Residents' Handbook

If you’re living in a Housing 21 property it will be part of a Retirement Living or Extra Care scheme.
Retirement Living provides the opportunity for you to live independently within your own property but with the added benefit of an on-site Local
Housing Manager during the week.
In our Extra Care properties you can continue to live as independently as possible, but with the peace of mind of having on-site Care Workers 24/7 to help if and when you need them.
Residents across all schemes benefit from a range of communal facilities such as a communal lounge and gardens. Many schemes also have a guest room to allow friends and family to stay. All of our properties are built and maintained to a high standard and we
continue to invest to ensure they meet the standards you deserve and expect, whilst also meeting regulations.
All properties have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least C or above and we do what we can to minimise our impact on the
environment. More information can be
found in our ESG (Environmental, Social
and Governance) report on our website: housing21.org.uk
We also do our best to ensure our rents and service charges represent best value for money for our residents; more information is available in our latest
Financial Statements which you can also find on our website.
You can find out more about living in a Housing 21 property throughout this handbook. If there’s something you’d like to know but can’t find it in here, please let us know by emailing:
communications@housing21.org.uk

This is your handbook and your feedback will help us make sure it is a useful guide for all. We hope you enjoy reading it.

Whether they are furry, feathered or scaly, we know your pet is an important part of the family.

Pets

All of our schemes are pet friendly, but we do have a policy in place to ensure the welfare of the animal, as well as you, your neighbours, our employees and any visitors.
If you are thinking of getting a pet, please speak with your manager in the first instance and check out your Court Service Agreement which will outline any information specific to your scheme. 

“Not only have we been made to feel welcome, but
so has our dog, Bruce. He loves the fuss he gets when walking around.
“We’re both retired, have somewhere safe to live, we’re looked after here, and we can finally have our
dog!”
Marlene and Graham, Extra Care residents

Guest room

Most of our Extra Care schemes have a guest room available to hire for a small charge so you can invite
visitors to stay. Alternatively, if you are visiting friends or family at another scheme you may want to stay over – or perhaps you may be considering an affordable option for a holiday or trip to another part of the country. Any overnight stays, either at your own or another scheme, need to be booked in advance; your manager will be able to help with this.

Visitors

We know you will be keen to show off your home to friends and family so they are welcome to visit at any time – you don’t need to ask permission. If you need some extra space or fancy a change of scenery, you can use your scheme’s communal facilities for a catch up with visitors. 

Resident information

If you would like to know more about living with
Housing 21, there is a Resident Information section on our website:
housing21.org.uk/resident-information

Now that you’re living with Housing 21, you may want to get involved with the local community and enjoy some of the shared amenities on site, including the communal lounge and gardens. We encourage residents to come up with suggestions for activities; all ideas are welcome!

Grounds and gardens

You can enjoy the communal facilities yourself, with other residents or with family and friends when you feel like a change of scenery. Sometimes, the facilities may also be used by members of the local community. Subject to an agreement with your manager, you may be able to use communal spaces for private occasions; if a space is reserved we will let you know in advance.
Many of our communal lounges are fitted with a hearing loop to ensure they are accessible to all.

Social activities

If you enjoy mixing with other residents, you are encouraged to arrange social events and activities to take place either in the communal areas or off site. Anyone can get involved so if you have an idea, speak to your manager for more information

Wi-Fi

In some of our schemes, Wi-Fi is available in our communal areas but if you would prefer to stay connected at home, you can install your own broadband. Our schemes are fitted with standard BT phone lines so you will need to contact BT to apply for a line and then upgrade to broadband. If you are in receipt of benefits, such as Pension Credit, you could be entitled to a cheaper broadband plan. Just contact your provider directly or speak to your manager for more information.

Parking

Most of our schemes offer car parking for residents.
We ask you to be considerate of your neighbours by leaving the bays closest to the building for those with mobility issues and if spaces are limited, asking visitors to park elsewhere.

Laundry room

Laundry rooms are for exclusive use by residents. Your scheme may have a laundry rota in place which will be on display in the room. Please do not use the laundry for washing pet bedding.

Communal living

We all make noise and it’s important to know the difference between lifestyle noises - such as occasional dogs barking, children playing and household appliances being used, and inconsiderate noise - such as constantly loud music, intentional door slamming and loud voices late at night. No home is totally soundproof so you may hear some noise from your neighbours. We ask everyone including their visitors, to be considerate of others
by:
• Turning the TV or radio down
• Wearing headphones
• Lowering the bass when playing music
• Closing doors quietly
• Putting down rugs if you have wooden or laminate floors or choosing carpet or soft vinyl flooring if you are not on the ground floor
• Not vacuuming late at night or early in the morning
• Letting your neighbours know when you are going to do any DIY

Whilst noise can be annoying, it is not antisocial unless it is excessive or happening regularly at unsociable hours (after 11pm and before 7am is generally considered unsociable)

We want to ensure you’re happy living with us and with the services you receive which is why we encourage you to provide feedback and get involved in decisions that affect you and where you live. We want you to be able to suggest ideas to improve service delivery, influence policy and know that you are receiving value for money for the charges you pay.

We welcome suggestions and comments to help us learn and improve. To ensure everyone has the chance to provide feedback about their experiences at Housing 21, there are regular opportunities for you to engage with us:

Your manager

You can speak to, call, write or email your manager at any time.

Residents’ Association

We actively encourage our residents to form a Residents’ Association at their scheme to create a collective and democratic voice on issues that matter.

You can speak to your manager to find out if an association is already in place or for advice on how to form a new one.

Resident Engagement Group

There is a national Resident Engagement Group for Extra Care and Retirement Living which focuses on the topics which are most important to you including value for money, housing management and care quality. We also have regional Resident Engagement Groups.

You can join the groups by completing an application form online.

Resident information

There is a specific section for residents on our website where you can find information which may be useful to you.

Surveys

We run regular surveys to give you the opportunity to make your views and priorities known. We are also required by the Regulator of Social Housing to undertake an annual resident satisfaction survey using 12 standard Tenant Satisfaction Measures. Our recurring surveys include:

• Resident satisfaction survey: an annual survey about your overall experience living with us which is published for residents and stakeholders to see
• Care survey: an annual survey sent to all
  residents in receipt of care from Housing 21
• Move in survey: a monthly survey sent to a
  sample of residents who have moved into a Housing 21 home in the previous four weeks
• New development survey: sent to all residents of new schemes six months after they have moved in to assess their level of satisfaction and identify any lessons which can be learnt from new developments

We want to provide the best service to you, so we would like to find out about exceptional service, as well as where things could be improved.

We want to hear from you about:
• The quality of our service
• Experiences with employees
• Something we’ve done
• Something we’ve not done

If you have had a less than satisfactory experience with us, we will always try to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. If you are unsatisfied with the outcome, you can escalate to our two-stage complaint process for further investigation.

Timeline of complaints activity

If you have a complaint, you can report the incident by email, phone, in writing or in person to your scheme manager or the Complaints Team at:
feedback@housing21.org.uk
The complaint will then be investigated as part of the two-stage complaints process.

Stage one:
• The complaint will be acknowledged by the relevant Regional/ Operational Manager within five working days
• A response will be provided within 10 working days of acknowledgement
• If you’re unsatisfied with the outcome, or how your issue has been handled, you can escalate to stage two

Stage two:
• The complaint will be acknowledged by the Complaints Team within five working days
• A response will be provided within 20 working days of acknowledgement by the relevant Managing Director or Director relevant to the issue
• If you are still unsatisfied you can escalate with the Housing Ombudsman:
• Email: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
• Write to: Housing Ombudsman, PO Box 152, Liverpool L33 7WQ
• Website: www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk

A copy of our Complaints Policy is available on our website or upon request

Your home is part of a wider scheme which offers communal facilities and shared amenities with other residents. As such there are additional charges which cover the maintenance of the building, communal areas and service delivery.

Support charge: this contributes towards the cost of your manager and support services such as the hard wiring of the emergency call system

Service charge: this covers the cost of the amenities that you share with your neighbours, including the following:

• Scheme Manager service
• Our 24-hour emergency call service
• Repairs and maintenance services
• Window cleaning
• Gardening
• Heating, lighting, and upkeep of communal areas

The service charge you pay will vary depending on where you live and what services you receive. We will consult with you every year about the services you receive, and review all of the contracts annually to ensure that we have the best possible arrangements for you.

Sinking fund: This is used to offset the cost of any future major repairs. Residents in rented accommodation will pay this monthly. Depending upon the terms of your lease, residents who own or part own their  properties can either pay this monthly through your service charge or defer the payment until the sale of your property.

24/ 7 Support Charge (formerly Core Support Charge) This enables Care Workers to be on site 24/ 7 to deliver unplanned and emergency care. If you live in Extra Care, you will either pay this yourself or through the local authority, regardless of whether you receive care. Speak to your manager for more information

Other costs: As with any property, you will be responsible for Council Tax, TV licence and Wi-Fi. We also recommend you take out contents insurance for personal items in your home.

Depending upon the terms of your lease, your utility bills (gas, electric, water) maybe covered by your service charge or may have to be paid for separately.

Additional charges are applicable for care packages and domestic support with household chores.

There are different ways to make payments, the easiest way is Direct Debit. If you are having difficulties paying your rent or any other charges, speak to your manager as soon as possible to discuss options for support and payment plans

Direct Debit

Paying by Direct Debit is the easiest way to manage your account and reduce the risk of falling into arrears. If you have recently moved in with us, your manager will have helped you to set up a Direct Debit during your sign up. If you have been living with us for a while and would like to move to a Direct Debit, speak to your manager who will be able to set this up for you.
You can choose to pay either weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly or monthly on a set date. Once set up, you will receive a Direct Debit mandate confirming the payment value and dates; if there are any
changes to this, your Direct Debit will update automatically and you will receive a new mandate.

Standing order

If you pay by standing order, you can choose the date your rent payment leaves your account. You will need to put your tenancy number found on your rent statement as your reference. Anytime your rent figure changes you will need to contact the bank to change the standing order.

Bank card

You can pay with any bank card including MasterCard, Visa, Switch, Solo and Delta. You can pay online using your tenancy number which is on your rent statement. Alternatively, you can pay in person by visiting your manager in the office who will provide you with a receipt for proof of payment.

Bank transfer

If you have access to online banking, you can pay be bank transfer (BACS payment) using your tenancy number as reference (found on your rent statement). Housing 21 bank details (for rent) are:
Sort code: 20-06-05
Account: 80664332

Rent payment card
Residents who were previously issued an Allpay card can still use this to make payments:
• At any Post Office
• At shops and garages displaying the PayPoint or Payzone logos
• By calling 0330 041 6497 (calls charged at national rate)
• Online at www.allpayments.net

Allpay is only available to existing card holders; we are not issuing new or replacement cards. If you have misplaced your card, you will need to speak to your manager to discuss alternative payment options.

At Housing 21, we want everyone to feel welcome and like they belong, whether they are a resident,
employee, visitor or stakeholder. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity
and respect and ask our residents and colleagues to sign up to our Respect and Inclusion Charter. The
charter sets out how we will aim to achieve an inclusive environment for everyone, regardless of their
background or characteristics, based on four key principles:

• We treat everyone with dignity and respect
• We create an environment where everyone can be themselves 
• We seek out diverse perspectives and hear all voices 
• We seek to understand other cultures, practices and experiences

We also do our best to make reasonable adjustments to make sure everyone can access our services, including those with different
needs and requirements by giving you choice over how you receive information from us and, how we receive it from you. This includes providing interpreters where needed and providing information in alternative formats and languages. We are committed to celebrating the diversity of our workforce, residents, volunteers and the communities in which we work and will not tolerate any form of discrimination in line with the Equality Act 2010

We carry out most of the maintenance to Housing 21’s property, fixtures and fittings, including
decorating and maintaining the communal areas and exterior of the building.
The only exception is if damage has occurred because of misuse or neglect by either yourself, your pet or your visitors, in which case those responsible would be required to fund the repair
separately.
Occasionally it may be necessary to undertake major building repairs, such as a roof renewal or a full refurbishment of the scheme. We will ensure you are fully consulted before we do any work
and invite your comments regarding specification and choice of contractor. For most major works, we will invite the contractor to the scheme in advance to talk about the work involved, how it may
affect you and how any disruption will be
managed.

Requesting a repair

When requesting repairs for issues Housing 21 is responsible for in either your home or communal areas, you will need to speak to your manager. If the problem arises when your manager is not available, such as on a weekend, you can find contact details for an alternative manager on your notice board, or report it through Appello (details at the end of the handbook).

To do this, you will need to provide:

• Your name, address and daytime telephone number
• Type of repair
• Details of the issue, including the make/ model of any appliance and size of any leak
• Location of the repair e.g. in which room
• When you will be in so we can arrange an appointment (if the issue is at your home)

Upgrading/ altering your home

Regardless of your home ownership status, you are required to check with your local manager before carrying out any adaptations or alterations.
Depending upon what is being requested, you may need to complete an Alterations and Improvements Form which will grant permission for any work to be completed.

Aids and adaptations

If you have a disability or a long-term health condition you may be entitled to equipment or modifications that can support you to live in your home. These are called ‘aids and adaptations’. Your
manager can speak with you about the details of this, and about how we can help you to access this support. For more information, visit the Aids and adaptations section on the website

At Housing 21 we believe that our residents should not live in fear of abuse, neglect or violence from anyone including people they live with or family members and we are committed to preventing and detecting any risk of harm.

We will work with partner agencies to investigate any incidents of suspected or actual abuse for people with care and support needs.

Anyone who confides in colleagues about abuse will be supported in a non-judgemental way. We take the stance of ‘Nothing About Me, Without Me’ which promises open discussions before any advice or action is taking; nothing will happen without your knowledge.

We are committed to supporting victims of abuse or neglect including:
• Financial
• Psychological
• Sexual
• Domestic
• Physical
• Modern slavery
• Neglect and acts of omission
• Organisational
• Discrimination

If you are experiencing any of the above, or have concerns about another resident:
• Speak to, telephone or email your manager or any other Housing 21 employee
• Contact organisations from the safeguarding directory, available from your manager
• Call your local authority

For domestic abuse:

Call the police on 999 if you are in immediate danger. If you can’t speak:

• Leave the line active and listen to any questions
• Cough or tap your phone
• If prompted and on a mobile, press 55 when prompted (not straight after dialling 999). Police cannot track your location but will recognise the call

We understand circumstances change and in the future, you may want to leave us. If you are thinking of moving, the first thing to do is to inform your manager who can advise on the process.

This will be different depending upon whether you own your property outright, have a shared ownership home or you rent a property with us. 

Outright ownership and shared ownership properties

The terms and conditions linked to the sale of your home will be set out in your lease and will depend on whether you own your home outright or through shared ownership. Speak to your manager who will be able to help. 

Until the sale completes, you will need to continue paying all charges, as well as any associated costs including the services charge, 24/ 7 Support charge (Extra Care only), utilities and Council Tax. 

Rented properties

You can end your tenancy at any time by giving four weeks’ notice in writing. Your rent and service charge will continue to be charged until we receive your keys. Speak to your manager who will be able to advise on the process. 

Mutual exchange

We understand you may want to exchange properties with either another Housing 21 resident or a resident from another social landlord.

We do support mutual exchanges, subject to any incoming resident meeting our eligibility criteria and your rent account being clear of any arrears. Speak to your manager in the first instance to find out more about the process.

Home Swapper is a mutual exchange service for residents living in social housing, find out more on the website: www.homeswapper.co.uk

In keeping with our Respect and Inclusion Charter, we want you to feel safe in your home and comfortable to address any concerns regarding potential antisocial behaviour. 

Our Antisocial Behaviour Policy and Unacceptable Behaviour Policy set out our approach to addressing such behaviour and this may include working with partner agencies where required. You can request a copy of the policy from your manager.

You are required to comply with the terms of your tenancy agreement or lease, which includes not partaking in antisocial behaviour or allowing members of your household, visitors or pets to breach the conditions

What is antisocial behaviour?

Examples of such behaviour may include, but are not limited to:

• Hate crimes which relate to any of the Equality Act 2010 including racist, sexist, behaviour relating to a disability or sexual orientation 
• Verbal abuse, threats, harassment and intimidation
• Bullying
• Criminal damage
• Noise nuisance
• Drunkenness
• Graffiti
• Loud music
• Pet nuisance

Addressing antisocial behaviour

If you experience low-level antisocial behaviour, we
recommend trying to address this directly with each other in the first instance, respecting any differences. If this does not resolve the problem, your manager will be able to provide support.
We seek to resolve antisocial behaviour at the earliest possible stage. We have a range of remedies available, including but not limited to

• Meetings
• Mediation
• Warning letters
• Acceptable Behaviour Contracts
• Good Neighbour Agreements
• Refusal of mutual exchange requests 

Where appropriate and proportionate, we will consider legal action including: 

The legal actions we may take includes:
• Injunction (including exclusion orders)
• Powers of arrest and undertakings
• Notice of seeking possession/ forfeiture
• Possession/ forfeiture

We recognise there may be times when you require advice and support outside of Housing 21. In the event of an emergency, always call 999; otherwise the contacts below may be useful.

Appello emergency contact:
0333 321 6450

Charities

• Age UK
• Royal British Legion

Complaints

• Housing 21:
  0303 123 1622
  Send an email
  www.housing21.org.uk/about-us/
  contact-us/complaints
• Housing Ombudsman:
  0300 111 3000
  Send an email
  PO Box 152, Liverpool L33 7WQ
  www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk
• Local Government (Social Care)
  Ombudsman:
  0300 061 0614
  PO Box 4771, Coventry CV4 0EH
• Care Quality Commission National
  Customer Service Centre:
  Tel: 03000 616161
  Send an email
  Centre Citygate, Gallowgate,
  Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4PA
  
  

Data protection

• Housing 21 privacy statement
• Data Protection Officer:
  Send an email
  Tel: 0370 192 4000
  Data Protection Officer Housing 21,
  Tricorn House, 51-53 Hagley Road,
  Birmingham B16 8TP

Dementia support

• Alzheimers Society
• Dementia Friends

Equality and respect

• Respect and Inclusion Charter
• Galop LGBT+ Anti-Violence Charity
  Tel: 0800 999 5428
  (Monday, Tuesday and Friday,10am to 5pm; Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am to 8pm)

Gas leaks

• National Gas Emergency Service:
  0800 111 999

Pets

• www.pdsa.org.uk
• RSPCA

Purchasing with us

• Guide to purchase

Renting with us

• Pay your rent online
• Pay your rent (Allpay card only):
  Tel: 0330 041 6497 (calls charged at national rate)
• Guide to rent

Resident engagement

• Resident engagement group

Service charge

• Service charge calculation
• Shared ownership with us
  Guide to shared ownership:
  https://www.housing21.org.uk/ourproperties/buying-your-home/

Support groups

• National Centre for Domestic Violence
  Tel: 0800 970 2070 (24 hours a day)
  Text ‘NCDV’ to 60777
• Women’s Aid
• Refuge – Against Domestic Violence
  Tel: 0808 2000 247 (24 hours a day)
• Rape Crisis
• DeafHope from Signhealth
  Text 07970 350 366
• Disrespect Nobody
• Paladin – National Stalking Advocacy Service
  Tel: 020 3866 4107 (Monday, Tuesday,  Thursday and Friday, 9am to 3pm;  Wednesdays,10am to 5pm)
  Send an email
• ManKind Initiative
  Tel: 01823 334 244 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm)
• Respect – Men’s Advice Line
  Tel: 0808 801 0327 (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am to 5pm; Mondays and  Wednesdays, 9am to 8pm)
• Hourglass
  Tel: 0808 808 8141
  Text: 07860 052906
  
  

Housing 21 is a leading not for profit provider of Retirement Living and Extra Care for people over the age of 55. We operate in 240 local authority areas across England, managing over 24,000 Retirement Living and Extra Care properties and providing over 49,000 hours of social care each week*.

Our roots lie with the Royal British Legion (RBL), which in 1921 began to house disabled ex-servicemen and widows and, later, older ex-servicemen and women. In 1964, we became a recognised housing association before separating from the Royal British Legion in 1993 to become Housing 21. 

Our residents tell us how important it is to them to have a local point of contact so our schemes have a
local manager to provide advice and guidance and help make sure things run smoothly.
Your manager will appoint contractors to support the maintenance of the building and grounds on your behalf, and ensure the safety, security and cleanliness of the scheme.

When required, they will also:
• Provide support, whilst respecting your privacy and independence
• Agree how often they will contact you, ranging from daily to not at all
• Help in an emergency by contacting professionals or relatives
• Ensure your key contact information is up to date
• Work with organisations to help meet your needs
• Encourage social activities
• Support the Residents’ Association
• Manage bookings for the guest room and communal areas
• Manage any on-site employees
• Support you to access care services if required

Your manager will let you know of any scheduled time off, such as annual leave, and you may have a relief manager appointed in their absence.
Any relevant information you provide will be recorded to ensure that we deliver the service in the way you need. For example, if you have a visual
impairment, we can provide material in a different format such as large print, audio file or Braille.
We will not disclose any information to any third-party organisation outside of Housing 21, unless we gain your explicit consent first, except where the disclosure is required to help prevent fraud, or required to do so by law.
Our full privacy notice can be requested from your manager at any time or downloaded here. 

Professional boundaries
We recognise that for employees to provide you with the best possible service, they will form friendly yet professional relationships. However, it is important neither you or our employees confuse this for personal relationships. We also understand that because of the quality of service provided, you may consider acknowledging this by leaving a gift to Housing 21 employees in your will. Please note it is a condition of employment that employees are not allowed to receive gifts of money, bequests of presents. They are also not allowed to act as your Executor for your Estate, be a witness to a will or a
signatory on any other legal document.

We want to be influenced by you to improve service
delivery, influence policy and know you are receiving
value for money for the charges you pay. There are regular opportunities and lots of different ways to be involved.

Your manager
Speak to, write to, call or email your manager at any time.

Scheme meetings/ Residents’ Associations

Your manager will host regular meetings to discuss any news, updates or issues at your scheme. We actively encourage you to form a Residents’ Association to create a collective and democratic voice on issues that matter most.

Surveys

We run regular surveys to give you the opportunity to make your views and priorities known. Our surveys include:

Move in survey: If you’re a new resident, you may be invited to complete this survey within the first four weeks of moving in with us. 

National Residents’ Survey: Every year we undertake a short survey to find out how satisfied you are with your home and the quality of service you receive. Part of the survey will include questions linked to the Tenant Satisfaction Measures. These
are measures the Regulator of Social Housing requires all social housing landlords to report against each year.

Care survey: If you receive care directly from Housing 21, we will invite you to take part in this annual survey.

Repairs survey: We have reintroduced our repairs survey on a continuous, monthly basis to ensure we can track trends on regional and national levels.

Complaints Satisfaction Survey: If you have made a complaint to us, we will invite you to take part in our complaints survey. We publish these results every month to understand what we have done well and where we could improve.

Resident Engagement Groups

We are committed to resident engagement and
working collaboratively with you to improve and develop services. We have a number of resident engagement groups which you can get involved in:

National
Board: At the highest level, our Resident Board Members will be involved in signing off strategies and decisions that affect the entire organisation.

Extra Care Committee/ Retirement Living
Committee: By joining our Extra Care or Retirement Living Committee you will provide recommendations to the Board based on yours and other residents’ experiences.

Extra Care Forum/ Retirement Living Forum:
By joining our Extra Care or Retirement Living Forum, you will act as a representative for residents and hold Housing 21 to account.

Recruitment Panel: Get involved with the recruitment of Housing 21’s resident-facing and senior manager roles through this recruitment panel. 

Resident Engagement Groups

We are committed to resident engagement and
working collaboratively with you to improve and develop services. We have a number of resident engagement groups which you can get involved in:

National

Board: At the highest level, our Resident Board Members will be involved in signing off strategies and decisions that affect the entire organisation.

Extra Care Committee/ Retirement Living Committee: By joining our Extra Care or Retirement Living Committee you will provide recommendations to the Board based on yours and other residents’ experiences.

Extra Care Forum/ Retirement Living Forum:
By joining our Extra Care or Retirement Living Forum, you will act as a representative for residents and hold Housing 21 to account.

Recruitment Panel: Get involved with the recruitment of Housing 21’s resident-facing and senior manager roles through this recruitment panel

Complaints: If you would like to scrutinise our stage two complaint responses and other aspects of our complaints process, then this is the group for you.

Digital inclusivity: This friendly group invites you to join in discussions about digital inclusion and the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Diversity networks: Join one of our many diverse network groups and use your own experiences to help ensure Housing 21 is an inclusive environment for everyone. These groups include the:

• Disability Forum
• LGBT+ Forum
• Race, Equality and Cultural Heritage (REACH) Forum

Local

Scheme meetings/ Resident Associations: Get involved with influencing local decisions at your scheme including Court Service Agreements, makeovers and social activities through meetings and Resident Associations.

For more information on any of the above, please visit the Resident Information section on the website or speak to your scheme manager. 

We know that every penny counts so in addition to providing value for money, we also have a range of initiatives designed to offer you financial support (subject to eligibility).

Helping Hands

The Helping Hands service was started to find ways of supporting you to sustain your tenancy and receive the best service possible. Helping Hands is an umbrella term covering different initiatives.

Helping Hands Fund: If you’re struggling with day-to-day costs or have received an unexpected bill, the Helping Hands Fund may be able to help by providing one-off support of up to £300. The fund can assist in different ways, including supermarket vouchers, contributing to vet costs, car repairs, new glasses and more. The fund can also support if you have utility debts or are having difficulty topping up your energy meter. Speak to your manager to find out how to apply. 

Benefit entitlement check: Your manager can help you to complete a benefit entitlement check to ensure you are receiving all eligible support. 

Make a Difference Days (MAD): Throughout the year we will hold a series of awareness days to provide you with useful information about relevant topics and themes. Your manager will choose which subjects they think would be the most useful and will share the resources with you. 

Housing Perks: Housing Perks is a mobile app that enables you to save money on every day items at participating retailers across retail, hospitality and leisure. You can receive discounts and cashback on everyday items including supermarket goods, electrical items and fashion. Simply download the app on your smartphone, use your tenancy number to log in (this can be found on your rent statement) and start saving! You can find out more at:
yourhousingperks.com

For more information about any of these initiatives, speak to your manager

In April 2024, the Social Housing (Regulation) Act came into effect giving residents in social housing more protection to ensure you are living in safe, quality homes with reputable landlords. Under the new law, the Regulator of Social Housing will be able to take strict action against landlords who fail to meet four consumer standards:

• The Safety and Quality Standard
• The Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard
• The Neighbourhood and Community Standard
• The Tenancy Standard

For Housing 21, this means we must report our performance against 22 Tenant Satisfaction Measures to the Regulator of Social Housing every year and share our results with you.

If at any time you are concerned Housing 21 is not meeting these standards, contact:

Pam Mastrantonio
Consumer Standards Lead
pam.mastrantonio@housing21.org.uk

Tony Tench
Health and Safety Lead
tony.tench@housing21.org.uk

We measure our performance against the 22 Tenant Satisfaction Measures that the Regulator of Social Housing requires us to report against. Our latest performance figures for 2023 are shown below.

We are pleased to report the overall satisfaction rate for 2023 is as follows:
• Residents in rented properties: 87 percent
• Residents in shared ownership properties: 80 percent

Keeping properties in good repair:

Home that meet the Decent Homes Standard: 100 percent
Satisfaction with the overall repairs’ service: 87 percent
Satisfaction with time taken to complete repairs: 83 percent
Non-emergency repairs completed within the target timescale: 80 percent
Emergency repairs completed within the target timescale: 73 percent
Satisfaction with how well homes are maintained: 87 percent

Building safety and safety checks:

Residents who are satisfied their home is safe:
• Rented properties: 89 percent
• Shared ownership properties: 83 percent

Completion of:

Gas safety checks: 100 percent
Fire safety checks: 100 percent
Asbestos safety checks: 100 percent
Water safety checks: 100 percent
Lift safety checks: 99 percent

Respectful and helpful engagement:

Satisfaction with how Housing 21 keeps you informed about key issues:
Rented properties: 83 percent
Shared ownership properties: 77 percent

Satisfaction your views are listened to and acted upon:

Rented properties: 73 percent
Shared ownership properties: 69 percent

Agree Housing 21 treats you fairly and with respect:

Rented properties: 86 percent
Shared ownership properties: 81 percent

Effective handling of complaints:

Satisfaction with Housing 21’s approach to complaint handing:

Rented properties: 49 percent
Shared ownership properties: 34 percent

Number of stage one complaints received per 1,000 homes: 

Rented properties: 5.9
Shared ownership properties: 15.1

Number of stage two complaints received per
1,000 homes: 

Rented properties: 1.4
Shared ownership properties: 4.8

Stage one complaints responded to within the Complaint Handling Code timescales: 

Rented properties: 93 percent
Shared ownership properties: 95 percent

Stage two complaints responded to within the
Complaint Handling Code timescales:

Rented properties: 96 percent
Shared ownership properties: 100 percent

At Housing 21 we believe you should not live in fear of abuse, neglect or violence from anyone including people you live with or family members and we are committed to preventing and detecting any risk of harm.

We will work with partner agencies to investigate any incidents of suspected or actual abuse for people with care and support needs.
Anyone who confides in us about abuse will be supported in a non-judgemental way. We take the stance of ‘Nothing About Me, Without Me’ which promises open discussions before any advice or action is taken; nothing will happen without your knowledge. 

We are committed to supporting victims of abuse or neglect including:

• Financial 
• Psychological 
• Sexual 
• Domestic 
• Physical 
• Modern slavery 
• Neglect and acts of omission 
• Organisational 
• Discrimination 

If you are experiencing any form of abuse or neglect, or have concerns about another resident:

• Speak to, telephone or email your manager or any other Housing 21 employee
• Contact organisations from the safeguarding directory, available from your manager
• Call your local authority

For domestic abuse:

Call the police on 999 if you are in immediate danger.

If you can’t speak:

• Leave the line active and listen
to any questions
• Cough or tap your phone
• If prompted and on a mobile, press 55 when prompted (not straight after dialling 999).
Police cannot track your location but will recognise the call. 

Emergency call system

We know how important it is to feel safe at home which is why all of our properties have a 24-hour emergency call system, managed by Appello*.
In Retirement Living, the system is linked to the on call Appello Team whilst in Extra Care, you will be connected straight to the on-site Care Team in the first instance or Appello thereafter.
The call systems in our newer schemes have a built-in video door entry system for reassurance so you can see and hear visitors before opening your front door.

Building and Fire Safety

Housing 21 is committed to ensuring the safety of our residents, visitors and employees. Safety inspections, including a person-centred fire risk assessment, will be carried out before the start of your tenancy.

Housing 21 services and maintains its properties to ensure full statutory compliance and your ongoing safety. We may sometimes need to access your property to carry out inspections, such as servicing your boiler.

If you have any concerns relating to building safety, please contact your manager. For further information, you can read the Building and
Fire Safety Guide in the Resident Information section of our website. 

Doors and gates

We want you to feel happy and secure in your home so ask wherever possible to help keep your scheme secure by ensuring doors/ gates are closed securely behind you and by not letting strangers or uninvited guests through.

*Residents living in Kent PFI use the Tunstall system

Maintenance contractors used by Housing 21 are expected to follow a code of conduct which includes health and safety standards and acceptable behaviour. The full code is available from your manager.

They should:
• Contact your manager upon arrival
• Keep appointments and be punctual
• Never smoke on site
• Introduce themselves and show identification
• Be polite, presentable, friendly and professional
• Be patient
• Be aware of your cultural needs
• Respect your home
• Leave everything safe, clean and tidy

If you are unhappy with the conduct of your contractor or the quality of their work, please inform your manager. You can also feedback about the quality of any repairs in our National Residents’ survey or Repairs survey.