Welcome to Supported Housing

Customer guide

Your guide to Karbon Homes Supported Housing

 

Independent living, with support there when you need it most...

Our Supported Housing Delivery Team can provide support for up to two years, either within supported accommodation or through floating support in your own home.

While you’re with us, we’ll work alongside you to understand your goals and what you want for your future. We’ll support you in building the skills, confidence and independence you need to manage your own home.

 

Support is tailored to you. This might include help with daily living skills, managing your tenancy, budgeting, or accessing other services that can support your wellbeing and stability.

Our aim is to help you move on into a permanent home of your own. We’ll support you throughout your journey and work with you to plan your next steps so you feel prepared and positive about the future.

 

There are two avenues of support available

Floating Support

Assisting you to live independently in your own home with support that isn’t tied to accommodation.

Supported Housing

Specialised accommodation and support focused on helping people to live independently.

About Karbon Homes

We build, manage and look after homes for people across the North, then we go further, we give them the strong foundations they need to get on with life.

Since our formation in 2017, we’ve focused on delivering our three strategic aims - to provide good quality homes, to deliver excellent service to our customers, and to shape strong, sustainable places for our communities.

Our footprint covers the North East of England and Yorkshire, with around 34,000 homes across diverse communities, all facing different opportunities and challenges.

Some customers just need an affordable home, or a way onto the property ladder. Others might need a bit more – financial advice, community services, sheltered accommodation or even training that can lead to a new job. Whatever people need to feel more secure, confident and happy with where they’re at, we work our heart out to provide it.

 

Our Supported Housing offer

A safe place to call home

Find out more

(For all Karbon Homes customers)

Social clubs and activites

Find out more

Our Money Matters service

Find out more

(For all Karbon Homes customers)

Quick and timely repairs

Find out more

(For all Karbon Homes customers)

Foundations For Life support

Find out more

(For all Karbon Homes customers)

Access to Silver Talk/Friends

Find out more

Your rights and responsibilities as a Supported Housing customer

 

Your rights

  • To request a meeting to review your service at agreed intervals or if your needs change.
  • You have the right to request information held about you by Karbon Homes.
  • To make a complaint if you are unhappy with your service or if things go wrong.
  • You will be consulted on any matters relating to your support.
  • You have the right to be consulted about your accommodation if you are in supported housing.
  • To be treated with respect and dignity.

Your responsibilities

  • You should treat anyone involved in your support with respect.
  • You agree to engage with and participate in the support we provide.
  • You will ensure that your home is a safe environment for your support worker to carry out the support you require.
  • If there are any problems you will negotiate ways of addressing these with your support worker.
  • You will agree to participate in Karbon Homes support plans and risk assessments.
  • You may be required to pay towards the cost of your service where applicable.
    Whilst supporting you to access community facilities, there may be some expenses that you need to pay and may include your travel, entry into leisure facilities, expenses in relation to activities that may have a cost attached. 

How we'll support you

 

Our support framework

We specialise in the provision of supported accommodation and floating support and work collaboratively with local authorities and partner agencies to deliver accessible, high-quality, and safe housing alongside a cost-effective support service. Our approach is inclusive, person-centred, and outcome-focused, ensuring that individuals receive tailored support to meet their specific needs.

  • Provide you with information about the service we offer.
  • We will provide you with support that compliments with your wider support package. 
  • We will work to keep you and your support worker safe. If any risks are identified, we will assess them and agree on ways to manage them together.
  • We will withdraw support if you are placing staff or other people we support at risk.
  • To communicate and discuss the consequences of your actions if this places your tenancy or floating support at risk.
  • Provide training for the staff who support you.
  • Provide the staff who support you with regular supervision.
  • Keep clear records about the service we provide for you. These records may need to be seen by organisations that inspect our service.
  • To receive payment for the service you receive.
  • To have a safe environment for our staff.
  • To share background information about you to ensure we can provide the level of support you require.
  • Staff are available office hours Monday to Friday. We will provide an on- call telephone service when staff are not available which runs outside of these hours. 
  • We will provide staff availability during office hours Monday to Friday.  
  • We will raise safeguarding concerns if we become aware of abuse or suspected abuse. 
  • To work together to develop your support plans.
  • That Karbon Homes staff comply with terms of GDPR.

Move-on pathways are embedded throughout your support journey. From the beginning, you are encouraged and supported to identify your own goals and plan your progression, helping you to move forward in a structured way towards independent living.

During your time with us, you will be supported to build the skills you need for day-to-day life, such as managing a tenancy, budgeting, maintaining your wellbeing, and developing positive social connections.

Our trained staff provide tailored support that is regularly reviewed together with yourself, ensuring it reflects your personal goals, strengths, and aspirations.

We place strong importance on helping you feel part of your community, supporting you to build confidence, resilience, and independence.

By working together we plan, review, and work closely with external organisations to support you to feel prepared, empowered, and ready to take the next step into more secure, independent accommodation and a positive future.

Be involved

There are lots of different ways you can have your say on what happens at Karbon.

Our customer engagement forums and panels make sure we can keep your voice at the heart of our decision making, shaping services and implementing change.

It helps build a strong relationship between us. It creates opportunities to have open and constructive discussions about how and why we do things at Karbon. We can also discuss how you feel about the business and what issues matter to you.

 

Find out more

Anti-social behaviour

This is any unreasonable behaviour which causes offence or fear to others and can include but is not limited to: 

  • Loud noise or music (i.e. parties, loud radio or television) 

  • Criminal behaviour or using your home for illegal or immoral purposes 

  • Violence 

  • Harassment 

  • Domestic abuse 

Karbon Homes does not classify the following as anti-social behaviour: 

  • People mowing their lawn at a reasonable time of the day 

  • People using their vacuum or washing machine at a reasonable time of day 

  • People carrying out DIY at a reasonable time of day 

  • Noise from a child or children playing in, or near their home 

  • Impact noises caused by tenants in neighbouring properties, i.e. footsteps, chairs scraping or dropped items on the floor 

These examples could become a concern if occurring regularly late at night or early in the morning. 

Hate crime and harassment are severe forms of anti-social behaviour and ones we will not tolerate. Examples of this type of behaviour include: 

  • Hate behaviour against certain people or groups because of their age, race, disability, gender, religious beliefs or sexuality 

  • Using threatening and abusive language 

  • Stalking 

  • Damaging or threatening to damage another person’s property 

Contact us as soon as possible after the incident and tell us what happened. We have dedicated officers whose job it is to tackle any anti-social behaviour and they will treat all reports or concerns in the strictest confidence.  

We also work with a number of different agencies depending on the nature of the problem, including the police and other specialist support services.  

We operate an out of hours anti-social behaviour reporting service. This means you can report an incident when our office is closed by calling our freephone Customer Relationship number on 0808 164 0111. 

We’ll work with you and support you throughout the process, We'll agree any proposed action with you. In most cases we will:  

  • Agree an action plan with you and monitor the case closely 

  • Write to and visit those involved 

  • Issue incident report sheets and ask you to keep a record of events as they happen 

  • Keep in regular contact with you 

  • If a problem persists or becomes more serious we’ll consider taking more serious action 

  • We will, as part of any investigation, consider the type of action we'll take against a perpetrator of anti-social behaviour 

Any action taken will be reasonable and proportionate; this can be both non legal and legal actions ranging from a tenancy waning to civil court action.  

We’ll deal with any reports of domestic abuse promptly and sensitively and will call on the support of the various agencies we work with who have expertise in this field.  

We can help with finding secure accommodation and can put you in touch with a number of agencies who are skilled in helping and supporting you. 

We’ll look to offer, where appropriate and safe to do so, additional security measures for you to remain safely in your home.

  • Be considerate to your neighbours – try and keep the noise at a reasonable volume at all times 

  • Do any building work or other noisy work during reasonable hours in the day 

  • Please ensure you are responsible for all pets 

  • Keep an eye on elderly or vulnerable neighbours. If you suspect they are being harassed and they may be too afraid to tell us, please report it on their behalf. We’ll deal with this diplomatically and sensitively 

Equality, diversity and inclusion

 

At Karbon Homes, we're known for our warmth and inclusive nature. We're passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion but we're by no means finished.  

We promote equity, celebrate diversity and champion the rights of our customers and colleagues.

We are promoting and embedding equality, diversity and inclusion into everything we do – whether that’s building or adapting homes to make them accessible for all; making certain everyone can understand the communications we send; or working with local charities to ensure the voices of any underrepresented groups are heard – the list is endless.  

We’ll value you for your skills, difference, and uniqueness. You’ll have an opportunity to share your knowledge and experiences and learn from others. You’ll be rewarded for the part you play in making Karbon Homes a great place to work.

 

At the heart of what we do: We’ll always act to influence and advocate for positive change. 

Credible and meaningful: We’ll use data and insight to meaningfully inform our decisions and priorities.

Creating inclusive communities: We’ll develop support networks with those who share our commitment to reducing inequalities.

Developing diversity, creating fairness: We’ll continue to diversify to represent the communities we serve.

Thriving and belonging: We’ll create an environment and opportunities that help us to learn, feel supported and thrive.

 

Compliments, complaints and suggestions

We work hard to give you a brilliant service.

But we know that sometimes things do go wrong. If you feel like our service hasn’t been up to scratch, please let us know.

We value your feedback and use any complaints, compliments and suggestions you give us to see where we can improve our services. 

A compliment is when you tell us you are happy with our service. For example, if: 

  • You receive a good or excellent quality of service 

  • You want to praise or highlight the service given to you by a particular member of staff 

You may have an idea or suggestion about a service we offer, which could help us to improve it. For example, if: 

  • You have views on how we might make our service more accessible 

  • You believe that a service we offer could be improved 

You have the right to make a complaint if you are not satisfied with the service we have provided. For example, if: 

  • We do not deliver a service on time 

  • We give you the wrong information 

  • You receive a poor quality of service 

  • You have a complaint about a particular member of staff 

  •  A standard request for a service 

  • The issue giving rise to the complaint occurred over twelve months ago  

  • Legal proceedings have started. This is defined as details of the claim, such as the Claim Form and Particulars of Claim, having been filed at court  

  • Issues that have previously been considered under the complaints policy  

  • Concerns regarding annual rent and service charge increases, which must be escalated through the First Tier Tribunal    

  • Services not within our control e.g. Utility Companies, Local Authorities  

  • Complaints about our money advice service  

  • Concerns about how we have dealt with Data Protection Rights (these should be managed in accordance with our Data Protection Policy by our Supervisory Body the ICO)

  • Concerns about actions taken in relation to the Unacceptable Customer Behaviour Policy, which has its own appeal process.

  • Reports of issues covered in the Anti-social Behaviour Policy 

  • Reports of issues covered in the Hate Crime and Harassment Policy

How to make a complaint, or let us know about a compliment or suggestion

Telephone

Call us on 0808 164 0111, between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday

Email

You can contact us via email here

Live chat

By live chat into our Customer Relationship Team

In writing

To our Head Office address: Number Five, Gosforth Park Avenue, Gosforth Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE12 8EG

Our colleagues

With any Karbon colleague, who will pass this to the appropriate person.

Direct messaging

Via Karbon’s Facebook page using Facebook Messenger

Third party

Via a Councillor, MP or other relevant third party (e.g., Housing Ombudsman or consumer rights organisation) or advocate

You can also contact your local authority if you wish to raise a complaint via your local council who commission our support services. Please see the local council contact details below: • South Tyneside: 0191 427 7000 • Newcastle: 0191 278 7878 • North Tyneside: 0345 200 0101

Your tenancy and your rights

Your rights and responsibilities form part of your Tenancy Agreement and it’s important that you read this separate document and talk to your Karbon Homes officer about anything you don’t understand. 

This section of the guide is intended to help you understand your rights and explain some of them in more detail. Many are subject to certain conditions and formal procedures which are too detailed to set out in this welcome guide. If you are unsure of your rights, please contact us and we can explain them further. 

You have the right to occupy your home without interruption or interference from us for the duration of this tenancy (except for the obligation contained in this tenancy agreement to give access to our employees or contractors). 

You have the right to occupy your home, and your tenancy can only be ended by us if one or more of the conditions shown in your tenancy agreement is broken or if you no longer occupy the property as your only or principal home. We can only end your starter tenancy by serving of a Section 21 notice, or if you are an assured tenant, we must obtain a court order. 

If we do not carry out repairs within an agreed timescale and fail to do so after a second request is made, then in certain circumstances you have the right to organise your own repairs and receive compensation from us. There are specific conditions attached to this right that our Customer Relationship Team can explain. 

You're entitled to be consulted about changes that affect you and your home. Our section ‘getting involved’ explains how we consult with customers, but we encourage feedback about the services we deliver to help us to understand what we are doing right but more importantly, how we can do things better. Occasionally, we may ask for your feedback by completing a short survey about a particular service. 

You have the right to information about the terms of your tenancy agreement, our policies and procedures including housing allocation, transfers, tenant consultation, our repairs obligations and our performance as a landlord. 

If you’re not satisfied with the service you receive from us then you have the right to make a complaint. If after going through our complaint process you’re still not satisfied, then you have the right to refer your complaint to the independent Housing Ombudsman Service. Further details are given in the ‘compliments, complaints and comments’ section. 

Need financial support or advice?

Our Money Matters Team offers free, confidential advice on all things money related, including Universal Credit, benefits checks and budgeting, borrowing, debt and more. 

To find out how we can support you, visit email info@karbonhomes.co.uk or call 0808 164 0111 and ask for the 'Money Matters Team'.

My Money

How to pay your rent as a supported housing customer

Your rent is due each week as stated in your tenancy agreement unless you have made an arrangement with us to pay fortnightly, four weekly or monthly in advance.

We've made it as simple as possible for you to pay your rent. Here are the best ways to do this:  

MyKarbon

With your debit card via your MyKarbon account.

Telephone

Call our freephone number 0808 164 0111 and use our 24 hour automated payment line. You'll need your tenancy reference number when you call.

Direct Debit

We can collect your payments weekly, fortnightly, four weekly or monthly on any day that is convenient for you. You can call us to set this up for you, or you can set it up yourself on your MyKarbon account.

Post Office or Pay Point outlet

You will need your allpay swipe card to use this service. Please contact us if you need a replacement card.

How to report a repair as a supported housing customer

Repairs to your home can be reported by telephone, text, email, calling into or writing to our offices. 

When you contact us, please make sure you have the following information: 

  • As much detail about the problem as possible. 

  • Times when there will be someone at home (am or pm). 

If we need to work inside your home, you will ned to ensure that a responsible adult is there to let us in and to stay whole the work is completed. 

You will know that your repair has been recorded because you will either receive a letter, email or text telling you when the work will be completed. Alternatively, you will be contacted to arrange for an inspection to be done. 

You can report an emergency repair by telephone at any time of the day and night. 

Our Customer Relationship Team number will direct you to the emergency repairs service. 

Please only use the emergency service if your request really is an emergency. 

The emergency repairs team will ask questions to check if your call is an emergency or not. All calls to this service are recorded. If a tradesperson attends for what turns out to be a non-emergency, you may be asked to pay the cost of their visit. Repairs carried out as an emergency cost a lot more than daytime repairs. 

If you use the emergency service because you are locked out of your home, you’ll be charged a fee. The cost of the locksmith’s visit will be passed to you and this is likely to be more than £100. You must look after keys and should let someone you trust have a spare key in case you lose yours. 

When you report a repair, you’ll be given a date by which it will be completed and informed who will carry out the work. If possible, we’ll arrange a convenient appointment for the work to be carried out. 

The time allowed will depend on the nature and seriousness of the problem. 

If you’re suffering from ill health, are vulnerable or disabled and the repair is relevant to your circumstances we’ll make every effort to help you by undertaking the repair more quickly than our published timescales. 

Some important repairs are covered by the Right to Repair rules. If we don’t finish them on time, you can ask us to hire another contractor. If that contractor also doesn’t finish the job, you may get compensation. Contact us to find out which repairs are covered and how long they should take. 

Other important things

Confidentiality and data protection

Find out more

Domestic abuse

Find out more

Safeguarding

Find out more

Contact us

If you have any questions at all, please get in touch with us via email at info@karbonhomes.co.uk or you can give us a call or drop us a Whatsapp at 0808 164 0111.

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