Page Contents

Unacceptable and unreasonable behaviour policy

Our staff are expected to treat individuals with courtesy, respect and fairness. Similarly, we expect our staff to be treated in the same way. We have a duty to protect the welfare and safety of staff. Where individuals behave unacceptably or unreasonably, we will refer to this policy.

Unacceptable behaviour

We understand that people may act out of character in times of distress or due to frustration. However if that frustration becomes aggression or abuse towards our staff, we won’t accept that.

Our staff have the right to undertake their work free from aggression or abuse and we expect them to be treated with courtesy and respect. Aggressive or abusive behavior may include:

  • threats of physical harm or actual physical harm
  • behaviour or language (verbal or written) that may cause staff to feel offended, afraid, threatened or abused
  • insulting or degrading language
  • personal grudges toward certain staff
  • making serious allegations against staff without any evidence

We may also decide that comments aimed not at us but at third parties are unacceptable because of the effect that listening to or reading them may have on our staff.

Examples of unacceptable behaviour

  • threats, verbal abuse, shouting, obscene / derogatory remarks and rudeness
  • racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, disablist comments, or other harassment based on personal characteristics
  • repeatedly demanding disciplinary action be taken against staff
  • recording meetings or telephone conversations without consent

Unreasonable demands

A demand may be unreasonable if handling it could take up an excessive amount of staff time. As a publicly funded organisation, with limited resource to respond, this could stop other complaints from being handled in time.

We may decide a demand is unreasonable if, for example, you:

  • demand responses within an unreasonable timescale
  • insist on seeing or speaking to someone more senior or a particular member of staff when that is not possible
  • keep changing what your complaint is about
  • keep raising new or unrelated concerns

Examples of unreasonable demands

  • demanding a response from the CEO or a senior manager and refusing to speak to anyone more junior
  • demanding that nobody who is male / female deals with your complaint
  • demanding to speak to someone on the same day when that person isn’t available
  • demanding an immediate call back from a manager

Unreasonable frequency or duration of contact

The number of times you contact us, or the duration of each contact, can cause problems for our staff.

The level of contact may become unacceptable when the amount of time spent talking to an individual on the telephone, or responding to, reviewing and filing emails or written correspondence, means we struggle to deal with that complaint, or with other people’s complaints.

Examples of unreasonable levels of contact

  • making a lot of calls in one day
  • frequent emails about the same issue or repeatedly sending us emails with large amounts of information attached that is not needed when a matter is closed
  • sending in new complaints before we have had an opportunity to address earlier complaints
  • repeatedly asking us to look at the same issue when we have already addressed it through this process or another
  • repeatedly making very long calls to us

How we manage unacceptable and unreasonable behaviour

If we feel behaviour is unacceptable or unreasonable, we may take any of the following actions:

  • restrict or end contact on the matter
  • restrict contact on all matters
  • ask that all future contact is made through a third party advocate
  • end contact entirely for a period of time
  • report incidents to the police (for example, if violence has been threatened)
  • take any other action that we consider appropriate (in extreme cases, this may include blocking calls and returning correspondence)

Where staff are considering the above or have had to take immediate action (for example, end a phone call), they should discuss this with their manager and / or Corporate Law and Governance. Corporate Law and Governance will then consider with staff which action is appropriate (if any). We will let the individual know about the action we are taking and the reason for it. This may include how long restrictions will be in place.

In making our decision, we may consider:

  • how it affects our staff
  • how it affects the individual (including their personal circumstances and any reasonable adjustments)
  • the extent to which we are able to engage or assist
  • the extent to which the process or subject matter has been exhausted

This process may be reconsidered by us if the individual commits to behaving with courtesy, respect and fairness and:  

  • some time has passed
  • there is a more suitable alternative available
  • we receive evidence that there were exceptional reasons for the behaviour

 

HAPPY CLIENTS

"VERIFIED TENANT""My name is Jamail. I am a single living dad of two beautiful children, and I am a teacher who hit a rocky road in life to the point I needed property and pretty quickly as well before it started affecting my job. It took me seven days in total to secure a property; it was hard graft, but I wanted to find somewhere I could call home and somewhere which was long-lasting that I loved instead of just taking what was given to me and hating the house every day I wake up. I was continually searching for a property day and night. I came up against snotty landlords to really nice ones and some houses that were too small and some that were too big etc. it was draining. But with the help from the help2rent team, it all seemed possible, and I'm not just saying that to blow their trumpet I really generally am grateful for all the work they/she done to get me into a property honestly the council wasn't as efficient as help2Rent, and I don't know what I would have done without them. It meant everything to be on this project especially mentally because I hit a point where I was going to give up it was so challenging and the anxiety caused was high but with the help2Rent team they kept that at bay and gave me hope to keep fighting for what I deserve as a working dad of two. I think this project will help thousands, and this project needs recognition from every board possible because it saved my life literally, so again, I thank you so so much for all the work and continuous empathetic help. I hope you can be assistance to many more. Jamail"

Jamil S

Successful Council Tenant

"VERIFIED TENANT""My name is Emma Catherine; I'm 44 single-parent. Physically disabled. Help2srent help has been amazing. I'm a single parent who has a physical disability. I was placed on the outskirts of London for over eight months in Temporary Accommodation. I had no hope of returning to my home area. I had registered with HELP2RENT and checking their site for suitable accommodation. London Landlords have no time for Tennant's on any form of DWP I had spoken to many, and without a job or a 75,000 guarantee, I had no hope in PRIVATE RENTED SECTOR. HELP2RENT answered my prays. One Sunday morning, sending me an email about a two-bed flat in the area I needed to be near family. Help2rent helped me and my family endlessly for nearly three weeks negotiating with Landlords Breaking down the barriers and supporting me threw the turmoil of disappointment and giving me hope to keep trying and not to take rejection personally.... I'm relocated in South London in a property that suits my need. And feel 100 percent supported in my new tenancy. All thanks to HELP2RENT... Thanks again Emma Catherine"

Emma Catherine

Successful Council Tenant

"VERIFIED TENANT"Dear Help2Rent My mother and I were leaving in a hostel desperate and hopeless that our situation will not change anytime soon. We were receiving calls from the council about flats that were not entitled to us. They will call us numerous times to view a place and will call us back that the flat was gone, we exhausted. Also, our documents and all the paperwork were incorrect or incomplete, but no one thought about telling us. We will try to contact our social worker, but we will hear nothing. When we found Help2rent , they helped us get our paperwork in order, and we’re with us every step of the way. We went from months of endless waiting to get a beautiful flat in two weeks. It was not easy, but the team were patient and happy to help us through everything. We will always be grateful for help2rent and all their hard work. Thank you very much Sara

Asuncion & Sara

Successful Mother & Daughter

Help2Rent took away all the worry of letting our property out of our hands.We moved from England to the continent and left Help2Rent to arrange house clearance, electrical work, boiler maintenance, decorating and cleaning. All this was expediently done to a high standard. Work was inspected by Help2Rent and if it did not come up to scratch they chased up the company concerned until they were satisfied. Every e-mail was answered promptly and I was kept informed at every stage. Within days Help2Rent had found excellent tenants for a monthly rent that had exceeded my expectations. Help2Rent are simply the best!

EZ Let Properties

Mr G Harris

I have been in the property rental business for over twenty five years.I have been using Help2Rent Lettings agency for just over a year now and in that time have started to transfer across a lot of my portfolio.I have many managing agencies around the UK and keep a performance league table based on many factors. In the short time I have been using Help2Rent catapulted into first in my league table of over 15 agencies. They are resourceful, polite, efficient and hardworking and in my opinion they have the best staff

Can Do Properties

Mr H Dennis

“Help2Rent was an incredibly easy platform to use to find tenants for my flat in Shepherd’s Bush. It was free to use and helps the community which is always the best bit, efficient and simple to manage, all good things for my frenetic life! I would highly recommend it…”

Handy Man Services

Working for the community at cost effecitive rates

Help2Rent is a great Social Letting Agency and stands on the side of the Tennant not the landlord which is uncommon, Any issues we had, They got in touch with the landlord promptly and dealt with the issue. They helped us all through the Letting of the flat while we lived in it and made sure we had another tenant was ready to move in. Really going to miss them. 

Mr S Shannon

Thanking Help2Rent

Council Partners