Home
Our standards
Written into our terms with councils and our agreements with households. Every home meets them before we offer it.
Safety and compliance in every home
- Gas safety. A Gas Safe engineer checks the home and issues a certificate every year.
- Electrical safety. An electrical installation condition report (EICR) at least every five years.
- Energy. An energy performance certificate at or above the legal minimum (currently E).
- Alarms. A smoke alarm on every floor, and carbon monoxide alarms where the law requires them.
- Fire safety. A fire risk assessment where one is required, and fire-safe furniture and furnishings.
- Water. A legionella risk assessment.
- Hazards. No Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
- Licensing. A property licence wherever the local council requires one.
Repair targets
| Type | What it means | Our target |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | A risk to health or safety, or serious damage to the home | Attend within 24 hours |
| Urgent | A problem that seriously affects daily life | Within 5 working days |
| Routine | Everything else | Within 28 days |
These are our standard targets. A council may agree different targets with us for a particular arrangement.
Inspections
- We check each home before it is offered to a council.
- We check it again when a household moves out, before the next placement.
- We keep certificates up to date and send renewals to the placing council.
- We welcome inspections by council officers at any reasonable time.
How we treat people
Respect
Every resident is treated with courtesy and dignity. We explain things clearly and keep people informed.
Safeguarding
Concerns and serious incidents go to the placing council within 24 hours. We never evict a household ourselves.
Equality
We treat everyone fairly, whatever their background, and make reasonable adjustments.
Accessibility
Information in other languages, large print or read aloud. We tell councils about each home's layout and access.