Tenancy Sustainment Policy
Policy Owner: Executive Director of Customer Experience
Policy Lead: Head Compliance and Support (First time), Director of Health Care and Support (Intensive support)
Level - Operational
Policy Reference - CS/HM(NS)/016/2013
Link to Strategy:
• Tenancy Services Strategy
• Care & Support Strategy
Version Control:
V1 – March 2013: New Policy
V2 – December 2016: review and update
V3 – July 2020: review and update
Effective from: July 2020
Effective till: July 2023
Approved by - Executive Director Customer Experience, July 2020
Consultation - Curo Place and Curo Choice colleagues
Equality analysis - EIA carried out at v1 remains current
Next review date - July 2023
Policy Statement
We will improve life chances for our customers not only through the provision of a secure home, but, where necessary, by supporting the development of the necessary skills to sustain that tenancy.
1. Scope
1.1 The policy sets out how we will provide the support needed to enable customers to meet their tenancy obligations in a way that will sustain a long term tenancy.
1.2 We recognise that other factors, including physical needs, will contribute to successful independent living: this policy is concerned only with the ability to meet tenancy obligations: other policies (eg Adaptations) support other aspects.
2. Responsibilities
2.1 The Board and Executive, through the Policy Owner, ensure that the policy delivers our strategic objectives and reflect corporate values.
The Accountable Lead is accountable to the Executive for the effective implementation of the policy in Curo, so that
o The principles are achieved through appropriate team plans and objectives, and
o Procedures – with appropriate RACI’s – translate the policy objectives into practice.
2.2 Operational Managers are responsible for delivering procedures which ensure the delivery of the policy and its objectives, and for ensuring that these are implemented consistently by their teams.
2.3 Customer facing colleagues in relevant teams will implement the procedures and make decisions which will deliver the outcomes of the policy.
3. Definitions
3.1 ‘Tenancy sustainment’ means the ability to manage a tenancy independently: this means compliance with the responsibilities of the tenancy (e.g. clauses covering rent payment, nuisance, and property condition) and understanding rights as a tenant.
3.2 ‘Accommodation based support’ means arrangements where the provision of accommodation is integral to the provision of support.
‘Floating support’ is support that is provided to a tenant in the context of a standard tenancy, and which is provided as and when required during that tenancy.
3.3 ‘Intensive’, which may refer to support or to housing management, implies a level and frequency of contact which exceed levels of contact that our standard procedures anticipate. For example, our level 1 ILS support, or some routine advice about benefit entitlement would be our expectation of day to day support/management.
4. Principles
4.1 As a caring organisation we believe that every person has the right to a secure home. We recognise that this requires not only the home, but also the skills required to meet the responsibilities associated with maintaining that home and its tenancy.
4.2 As an ethical organisation we have a role in supporting tenants to attain those skills so that they can sustain a tenancy independently.
4.3 We recognise the importance of identifying those at risk as early as possible and providing support that is appropriate to the need.
4.4 We understand that individual circumstances change and we review tenants’ needs throughout their tenancy with us.
4.5 Where a need is identified we will intervene at an early stage and will offer support.
4.6 We are open with people about the risk assessments we carry out and about any support needs that we identify.
4.7 A range of mechanisms may be appropriate and support required ranges from intensive support from specialist staff (sometimes including accommodation based support) to short term interventions within the context of a long term tenancy. We are flexible, using external, specialist, partners as well as our own colleagues.
4.8 We recognise the value to the business of successful tenancies and our priorities for internal support provision focus on those needs that we identify as being the most significant.
4.9 Our strategy includes the incentivisation of responsible behaviours and rewarding those who are able to sustain their tenancy independently.
5. Application
5.1 We carry out assessments of risk and support needs for all new tenants through the use of success plans and tenancy audits of existing tenants, both of which will identify risks associated with the sustainment of the tenancy. We also use the Independent Living Service lifestyle plan and Livewell lifestyle plans.
5.2 Colleagues across the organisation are trained and supported in recognising potential risks. Customer accounts colleagues may identify difficulties in budgeting, colleagues from Curo Response may identify those unable to manage the home – all are encouraged to report these risks so that we can seek to address the need.
5.3 Curo Choice provides intensive support which, amongst other objectives, includes enabling those at greatest risk to sustain a permanent tenancy with Curo or elsewhere. The support which we provide through Curo Choice includes both ‘floating’ and accommodation based support where the tenancy requires the delivery of support and is dependent on that support being delivered successfully.
5.4 We have arrangements in place with other partner organisations: specialist intensive support (generally funded through SP), Citizens Advice and other organisations providing debt and budgeting advice and support, youth offending and connecting families teams, mediation services and others. We have arrangements in place that enable referrals to be made to these organisations.
5.5 Curo Choice and other partners will also provide short term resettlement support which may include an element of tenancy sustainment as an objective, particularly where the tenant is moving on from supported housing.
5.6 Internally, posts within Tenancy Compliance and Support deliver ‘floating’ support to those with a standard form of tenancy where specific support needs have been identified. Customer Accounts Managers provide support with debt advice and budgeting, Support Co-ordinator’s within the Compliance and Support team prevent the risk to tenancies that arises through anti-social behaviour, hoarding, neglect, domestic abuse, hate crime and also lead on solutions where a move to another home will provide a more sustainable tenancy.
5.7 All colleagues provide a level of basic support to tenants that is appropriate to the post. In addition procedures ensure that they can make referrals to any of the above where a higher level of support is required.
5.8 A Support Coordinator enables us to provide swift intervention in urgent cases (perhaps whilst more permanent support is arranged), to provide support in circumstances which are not anticipated above, and to co-ordinate and manage the referral arrangements (internal and external). This ensures that the variety of ways that we deliver support to sustain tenancies is effective.
6 Supporting documents
6.1 The following documents support the delivery of this policy:
• Care and Support Strategy
• Tenancy sustainment procedure
• Curo Choice floating support procedures
• Management agreements with external partners
• The Customer Accounts procedure, Tenancy Compliance and Support procedures, housing options policy and procedures
7. Consultation and monitoring
7.1 We report management information routinely to senior managers and to commissioners and these measure not only the number of customers supported but also the outcomes for those customers.
7.2 Customers, through VoiceBox and other engagement tools, are involved in proposed changes to this policy.