Housing

Supporting people to live in their own homes is key to delivering on our Vision of putting people in control of their lives – as tenants people have choice, security of tenure and access to the full range of benefits (which of course further enhances their choices).

We work with a large number of housing providers (including Alternative Housing) and we ensure that people understand both their rights as a tenant, and their responsibilities. Specific guidance is included in our Handbook for service users, which everyone receives. This sets out what a tenancy agreement is, what sharing with others will mean, and what being responsible for bills means. It also outlines individual responsibilities, such as paying rent and being a good neighbour and also explains the rights they have to feel safe and in control of their own environment. We support people to exercise choice in where they live and who they live with and, where people want to move to a new home, we will support them to do that so.

Within our support planning processes we will work with each individual to determine what support they need to maintain their tenancy and be good tenants and neighbours. This may include help with budgeting, agreeing ‘house-rules’ with co-tenants, paying bills, security or reporting repairs. We also work with the housing associations to ensure that the properties meet the needs of the tenants and that, for example, where contractors or surveyors need to visit, this is carried out in a way that is sensitive to both the rights and needs of the individuals.