68. Training to be provided to DH staff who Recommendation DH Currently being assessed under Substantive conduct inspections to ensure that they are Supported Equality (SE) NIA as current Department’s sensitive to the possibility of the inspection service area process creating feelings of humiliation, degradation, worthlessness etc, and that officers be instructed as to appropriate standards of behaviour that are to be adopted. This training is to be to of an accredited standard and evaluated on a regular basis. 69. No inspections to be conducted without Recommendation DH Policy and practice state that notices are sent in reasonable notice to the tenant. Such notice is not Supported accordance with the RTA 1987 to be the leaving of a card or letter without confirmation of its receipt. Routine inspections are not to be conducted at more frequent intervals than every six months. 70. That Homeswest officers be sensitive to the Recommendation DH SE As above power imbalance between themselves and their Supported tenants when seeking to inspect with the agreement of the tenant at the time or immediately before, the time of entry as provided for by RTA 1987, S46(1)(h). 71. Property condition report forms to be revised. Partially DH SE As above Full details of any defects to be noted and Implemented photographed and copies provided to the tenant. Any hand written material to be legible and if the tenant is unable to read it, it will be typed and provided to the tenant. All inspections to be conducted jointly, at a time convenient to the prospective tenant and the DH, and the prospective tenant is to be encouraged to bring a support person or advocate with him or her . Finding a Place recommendations in General status Respon- General Description of extent of implementation chronological order within Dept as of December 2010 sibility 72. The DH to review what is considered Not Currently DH SE as above necessary to meet to ensure Addressed ‘property standards’ that account is taken of: - the age of the property. - the condition of the property when it was first let to the tenant. - any maintenance that has been performed during tenancy. - any maintenance requested by the tenant which has not been performed. - whether maintenance performed was inspected. - whether the tenant made any complaint about the standard of maintenance performed. - the number of adults and children living in the property. - any disabilities or medical conditions of any of the tenants or their dependants
68. Training to be provided to DH staff who conduct inspections to ensure that they are sensitive to the possibility of the inspection process creating feelings of humiliation, degradation, worthlessness etc, and that officers be instructed as to appropriate standards of behaviour that are to be adopted. This training is to be to of an accredited standard and evaluated on a regular basis. Recommendation Supported DH Currently being assessed under Substantive Equality (SE) NIA as Department’s current service area 69. No inspections to be conducted without reasonable notice to the tenant. Such notice is not to be the leaving of a card or letter without confirmation of its receipt. Routine inspections are not to be conducted at more frequent intervals than every six months. Recommendation Supported DH Policy and practice state that notices are sent in accordance with the RTA 1987 70. That Homeswest officers be sensitive to the power imbalance between themselves and their tenants when seeking to inspect with the agreement of the tenant at the time or immediately before, the time of entry as provided for by RTA 1987, S46(1)(h). Recommendation Supported DH SE As above 71. Property condition report forms to be revised. Full details of any defects to be noted and photographed and copies provided to the tenant. Any hand written material to be legible and if the tenant is unable to read it, it will be typed and provided to the tenant. All inspections to be conducted jointly, at a time convenient to the prospective tenant and the DH, and the prospective tenant is to be encouraged to bring a support person or advocate with him or her . Partially Implemented DH SE As above Finding a Place recommendations in chronological order General status within Dept Respon- sibility General Description of extent of implementation as of December 2010 72. The DH to review what is considered necessary to meet ‘property standards’ to ensure that account is taken of: - the age of the property. - the condition of the property when it was first let to the tenant. - any maintenance that has been performed during tenancy. - any maintenance requested by the tenant which has not been performed. - whether maintenance performed was inspected. - whether the tenant made any complaint about the standard of maintenance performed. - the number of adults and children living in the property. - any disabilities or medical conditions of any of the tenants or their dependants Not Currently Addressed DH SE as above
finding-a-place---final-report-of-the-implementation-and-monitoring-committee-201112584c5bde9f62fcb668ff0000be6566.docx