Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, but we are more than that. In addition to being a community interest company and social enterprise, Inclusion Housing was granted Registered Provider status in June 2011. We remain a not for profit, voluntary housing organisation and continue to work with and on behalf of vulnerable people. We can provide a range of properties to suit the care package and person centred plans such as supported living, registered & respite care etc. By retaining our status as a Community Interest Company, we seek to use allocated reserves to work in partnership with like minded organisations for the benefit of the local community on programmes such as employment and training initiatives.

We work in a person centred way. We complete a housing needs profile. From day one we work with the prospective tenant and all significant others to ensure that we develop a full and accurate understanding of each persons housing needs. This person centred piece of work informs all our future housing processes.
We work in true partnership.
We seek the approval of all key stakeholders.

Inclusion Housing has a mixed tenure of properties from its own properties to leased properties on a fully repairing and insuring basis from a superior landlord.

Very much so, the housing needs profile takes such issues into account. Further, we encourage visits to likely properties so people can say which one they may prefer.

We will take whatever steps are necessary to engage your clients in the whole process. It is our aim to promote a sense of real ownership over the housing process and beyond. Yes, they will be able to choose the decor.
We use a specialist supplier, whose job is to work with the prospective tenants, helping them to choose the decorations that they want, the curtains and matching soft furnishings and the furniture. This person also ensures that the end results are co-ordinated and finished to the highest standard.

Before we can commence work on your behalf, we normally enter into a nominations agreement together. This document outlines the various roles and responsibilities of each party.
Costs may be incurred if a property is developed for a tenant or group of tenants, and then the tenant fails to take up the tenancy. Costs could also be incurred at the end of a tenancy, if a property is left vacant and there is no rental flow. We do have voids insurance in place, and the risk to the department is very low.

Once the housing needs profile is completed and agreed, we complete a rent schedule, that takes account of the costs of the property, the cost of any adaptations needed, the service charges, and other required eligible items such as furnishings. We present these to our colleagues in Housing Benefit and at this very early stage we develop a shared understanding of the amounts of Housing Benefit to which our tenants will be entitled to meet their identified housing costs.

Yes, we all have a responsibility to ensure that public money is spent wisely. Informed by the Housing Needs Profile, and a person' s Community Care Assessment, we seek to identify properties that will meet peoples' long term housing needs'. 'Needs' is the important word in this context.

No our rents are not high. They are appropriate, to meet the often highly specialised requirements of our tenants. As stated, we work with colleagues in Housing Benefit, to ensure that they fully understand these requirements and agree them, from the outset.

In that case we will carry out another Housing Needs Profile, and present the tenant and all other partner organisations with some new housing options, which will meet the tenant's new housing requirements. Once agreed we will identify an alternative property for that person.

We are a values driven organisation. We believe that someone should not be offered lesser rights of citizenship just because they have a learning disability. In this respect, we fully endorse and in our work support, the Governments White Paper and the Valuing People strategy. All our tenants are offered full 'Assured Tenancy Agreements' where possible, the type that you or I would expect to hold, and which offer security of tenure.

As a Registered Provider we are regulated by the Tenants Services Authority (TSA). We are also regulated by the Government Regulator of Community Interest Companies and we are also a member of the National Housing Federation. We work under the NHF Codes, particularly under the Framework for Housing with Support and accepted best practice in the supported housing sector.