Statements and disclaimers

Occasionally, the behaviour or actions of individuals using our services, becomes unacceptable. When this happens, we consider the impact of the behaviour on our ability to do our jobs. We will take action to protect the health and wellbeing of our colleagues and contractors, who have a right to work without fear of being abused or harassed.

This summary explains how we deal with these situations, and it applies to all methods of contact including face to face, telephone, letters, emails, social media and other digital channels.

Reasonable adjustments

We care about the people who live in our homes and are committed to providing safe, secure and warm homes. We treat people how we wish to be treated, with fairness and respect. The Bromford DNA is at the heart of who we are, what we do and why we do it. That’s why our purpose is simple and honest. We invest in homes and relationships so people can thrive.

Our colleagues will:

• be fair, respectful and inclusive in all interactions with customers
• recognise the differing needs of customers, without judgement
• make it easy to communicate with us and adapt our services as required
• treat customers as we they would wish to be treated themselves
• listen, respond and do what they say they will
• live our DNA; build trusting relationships based on openness, respect and integrity'

We understand that people may find it difficult to communicate clearly or express themselves, especially under upsetting or distressing circumstances. We will always try to be flexible in the way we deliver our service and can make reasonable adjustments if a request is made. Examples of adjustments we can consider are:

• provision of or giving permission for aids and adaptations to be made to a home.
• allowing customers additional time or extending prescribed timescales in our processes.
• consider using different methods of communication
• conducting visits with a third party, eg a support worker present

Behaviour Bromford considers to be unacceptable:

Aggressive or abusive behaviour

This is behaviour that could cause our colleagues or contractors to feel abused, threatened or afraid.

For example:

• violence and threats of violence
• language or behaviour which is offensive, derogatory, intimidating or patronising
• language or behaviour which is discriminatory in any way e.g. racist, sexist, homophobic
• derogatory comments relating to disability, gender, religion or any other protected characteristic
• unfounded allegations against colleagues conducts which is criminal, corrupt or perverse.

Unreasonable demands

A demand becomes unacceptable when it starts to take up disproportionate amounts of time and resources and therefore disadvantages other customers.

For example:

• demanding responses within unreasonable timescales
• insisting on seeing or speaking to a particular colleague, continual phone calls, e- mails, letters or contact via Whatsapp, text messages, voice notes, social media and other digital channels.
• repeatedly changing the substance of the complaint or raising unrelated concerns.
• requesting a change in neighbourhood coach for the patch area for no reasonable reason.
• unreasonable persistence, for example persistent refusal to accept a decision made in relation to a complaint, persistent refusals to accept explanations relating to what we can or cannot do and continuing to pursue a case without presenting any new information.

Harassment

For example:

• recording conversations or interactions without consent and then publishing that content
• contacting colleagues using their personal details outside of work, including on social media and face-to-face
• publishing personal, sensitive or private information about colleagues online or other public domains, including noticeboards

Actions we may take:

When we experience behaviour or demands which are unacceptable, we may consider taking formal action. These actions may include the following:

For example:

• asking for the behaviour to be modified and provide a warning
• restricting access to our services, colleagues, or processes
• removing ourselves from a situation or terminating a phone call
• adding a customer alert flag to the customer’s account
• opening a tenancy breach case which may result in non-legal or legal interventions being taken, eg acceptable behaviour contract, injunction
• notifying other authorities such as the police or local authority safeguarding team