Bentley House FAQs

A member of the team will first sit down with you to take you through our assessment process so that you can let us know how best we can support you. We also need to talk to you about your current situation. The information we need can be quite in-depth, being open, honest and as accurate as you can be during these discussions is essential to help us understand how we can support you in the best possible way.

• Privacy – you have the right to privacy during your stay.
• Dignity – you have the right to be always treated with dignity by staff and other residents. Dignity is something we take very seriously and will always uphold.
• Respect – you will be encouraged to discuss your thoughts, you will be listened to, and your views will be considered.
• Independence – you have the right to independence and staff will always respect that. As a tenant under an AST, you have increased autonomy and responsibility for managing your tenancy. Support is available on request but is not intensive or continuous.
• Security – you have the right to live secure in the knowledge that you are safe while you stay at Bentley House. This is why we have CCTV.
• Choice – you have the right to exercise choice in your life, and we respect that.
• Representation – you are entitled to attend and participate in the Residents Forum, which meets quarterly.
• Civil rights – you have the right to exercise your rights as a citizen, for example, by voting or having your say on local or national issues, and staff will help you to do this.
• Complaints – you have the right to make a complaint following the Complaints Procedure (details of which can be found in Appendix 1) and will be supported to do so. Please ask a member of staff to assist you if needed.
• Good quality, safe accommodation – As a registered housing provider, we will make sure your home is safe, clean, and in good condition. Your home must meet the government’s Decent Homes Standard, which means it should be warm, dry, and in a good state of repair. We must also follow health and safety laws to make sure everything, like gas and electricity, is safe for you to use. If we need to come into your flat to do repairs, check something, or show someone the property, we will give you notice first – we won’t just turn up without telling you. If you are disabled, we will do our best to make reasonable changes (called adjustments) to help you live safely and comfortably in your home. The PHS Board of Trustees and the Director of Housing & Services are responsible for making sure your home is good, quality, safe and well managed, and meets the ‘Consumer Standards’ set out by the Regulator of Social Housing. 

Your AST sets this out in more detail, as well as your responsibilities. If you’re unsure about anything, you can ask for help to understand your agreement.

Whilst we do not judge anyone for their use of substances and we understand the reasons why people become dependent, it is illegal to supply, trade or give out any illicit substances or prescription medication. This means any proof or suspicion of such activity taking place in Bentley House by law must be reported to the police. If this happens your stay here will be ended.

It is not permitted to consume alcohol or smoke in communal areas. You are allowed to drink alcohol in your allocated flat. If you do smoke in your flat, as a courtesy to other resident and staff, please ensure your windows are open to ventilate your flat.

Everyone staying and working at Passage House agrees to treat others with respect, this means we do not accept any form of harassment, assault, bullying, intimidation or discrimination. We see ourselves as a community and feel it is important that we do not cause any disturbance or nuisance to our neighbours in the local area. As such:

• Please leave and return to the building quietly especially at night and be mindful that even soft conversations can appear loud when the streets are quiet at night.
• Please ensure you do not leave food or other rubbish on the street or on doorsteps in the street and dispose of any items appropriately in the street bins.

If someone is making you feel scared, upset or unsafe where you live – like being loud at night, threatening you, damaging things, or using drugs or alcohol in a way that causes problems – this is also anti-social behaviour. If this happens, tell a staff member as soon as you can. You can talk to someone you trust, or write it down if that feels easier. We will listen to you, take what you say seriously, and do our best to keep you safe.

In compliance with the General Date Protection Regulations (GDPR), we are not permitted to discuss any details of your situation with any other person, unless you provide permission to do so or in cases where we have a legal duty to so. If your safety or those of others is at risk, we may also have to disclose information as part of our obligation to safeguard the people who stay with us. We may also be under a legal obligation to share information with the police or the criminal justice system under certain circumstances but we will always try to discuss this with you, so you are aware of the situation.