Aids and Adaptations

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

Anti-social Behaviour (ASB), Harassment and Hate Crime

Supporting peaceful living environments by addressing anti-social behaviour, harassment, and hate crimes among its tenants and communities.

Damp, Mould and Condensation

Managing damp and mould in residential properties to ensure safe, healthy, and well-maintained homes for tenants and leaseholders.

Domestic Abuse

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

Detailing the organisation’s commitment to legal compliance and safety standards for electrical installations in its properties.

FAT and PAT Testing

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

Fire Safety

Emphasising prevention, legal compliance, and responsibilities to ensure safety for tenants, staff, and visitors. 

Gas and Heating Safety

Ensure high standards of health and safety for residents, employees, and contractors, aiming for full compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements.

Lift Safety

Compliance with all relevant legislation and assigns clear roles and responsibilities to uphold safety standards.

Play Areas and Play Equipment Safety

Maintaining high health and safety standards for play areas and equipment, ensuring compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.

Rechargeable Works

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

Radon

Commitment to health and safety, specifically addressing radon gas risk management in its properties.

Repairs, Maintenance and Planned Improvements

For repairs, maintenance, and planned improvements to their social housing properties. 

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.

The Management of Asbestos

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

Maintaining high water safety standards to protect residents, employees, and contractors by adhering to all relevant health and safety regulations.

Allocations and Lettings

Fair and transparent allocation and letting of general needs and sheltered housing, ensuring compliance with legislation and meeting local housing needs.

Financial Inclusion and Support

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.

Income Management and Maximisation

Responsible income management to maximise rent and other income while supporting tenants fairly and legally.

Moving Out

Procedures and support for tenants required to move temporarily or permanently due to property redevelopment, refurbishment, or repair.

Rent Setting and Service Charges

Ensuring compliance with government regulations and transparency for tenants.

Right to Buy / Right to Acquire

Tenancy Fraud

Preventing, detecting, and addressing tenancy fraud to protect social housing resources for those in need. 

Tenancy

Focusing on fair and transparent letting of homes, encouraging responsible tenant behavior, and compliance with regulatory standards.

Tenancy Support Fund

Discretionary financial support to tenants facing hardship to help sustain their tenancies.

Tenancy Sustainment

Supporting tenants in maintaining their tenancies to foster stable and sustainable communities. 

Under Occupation

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

Boundary Structures

The provision, maintenance, and responsibilities related to boundary structures such as fences and hedges around your homes.

Community Development

Strong communities are key to wellbeing and housing providers play a vital role in building connection, opportunity, and pride in where people live.

Tree Management and Maintenance

To manage and care for trees, large shrubs, and hedges on its properties and communal areas to ensure safety, legal compliance, and environmental benefits.

Appeals

Detailing the process for customers to challenge specific decisions affecting housing needs.

Complaints and compliments

Detailing procedures for handling customer feedback to improve service quality.

Compensation

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

Customer Influence

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

Customer Satisfaction

Aimed at enhancing tenant satisfaction through a framework of Ask, Listen, Act, and Learn, emphasising personalised service, employee empowerment, and continuous improvement.

Managing Persistent or Complex Complaints

myFreebridge Reward

This recognises and rewards the Community Voices for their contributions to Freebridge services and community engagement.

Customer Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

This policy isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about building a community where everyone feels seen, safe and welcome. We know inequality doesn’t stop at the doorstep.

Reasonable adjustments

This policy is about doing what’s fair and kind: making reasonable adjustments so that no one is disadvantaged when using our services or living in our homes.

Service delivery information

Development and New Homes

Supporting housing needs through new developments and alternative housing strategies, emphasising quality, sustainability, and compliance with regulations.

Leasehold Management

Focusing on service quality, communication, and compliance with legal requirements.

Home Ownership through Right to Buy/Right to Acquire

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.

Anti-fraud, Bribery and Corruption

Commitment to preventing fraud, bribery, and corruption, establishing responsibilities, procedures, and compliance measures to uphold ethical standards and financial integrity.

Anti-money Laundering (AML)

Detailing our commitment to comply with relevant legislation and establish procedures to prevent money laundering activities within the organisation.

Belonging (EDI)

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 and Committee Member Conduct Issues

The procedure for addressing conduct issues involving Board or Committee Members of the Association, including potential removal.

Board and Committee Member Grievance and Disputes

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 and Committee Membership, Recruitment and Succession

Outlines the procedures for appointing, reappointing, and recruiting members to the Board and its Committees, including the roles of Vice-Chair and Board Apprentice, with a focus on skills, diversity, transparency, and conflict of interest management.

Business Continuity

Designed to minimise disruption to tenants and operations during major incidents affecting housing stock or operational areas.

Contract Management

This outlines a standardised approach for managing contracts to ensure business needs are met, compliance is maintained, and risks are minimised.

Data Protection

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.

Digital Engagement

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 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.

Employee and Human Resource

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

Health and Safety

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.

Marketing and Communications

Maximise opportunities to promote its brand and activities, support local communities, and align with its vision and business plan.

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.

Information Communication Technology

Focusing on providing effective, secure, and flexible ICT services aligned with business needs and regulatory compliance.

Performance Management

Outlines a holistic approach to managing performance that aligns with the goals of the Board, management, regulators, and customers.

Probity Policy

Detailing expectations of ethical conduct for Board/Committee Members, employees, Customer Panels.

Procurement

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

Risk Management

Emphasising the identification, analysis, and mitigation of risks to support its corporate objectives.

Rules of Freebridge Community Housing

Social and Commercial Enterprise Policy

Managing social and commercial enterprises to ensure they align with its core housing activities and assets.

Social Media

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

Commits to reducing environmental impacts across construction, maintenance, office operations, and communications.

Terms and conditions for goods and services

Whistleblowing policy

Commitment to supporting whistleblowing, encouraging individuals to report malpractice confidentially and without fear of retaliation.

Value For Money

The optimal balance of cost, quality, and sustainability in delivering services to current and future customers.