Tenancy Management Policy May 2024

Hoarding behaviour can cause issues with property condition and/or create hazards in and around the home that may cause health and safety risks to the occupants, visitors to the property, surrounding residents or the fabric and condition of the property. Consequently, it is likely to breach conditions of the tenancy.

Hoarding is commonly defined as:

• The acquisition of, and failure to discard of, a large number of possessions that appear to be useless or of limited value
• Living conditions sufficiently cluttered so as to prevent activities for which those spaces were designed.

Hoarding is often recognised as the symptom of a mental health condition. Compulsive hoarding behaviour is often the manifestation of complex issues or conditions that a tenant may be experiencing.

Compulsive hoarding is highly complex and requires a collaborative and integrated approach. The Council adopt a co-ordinated multi agency approach to effectively deal with people who hoard, reducing duplication for both agencies and customers. The Council will take a non-judgemental approach which balances the needs of the individual against the severity of the impact that their hoarding has on them, the property and neighbouring residents.

When seeking to engage with cases of hoarding, the Council take into consideration safeguarding guidance (Care Act 2014), which sets out the duties for local authorities and outlines how partner organisations, should work in partnership to help protect vulnerable people from abuse or neglect.

A safeguarding referral to Children Services will be made where a child lives in a hoarded property. A safeguarding referral to Adult Services will be made where an adult lives in a hoarded property, and there is risk of harm, concerns around capacity or vulnerability.

The Council will always try to work with tenants where hoarding occurs, however immediate action will be taken where there is a fire or health and safety risk to the home or shared areas. The Council can take injunction and possession proceedings if a tenant's action is considered detrimental to the condition of the property, or a Health and Safety risk. However, the Council will endeavour to work with people and keep them in their homes.

The Council will recharge the tenant for damage caused to the property due to neglect or deliberate damage.