that the Housing Association are using on there network and that Computer as no one is onsite and it's basically free to use at anytime will be linked to the Housing Associations IT System so even though no one is Onsite there IT Department will be able to remotely view and do security checks on that computer to see what it is being used for as anything you do using that computer will go
via there server and even if you delete your file from that Computer it is not deleted as it is stored on there server.

 

The above is why you would not have seem anyone from there IT Department onsite amending that Computer as it was all done remotely from there Housing Association Office.

 

I can fully understand why the Housing Association has done this which is basically for security reason but the way they have done but it does not excuse the way they have done this especially since that computer has been in this specific location for numerous years and them knowing that its users are elderly they should really have notified all those Tenants in your block in writing of the intended changes and the reason for 
it and any training required to get used to the new setup of that computer.

 

Does this stop you challenging what they have done NO.

 

What will help in challenging this is they will most probably ignore one Tenant from your block of flats i.e. yourself but make it look like they have followed there complaints procedure but if they suddenly get an influx of complaint from all the Tenants of the 45 Flats complaining of exactly the same issue with that computer and the way they have done these changes without notifying the Tenants they are going to take notice. Even getting a Petition going with all the Tenants of the 45 flats signing to hand into the Housing Association.

 

Get as many people within your building to Formally Complain to the Housing Association as possible as the more complaint on the same thing to do with this computer the better as the Housing Association will have to to take action.

 

I was on the Board of a very large Housing Association for numerous years and we would never have treated residents in this manner as they would have been notified of the changes and the reasons for them and if any issue to contact Housing Association to raise your concerns or if training needed to get used to the new system it can be arranged. Basically consulting those residents it would affect to see there issue and resolve them before implementing the changes to make sure residents happy.

 

The below letter is just my take on what to send them and feel free to amend it to suit

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Formal Complaint

 

Reference: Computer Terminal in Communal Area of (insert address)

 

I previously complained about this on XX/XX/2022 and the response from your IT Department has not resolved this complaint and in fact has complicated this matter due to there lack of knowledge that this specific Computer has been at this location for XX years for the Elderly Resident use with the building containing 45 Flats and those Resident were all used to the layout/software and USB of that Computer which has now been withdrawn without any notification/consultation of those Residents and must point out the Equality Act 2010.

 

The majority of the elderly resident were used to Chrome on that computer which has now been removed and replaced with Edge which we are not used to using and when I raised this and the numerous Advertisement we are getting with Edge and if a blocker to stop these could be installed he response from your IT department is shocking and nothing but disgraceful to elderly residents and I quote:

 

"We're under no obligation to provide this particular facility. Even our staff computers don't have advert browser plug ins on them".

 

I also complained about not being able to print files as there is no printer attached/linked to this computer you have to transfer theses files to a USB on the computer which we have always been able to do so we can take that USB to print off our documents but your IT Departments response and I quote:

 

"If there is a printer present and it's been installed, there should be no barrier to this"

 

With the above your IT Department should be fully aware that there is NO Printer linked to this Computer so how are we meant to print anything off as we can't as we were previously able to by transferring these to a USB on that computer to take to my own printer to print my documents off as your IT Department has now locked that computers USB Facility.

 

I also raised the issue of we can't now copy and paste text from a website to Notepad in order to save it to a USB stick and print it elsewhere as we previously could and the response from your IT Department and I quote:

 

"You can always copy information to an online word processor such as Google Docs in order to print it."

 

With the above how are we able to do this when we no longer have that facility to copy and paste from a website to notepad to then save it to a USB Stick to print off on your own printer as the USB facility has also been locked.

 

Your IT Departments response to elderly resident that use this computer and have done for numerous years is disgraceful and I now require the following:

 

1. When was the Date that specific Computer was Inspected?

 

2. When was the Date of the last PAT Test of that specific Computer?

 

3. Why were the Elderly Residents within the 45 Flats never Notified/Consulted on the changes to this specific computer?

 

4. Why were the Elderly Residents within the 45 Flats were never Offered any training to get used to the changes on that specific computer?

 

5. Who is specifically responsible for that Computer within our Communal Area and contact details?

 

6. Why has that specific Computer never been changed since it was installed in (insert date)?

 

7. The Resident require a meeting to be set up within our Building at a time convenient to us to discuss this matter raise our concerns in person.

 

I also require copies of the following:

 

1. Complaints Policy (not the leaflet)
2. Customer Care Charter/Policy (not the leaflet)
3. Equality Act Policy (not the leaflet)
4. Data Protection Policy (not the leaflet)
5. Consultation Policy (not the leaflet)
 

[brassnecked]

That's superb Stu, I would also imagine if that's the same PC and not changed for 12 years it would be like wading through treacle if Win 10 is the distributed desktop.  That HA has shown exactly how not to engage with elderly Tenants.  I would definitely send that letter as provided and maybe set up a Tenants group within the block to collate other issues you can present a united front in presenting to the HA, using the computer as the lever for further complaints on other omissions like tardy repairs etc.  

 

They probably could arrange it to be standalone with a desktop on the local machine with security measures to allow local storage, and file transfer, but likely the IT crowd just want an easy life. Better still give it a separate connection wouldn't cost more than  10 pence a week each likely from 45 residents  and cut the Cisco out of the equation, but that would mean site visits.

[Dave2019]

OP here again.

 

I'd asked a local council to intervene on my behalf  about this problem and a few days ago I got  a reply. I've pasted it in its entirety (I had to go to the library in town to go on a computer that allows me to do this - it shows what a pain this change to our computer is). The councillor's words are in italic bold, and my responses are interleaved with them.

 

"I  have now received responses from Platform regarding applications available on the communal computer.

 

I have been informed that running the computer in kiosk mode is designed to protect users personal data and prevent it being accessed by somebody else and it also minimises the risk of the PC being infected with a virus, ransomware and other similar threats.

 

We evidently weren't protected for 12 years (and probably longer) and nothing bad has happened up to now.

 

Kiosk mode allows users to access their emails, browse the internet as well as access to online versions of Word, Excel, Outlook etc.

 

But even if you create a document with online Word, you can't download it. Even if they put a printer on the computer, you still can't store the document on a USB stick for later reference. And you can't paste an email into online Word - copy and paste doesn't work. And using Windows' own built-in word processes such as Word Pad and Note is easier than using online version, but they are now locked away from us.

 

Since my initial enquiry it has come to light that there is no printer attached to the PC and one will be provided as a matter of priority.

 

We did have a printed a long, long time ago, but it was taken away from us (in 2013 if I remember correctly). We've been waiting for one ever since. I remember when the gas fire in the Firs' main meeting area was declared unsafe, I had to fight tooth and nail to get us another one - they wanted to stick a vase of plastic flowers in the fireplace instead, to save a few pounds. So I'll believe this claim when I see the printer (and I'm not holding my breath).

 

In addition to the PC being connected to the internet users can access their emails and make use of online storage to make things safer and allow printing directly from OneDrive, Google Drive and/or email attachments.

 

A lot of people aren't comfortable with the idea of having personal information in 'the Cloud', plus, there is nothing to stop us losing it if there is some sort of fault with a server, which could be anywhere in the World. I like to store my files on a USB stick, then copy it to my own PC, then copy it from there to another USB stick. Having the same files in at least three different places that are all under your control is good practice, as any IT professional will tell you. Platform Housing will not let us do this.

 

Regarding Chrome, this will be unsupported in January 2023 and is superseded by Microsoft Edge with no restrictions on functionality on browsers and has the same compatibility ratings as Chrome.

 

The subject of which browser we have to use is unimportant BUT Chrome had an ad-blocker installed as an extension, and while Edge can probably give us an ad-blocker, Platform Housing has locked all control away from us. We're inundated with pop-ups, etc, as a result. There is nothing in Edge we can adjust. And as I said before, copy and paste won't even work within the browser, so if you want to paste a link into an email or forum post, you can't.

 

I hope the information provided by the Platform Technology Department will help in allowing you to continue to enjoy use of the communal computer."

 

I'm not happy with this reply.

 

 

 

 

"

Edited March 23, 2022 by Dave2019

[The GodMother]

Tell them that. 

As the council and housing to come do a site visit and Show them the problem. Tell the you have had to go into town and use the Public computer to make contact with people as Kiosk ode does not work. 

[brassnecked]

And send that letter as suggested by stu007 its not fit for purpose as it is Like stu I have been on a HA board and IT dept would have had a severe tolchok from the Board if the IT dept there had pulled that stunt across elderly tenants.  That HA was s providing IT training for elderly residents and how to surf safely without locking them out. That Council bod obviously doesn't understand the real issue.

[stu007]

Hi

 

That response from the Council is a typical response as all the Council have done is wrote to the Housing Association and got a response from them then copies it into a Council letter to send to yourself not taking into account once in that letter that this is a building of 45 Flats of Elderly Tenants.

 

In other words the Council are useless and will not assist and believe what the Housing Association have said please go away.

 

Send the Housing Association the letter I mentioned in Post#18 and make sure and Title it Formal Complaint as any Formal Complaint needs to be recorded by the Housing Association and is open to inspection by the Regulator.

 

Follow the Housing Association Complaints Procedure.

 

 

[Dave2019]

Once again, my thanks for everyone helping me here.

 

There is one important fact that just occurred to me this morning - it had clean slipped my mind.

 

Although we've had the same computer for at least 12 years, it used to be configured very differently. For years, every tenant had their own private account if they wanted one. This meant that when you switched the computer on, you got a screen with a list of tenants, each one with an 'avatar' just to the left of the name (if they wanted an avatar). You clicked on your name, then put in your own indidivual password, to gain access to the computer. This meant you could store files securely, you could have your own set of bookmarks for the Internet, and so on.

 

But then they changed it so there was only one password to access the computer, and no individual accounts at all, which meant that if you downloaded an email or created a text file and forgot to copy it to a USB stick then erase it from the computer, anyone could see it. Then they changed it again: now, there's no password: you switch on the computer and up pops Google.

 

 

 

[brassnecked]

That needs to be part of the Letter of Complaint, as they have knowingly withdrawn user priveliges unilaterally with no consultation or explanation, that basically renders the computer unfit for its original purpose of giving tenants secure online access.