Saeed Goes Above and Beyond

Going the extra mile in support of residents in need is part and parcel of good housing provision and something that comes as second nature to our team at Nelson Street. This recent example highlights the willingness within the team to roll up their sleeves and make a real difference to people in the communities we serve. Saeed tells us more:

One of our tenants moved into our property early last year, transitioning from hostel accommodation. As a highly vulnerable individual, they were assigned a Support Worker during the sign-up stage, who worked with them for a few months before relinquishing their duties.

At the time, the tenant was reluctant to engage and relied heavily on their Support Worker for all housing matters, including rent.

Following the sign-up, I visited the tenant as part of the initial tenancy visit. Fortunately, I was able to communicate with them in their native language, Urdu, which helped put them at ease. During my visit, I noticed that aside from a bed—already in poor condition—the tenant had almost no furniture. They began to share their story, explaining that their previous housing provider had mistreated them and gave them limited time to move their personal belongings, threatening disposal if they failed to comply. Sadly, the tenant had to vacate with only the items they could carry, receiving no support in the process. This explains the lack of furniture in their property, as well as their inability to afford replacements.

Upon returning, I discussed the situation with my fellow Housing Manager, Violet. She suggested incorporating furniture collection into our voids inspections—both post and pre-inspections conducted with Rydon. Any furniture left behind in vacated properties could, depending on its condition, be offered to severely disadvantaged residents as part of our duty of care. Our Rydon contacts have been fully supportive of this idea. Now, during joint property inspections, we evaluate the quality of any furniture left in the dwelling.

This initiative does come with some limitations. We currently lack storage for furniture, so interested tenants must make decisions quickly to ensure the void property is cleared. Once agreed upon, the responsibility falls to the tenant to arrange collection. While Rydon may assist with delivery, this depends on their availability and requires approval from the Site Manager.

In the case of this tenant, the vacated property was directly opposite theirs, allowing Rydon contractors to assist with delivery. The tenant was extremely grateful and felt supported during a critical time. This thoughtful gesture has significantly improved their well-being. Violet plans to visit them as part of the next tenancy audit to inspect the property further.

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