Resident handbook

This handbook is for you, as a resident of Example Housing CIC. It tells you how things work in your home, what help you can get, and who to call. Keep it somewhere safe. You can ask staff to go through it with you at any time.

We can give you this handbook in easy-read, large print, audio or another language. We can also read it with you. This is free. Just ask any member of staff.

Welcome

Welcome to your new home. We are glad you are here.

Example Housing CIC runs supported housing. This means we give you a place to live and support to help you with the things that matter to you. Our aim is to help you feel safe, settle in, and move on to your own home when you are ready.

What we believe: Everyone deserves a safe, stable home and the support to build the life they choose. We listen first, and we work with residents, not for them.

What we want to do for you:

• Give each resident a safe, warm and well-kept home
• Agree a support plan with each resident within 10 working days
• Help residents into work, training or volunteering
• Help each resident move on to a settled home when they are ready

Your first days

In your first days with us:

• A member of staff shows you around and explains the fire safety rules on your first day.
• Within 5 working days, your keyworker meets you to talk about what help you need. They also ask how you like to get information, for example in writing, read aloud or in your own language.
• Within 10 working days, you and your keyworker write your support plan together.
• Within 4 weeks, your keyworker goes through your rights and the money and services you can get.

Notice board

Every scheme has a notice board in a shared area. It shows what to do in a fire, how to report repairs, the out-of-hours number, how to complain and who to tell if you feel unsafe. If any of it is missing or out of date, please tell staff.

Your agreement

When you move in, you sign an agreement. It says what we will do and what you agree to do. Staff read it through with you before you sign, and give you a copy to keep.

• Example House: you have a licence.
• Sample Court: you have a licence.

Your agreement and the house rules go together. If you do not understand something, ask. You can bring a friend, family member or advocate with you.

Whatever kind of agreement you have, we can only end it in the way your agreement and the law allow. We will never lock you out, take your things or cut off your gas, electric or water to make you leave. That is against the law. Before we take any step to end your stay, we follow our Pre-eviction protocol. This means we talk to you first, warn you in writing and offer you more help.

Rent, service charges and Housing Benefit

What you pay

You pay rent for your room or home. You also pay service charges for things like cleaning shared areas, furniture, and shared heating and lighting. We give you a list showing what your rent and each service charge is for.

Housing Benefit

Most residents get help to pay rent through Housing Benefit from the council.

• Help with rent for this kind of supported housing usually comes from Housing Benefit, not Universal Credit. So even if you get Universal Credit for your living costs, you usually claim help with your rent through Housing Benefit.
• The council decides which applies to you, if you can get it and how much.
• Housing Benefit pays some service charges but not all. It does not pay for things that are just for you, such as the energy you use in your own room or meals. You pay these yourself. We tell you how much this is before you move in.
• Your keyworker helps you make your claim in your first week.
• You must tell the council if your money or situation changes, for example if you start work. Your keyworker can help you do this.

If you are worried about money

If you cannot pay, or you get a letter you do not understand, tell your keyworker straight away. The sooner you tell us, the easier it is to help. We can help you sort out your benefits, make a plan to pay what you owe, and get free debt advice.

Your support and your keyworker

You have a named keyworker and a named back-up worker. Your keyworker:

• meets you regularly to help with the things in your support plan
• helps you with benefits, money, health, appointments and forms
• helps you find learning, volunteering, training and work if you want to
• helps you plan your move to your own home
• At Example House, your support is given by our own staff.
• At Sample Court, your support is given by our own staff.

Your support plan is yours. You choose your goals, in your own words. We look at it together at least every 3 months, or sooner if things change. You can ask for an advocate to help you. If you miss sessions, we will try to get in touch, because we want to check you are safe.

House rules and visitors

House rules help everyone feel safe and get on together. The main rules are:

• Treat other residents, staff and neighbours with respect.
• No violence, threats, bullying or hate of any kind.
• No illegal drugs or weapons.
• No smoking indoors.
• Keep noise down, especially late at night.
• Do not go into other residents' rooms without being asked.
• Keep fire doors shut and do not touch fire alarms.

Visitors

You can have visitors. Unless your scheme has different times, visitors are welcome from 10am to 10pm. You can have up to 2 visitors at a time. Visitors sign in and out. You meet them at the door and stay with them. You are responsible for how they behave.

If you want someone to stay overnight, ask your keyworker at least 2 working days before. We will usually give you an answer within 1 working day. If you would like your children to visit, talk to your keyworker first. We will help you plan it safely.

There is more about visits in our Visitors and family contact policy.

If there is a problem

If someone is causing you a problem, tell staff. If a resident breaks the rules, we talk to them and offer help first. If it keeps happening, we may give a warning. There is more about this in our Anti-social behaviour policy.

Keeping safe

If there is a fire

1. Shout "Fire!" and set off the fire alarm if it is not already ringing.
2. Get out of the building by the nearest safe way. Do not stop to pick up your things.
3. Close doors behind you if you can.
4. Go to the meeting point shown on the fire notice.
5. Call 999 and ask for the fire service.
6. Do not go back in until the fire service says it is safe.

If the fire notice for your building says something different, do what the notice says.

Fire doors stop fire and smoke spreading. Keep them shut. Never wedge them open or take off the closer that makes them shut on their own. Tell us straight away if a fire door is damaged or does not close.

Never cover or take the battery out of a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide alarm. If an alarm beeps or does not work, report it as an emergency repair.

We give you fire safety instructions when you move in and again every year. They are also on the notice board.

If you would find it hard to get out in a fire, for example because you cannot hear the alarm or have trouble walking, tell us. We will make a plan with you to help you get out safely.

If you smell gas

Do not use light switches, lighters or matches. Open windows if it is safe. Leave the building and call the National Gas Emergency number, 0800 111 999. It is free and open day and night.

In an emergency

• If someone is in danger, badly hurt or very ill, call 999.
• If you need medical help fast but it is not an emergency, call 111.
• To report a crime that is not an emergency, call 101.

Out of hours

Out of hours means evenings, weekends and bank holidays. If you need urgent help from us out of hours, contact the on-call manager on 0121 000 0004.

Reporting repairs

If something in your room or the building is broken, please tell us. You can:

• contact the repairs line on 0121 000 0005, repairs@example.org, or the QR code in the kitchen
• tell any member of staff
• tell your keyworker

For a normal repair, we give you a reference number within 1 working day. We tell you when someone will come to fix it.

Emergency repairs are things that are dangerous or could cause serious damage. For example: a gas smell, a fire alarm that does not work, a big leak, no heating in cold weather, no hot water, sparking wires, or a front door that will not lock. Tell staff straight away. Out of hours, contact the on-call manager on 0121 000 0004. If you are not sure if it is an emergency, report it as one. You will not be in trouble.

Always tell us about damp or mould as soon as you see it. We pass it on the same day.

Cleaning

• We clean the shared areas, like kitchens, bathrooms, lounges and hallways.
• You keep your own room clean and tidy. We give you cleaning things when you move in.
• Please clean up after yourself in shared areas.
• Put rubbish in the bins outside. Do not keep rubbish or food waste in your room.
• If you are finding it hard to keep your room clean, tell your keyworker. We can help, and you will not be judged.

Staff check rooms about once a month. We tell you at least 24 hours before, and you can be there. We always knock and say who we are. We only come in without telling you first in an emergency, such as a fire, a flood, or if we are worried you are not safe. If that happens, we tell you within 24 hours.

Your privacy and your records

Your room is your private space. We respect it.

We keep records about you, such as your support plan and notes from your sessions. We keep them safe in Stedwise. Only staff who need to see them can.

• We only share your information with other services when you agree, or when the law allows it, for example to keep you or someone else safe.
• You can ask for a copy of the information we hold about you. This is free. We reply within one month.
• You can ask us to correct anything that is wrong.

If you have a question or worry about your information, talk to Alex Example (Director). If you are not happy with our answer, you can complain to the Information Commission (ICO). There is more about this in our Data protection and retention policy.

Having your say and complaints

Having your say

We want to know what you think. You can:

• come to resident meetings, which happen at least every 3 months
• fill in our resident survey, once a year
• give us an idea or comment at any time. We reply within 10 working days.

We tell you what we changed because of what residents said. There is more about this in our Resident involvement policy.

Making a complaint

If you are not happy, tell us. You will not be treated worse for complaining.

• You can tell any staff member, phone, write, email or text. Someone else, like an advocate or friend, can complain for you.
• Complaints go to Jo Sample (Service Manager).
• We tell you we have your complaint within 5 working days.
• We send you a full reply within 10 working days after that.
• If you are still not happy, ask for a senior manager to look again. They reply within 20 working days.

If you are still unhappy after that: You can ask your landlord (if it is a housing association, it will be a member of the Housing Ombudsman Service) or the council that pays for your housing or support to look at it. We will tell you which applies to your home.

If you live in supported exempt accommodation in Birmingham and your complaint is not sorted out, you can also email Birmingham City Council at SupportedExemptAccommodation@birmingham.gov.uk.

There is more about this in our Complaints and redress procedure.

Safeguarding: if you or someone else is not safe

Safeguarding means keeping people safe from harm, abuse and being taken advantage of. This includes someone hurting you, taking your money, pressuring you to hold drugs, or using your room.

If you are worried about yourself or someone else, tell any member of staff. They will pass it on the same day to our safeguarding lead, Sam Example (Service Manager). You can also talk to Sam Example (Service Manager) yourself.

If someone is in danger right now, call 999. If you cannot speak on a mobile, press 55 when asked, and the call will go to the police.

Moving on

This is a stepping stone to your own home. From the start, you and your keyworker make a plan for moving on. We look at it at least every 3 months.

Your keyworker helps you:

• learn skills for living on your own, like budgeting, cooking and paying bills
• get online safely, for things like benefits and bidding for housing
• apply to the council for housing, and look for other homes
• set up your benefits, bills, GP and furniture when you move

After you move, we keep in touch for at least 6 weeks, if you want us to. There is more about this in our Move-on and independence policy.

Useful contacts

Your keyworker's name and how to contact them are written in your welcome pack.

Reviewing this handbook

We review this handbook every 12 months, or sooner if something changes, such as a phone number or a rule. We ask residents what is hard to understand and what is missing. Alex Example (Director) approves each new version. When the handbook changes, we tell every resident and put the new version on the notice board.

Review and adoption

We review this document at least every 12 months. We review it sooner if the law, the standards or the way we work change.

Version history

Stedwise made this document as a starting point. Check it and change it to fit how your organisation works before you adopt it. It is not legal advice and it does not guarantee compliance with any standard, licence condition or law.