Our Policies

Here's what you can find information about on this page:

  • our policies which are the rules and standards we have produced to help us to carry out our work (found at the bottom of this page)
  • Rules of Freebridge Community Housing
  • Terms and Conditions for the Supply of Goods and Services
  • Freebridge's Whistle Blowing Policy
  • Freebridge Privacy Statement
  • Rental Exchange Privacy Notice for Existing Tenants
  • Security
  • How we use cookies
  • Links to other websites
  • Controlling your personal information
  • Safeguarding adults and children - Our commitment to your safety
  • Our modern slavery statement

Freebridge's Whistle Blowing Policy

Doing the right thing

At Freebridge we are committed to the highest standards of openness and doing the right thing. And so, we encourage any employee, contractor, agency worker, home worker, customer or anyone else who has a serious concern about any wrong doing in any aspect of our work to ‘do the right thing’ and come forward and tell us their concerns.

We understand that in some cases individuals may wish to come forward on a confidential basis. Freebridge encourages this and wishes to make it clear that they can do so without fear of reprisal or victimisation.

Investigations will be carried out in line with relevant Freebridge policies and procedures and the outcome of any investigation will be communicated to the person who made the original contact with us.

Full details of this process, including information on who to contact, can be found in our Whistleblowing Policy in Freebridge's Policy & Procedural Handbook that is located here, alongside all the other policies that we currently have in place.

Freebridge will treat any expressions of concern in the same way as it would an expression of concern from an employee, and it will be dealt with fairly, and with confidentiality.

Freebridge Privacy Statement

Freebridge is committed to complying with all data protection legislation for those individuals that Freebridge collects and processes personal data, so that it may provide its services and support its aims and objectives.

Freebridge will comply fully with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018. 

We take your privacy seriously and you can find out more about your privacy rights and how we collect, use, share and secure your personal identifiable information (‘personal information’) by referring to our Privacy Notices which can be found on our website. 

Individual privacy notices can be found on the right of this page.

How we use your personal information will depend on the services we provide to you. However, we obtain your personal information so we can carry out our normal business operations as a registered social housing provider. 

The Privacy Notice provides information about how we use your personal information with effect from 25th May 2018 and updates any previous information we have provided about using your personal information. 

If we make any significant changes affecting how we use your personal information, we will make changes to the Privacy Notice, and we will contact you to inform you of these changes.

Our Data Protection Officer (DPO) provides help and guidance to make sure we apply the law to the processing and protection of your personal identifiable information. Should you have any questions about how we use your personal identifiable information, our DPO can be reached by writing to us and addressing your letter to: 

Data Protection Officer, Freebridge Community Housing, Juniper House, Austin Street, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1DZ; or Email us at [email protected] 

Rental Exchange Privacy Notice for Existing Tenants

Not only will we be able to work with you more closely to manage your existing tenancy agreement, your track record as a tenant will enable Experian to use the information supplied to them to assist other landlords and organisations to:

The information you provide will allow us to check Experian for information about your track record as a tenant. This will not only allow us to work with you to manage your tenancy agreement, it can also be used to:

  • assess and manage any new tenancy agreements you may enter into;
  • assess your financial standing to access suitable financial products and services;
  • manage any accounts that you may already hold, for example reviewing suitable products or adjusting your product in light of your current circumstances;
  • contact you about any accounts you may have and debts that you may owe;
  • check your identity, age and address, to help other organisations make decisions about the services they offer to you;
  • help to prevent crime, fraud and money laundering;
  • screen marketing offers to make sure they are appropriate to your circumstances;
  • allow Experian to carry out statistical analysis, analytics and profiling, 
  • and for Experian to conduct system and product testing and database processing activities, such as data loading, data matching and data linkage. 

If you would like to see more information on these, and to understand how the credit reference agencies each use and share your data, visit here: www.experian.co.uk/crain (Credit Reference Agency Information Notice (CRAIN)). (For a paper copy, please get in touch with us or with Experian using the contact details in this letter).

Security

We are committed to making sure your information is secure. We have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

How we use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie lets you know when you visit a particular site and then allows web applications to respond to you as an individual.

We use cookies on our website to help with language selection, user preferences and customer log in access. We do not track your use of our Freebridge website.

A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the information you choose to share with us.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, we do not have any control over that other website. We cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting these sites and these sites are not governed by this privacy statement. The privacy site for the website in question will have more information.

Controlling your personal information

It is important that the personal information we hold about you is up to date. Please let us know if any of your personal information changes.

If you want to review, verify, correct or ask us to get rid of your personal information, or you don’t want us processing personal data, or you want us to transfer your personal information to another organistaion, please contact our Data Protection Officer in writing.

You will not have to pay a fee to get your personal information (or to exercise any of the other rights). We may charge a reasonable fee if your request for access in our view is clearly unfounded or excessive. We may refuse to comply with the request in such circumstances.

We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and make sure you have the right to access the information (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is a security measure to make sure personal information is not given out to any person who has no right to receive it.

In the limited circumstances where you may have provided your consent to the collection, processing, and transfer of your personal information for a specific purpose, you can  withdraw your consent for that specific processing at any time. To withdraw your consent, please contact the Data Protection Officer Once we have know that you have withdrawn your consent, we will no longer process your information for the purpose or purposes you originally agreed to, unless we have another legitimate basis for doing so in law.

Safeguarding adults and children - Our commitment to your safety

Keeping people safe is a top priority. We believe that everyone - including children, young people, and adults who may be at risk - has the right to live safely, free from abuse, neglect or harm.

Our team is in regular contact with customers, and although we do not investigate abuse ourselves, we are trained to spot the signs and know how to raise concerns with the right authorities. This helps ensure that people who may be in danger get the support they need as quickly as possible.

We work closely with local councils, police, and other professionals to:

  • Prevent abuse before it happens
  • Respond quickly and appropriately if concerns arise
  • Support individuals while respecting their choices and rights
  • Share information with trusted agencies when necessary to protect someone’s safety

What to expect if there’s a safeguarding concern:

If a member of our team becomes concerned about your safety or someone else’s, they will:

  • Listen carefully and take your concerns seriously.
  • Record the information accurately and sensitively.
  • Contact the relevant social care or safeguarding teams, and, in emergencies, the police.
  • Keep you informed and support you, where possible, throughout the process.

We will always try to get your consent before sharing information - but if someone is at serious risk, we may still need to report it to keep them safe.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility - if you ever have concerns about abuse or neglect, please tell us. You can also contact your local council or the police directly.

We also have this information in a leaflet that you can download.

Freebridge may change this statement by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes.

Page last updated 16 October 2025

Modern slavery statement

As a socially-responsible organisation, Freebridge Community Housing is committed to ensuring that neither modern slavery nor human trafficking exists in our business, our properties or our supply chains.

Please find our modern slavery statement here.

Our policies

Aids & Adaptations Policy - Aids and adaptations to support tenants with disabilities or vulnerabilities, aiming to help them live independently and safely in their homes.

Allocations & Lettings Policy - Fair and transparent allocation and letting of general needs and sheltered housing, ensuring compliance with legislation and meeting local housing needs.

Anti-fraud, Bribery & Corruption Policy - commitment to preventing fraud, bribery, and corruption, establishing responsibilities, procedures, and compliance measures to uphold ethical standards and financial integrity.

Anti-money Laundering (AML) Policy - detailing our commitment to comply with relevant legislation and establish procedures to prevent money laundering activities within the organisation.

Anti-social Behaviour, Harassment & Hate Crimes Policy - supporting peaceful living environments by addressing anti-social behaviour, harassment, and hate crimes among its tenants and communities.

Appeals Policy - detailing the process for customers to challenge specific decisions affecting housing needs.

Belonging Policy - commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace culture where all colleagues feel a sense of belonging, are treated equitably, and can thrive professionally while delivering excellent services to customers.

Board & Committee Member Conduct Issues Policy - the procedure for addressing conduct issues involving Board or Committee Members of the Association, including potential removal.

Board & Committee Member Grievance & Disputes Policy - procedures for addressing grievances and disputes among Board and Committee members, emphasising informal resolution through candid discussion, followed by formal meetings with the Chair or Vice-Chair supported by relevant committee chairs and the Company Secretary.

Board & Committee Membership, Recruitment & Succession Policy - procedure for the removal of Board or Committee Members within an Association, emphasising the Board’s governance responsibility and the necessary steps to address misconduct.

Boundary Structures Policy - the provision, maintenance, and responsibilities related to boundary structures such as fences and hedges around your homes.

Business Continuity Policy - designed to minimise disruption to tenants and operations during major incidents affecting housing stock or operational areas.

Community Development Policy - supporting and empowering local communities in West Norfolk to enhance customer satisfaction and quality of life.

Compensation Policy - describing when and how compensation is offered to tenants and leaseholders for service failures, mistakes, or inconveniences caused by the organisation.

Complaints and Compliments Policy - detailing procedures for handling customer feedback to improve service quality.

Contract Management Policy - this outlines a standardised approach for managing contracts to ensure business needs are met, compliance is maintained, and risks are minimised.

Customer Influence Policy - Freebridge’s commitment to involving tenants, shared owners, and leaseholders in shaping services, policies, and strategic decisions.

Customer Satisfaction Policy - aimed at enhancing tenant satisfaction through a framework of Ask, Listen, Act, and Learn, emphasising personalised service, employee empowerment, and continuous improvement.

Damp & Mould Policy - managing damp and mould in residential properties to ensure safe, healthy, and well-maintained homes for tenants and leaseholders.

Data Protection Policy - Freebridge's comprehensive Data Protection Policy, detailing its commitment to comply with UK data protection laws, including the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, ensuring personal data is handled lawfully, fairly, and securely.

Dealing with Unreasonably Persistent Complainants and Abusive Individuals Policy - handling unreasonably persistent complainants and abusive individuals to protect staff and ensure fair complaint management.

Development Policy - supporting housing needs through new developments and alternative housing strategies, emphasising quality, sustainability, and compliance with regulations.

Digital Engagement Policy - aims to encourage and empower stakeholders to engage via digital media by promoting digital services, increasing digital presence, embedding digital in service delivery, and supporting digital inclusion initiatives.

Disqualifying Tenants in Breach of Tenancy Agreement Conditions from Board/Committee Membership Policy - policy on disqualifying tenants from Board or Committee membership if they breach their tenancy agreement, emphasising the importance of compliance to protect the organisation’s integrity.

Domestic Abuse Policy - raising awareness, providing sensitive services, and working with partner agencies to ensure safety and appropriate housing support. It highlights the organisation’s approach to identifying abuse, managing risk, safeguarding vulnerable individuals, and promoting accessibility in support services.

Electrical Safety Policy - detailing the organisation’s commitment to legal compliance and safety standards for electrical installations in its properties.

Employee & Human Resource Policy - The policy emphasises flexible and empowering workforce arrangements aimed at continuous improvement, high staff satisfaction, strong management support, capacity building, and excellent customer service.

FAT & PAT Testing Policy - Fixed Appliance Testing (FAT) and Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) to ensure electrical safety compliance and risk minimisation in their properties.

Financial Inclusion Policy - aims to maximise tenants’ income, ensure access to quality financial advice and services, and promote financial capability to reduce financial exclusion and support community development.

Fire Safety Policy - emphasising prevention, legal compliance, and responsibilities to ensure safety for tenants, staff, and visitors. 

Gas & Heating Safety Policy - ensure high standards of health and safety for residents, employees, and contractors, aiming for full compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements.

Health & Safety Policy - the organisation’s commitment to maintaining a safe work environment for all colleagues, visitors, and stakeholders through compliance with legislation, risk management, training, and continuous improvement.

Home Ownership through Right to Buy/Right to Acquire Policy - enabling tenants to purchase their homes through the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire schemes, including conditions, restrictions, and discretionary powers related to these processes.

Income Management and Maximisation Policy - responsible income management to maximise rent and other income while supporting tenants fairly and legally.

Information Communication Technology Policy - focusing on providing effective, secure, and flexible ICT services aligned with business needs and regulatory compliance.

Leasehold Management Policy - focusing on service quality, communication, and compliance with legal requirements.

Lifts Safety Policy - compliance with all relevant legislation and assigns clear roles and responsibilities to uphold safety standards.

Marketing & Communications Policy - maximise opportunities to promote its brand and activities, support local communities, and align with its vision and business plan.

Moving Out Policy - procedures and support for tenants required to move temporarily or permanently due to property redevelopment, refurbishment, or repair.

myFreebridge Reward Policy - this recognises and rewards the Community Voices for their contributions to Freebridge services and community engagement.

Neighbourhood Management Policy - aims to build cohesive and sustainable communities by ensuring high standards of maintenance, cleanliness, safety, and security in neighbourhoods.

Performance Management Policy - outlines a holistic approach to managing performance that aligns with the goals of the Board, management, regulators, and customers.

Play Areas and Play Equipment Safety Policy - maintaining high health and safety standards for play areas and equipment, ensuring compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.

Probity Policy - detailing expectations of ethical conduct for Board/Committee Members, employees, Customer Panels.

Procurement Policy - aimed at delivering innovative, cost-effective, and high-quality services aligned with its Business Plan priorities.

Radon Policy - commitment to health and safety, specifically addressing radon gas risk management in its properties.

Rechargeable Works Policy - for charging tenants, leaseholders, and licensees for repairs deemed their responsibility, ensuring a fair and transparent approach to rechargeable works. 

Rent Setting and Service Charges Policy - ensuring compliance with government regulations and transparency for tenants.

Repairs, Maintenance & Planned Improvements Policy - for repairs, maintenance, and planned improvements to their social housing properties. 

Risk Management Policy - emphasising the identification, analysis, and mitigation of risks to support its corporate objectives.

Safeguarding Adults at Risk of Abuse or Neglect Policy -  a person-led and outcome-focused approach to ensure safety and wellbeing.

Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy - the shared responsibility to protect individuals under 18 from abuse and neglect in their accommodation and community interactions.

Shareholder Gifts Policy - compliance with Section 122 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 regarding restrictions on giving gifts to shareholders, their relatives, and related companies.

Shareholding Policy -  tenant and independent shareholder involvement, application approval processes, and rules regarding membership from other housing organisations.

Social and Commercial Enterprise Policy - managing social and commercial enterprises to ensure they align with its core housing activities and assets.

Social Media Policy - detailing its purpose, scope, responsibilities, and compliance requirements to protect the organisation’s reputation and ensure appropriate use of social media by all associated individuals.

Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship Policy - commits to reducing environmental impacts across construction, maintenance, office operations, and communications. 

Tenancy Fraud Policy - preventing, detecting, and addressing tenancy fraud to protect social housing resources for those in need. 

Tenancy Policy - focusing on fair and transparent letting of homes, encouraging responsible tenant behavior, and compliance with regulatory standards.

Tenancy Sustainment Policy - supporting tenants in maintaining their tenancies to foster stable and sustainable communities. 

Tenant Support Fund Policy - discretionary financial support to tenants facing hardship to help sustain their tenancies.

The Management of Asbestos Policy - dedicated to managing asbestos risks within its properties to protect residents, employees, contractors, and third parties by complying with relevant health and safety legislation and continuously updating procedures as laws evolve.

The Management of Water Safety Policy - maintaining high water safety standards to protect residents, employees, and contractors by adhering to all relevant health and safety regulations.

Treasury Management Policy - establishes the principles, scope, responsibilities, and governance framework for the Group’s treasury activities, including debt finance, cash management, interest rate risk, and treasury risks.

Under Occupation Policy - optimise housing stock use by supporting tenants who under-occupy their homes and wish to downsize, while providing mobility options and addressing financial hardship.

Value for Money Policy - the optimal balance of cost, quality, and sustainability in delivering services to current and future customers.

Whistleblowing Policy - commitment to supporting whistleblowing, encouraging individuals to report malpractice confidentially and without fear of retaliation.

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