Hoarding: raising awareness and offering support

It’s National Hoarding Awareness Week, an annual opportunity to spotlight the disorder and raise awareness of the support available. As a housing provider we have dedicated in-house specialists trained to assist customers experiencing hoarding in their home by using proven methods to tackle the issue.

Our support

Our Housing team are dedicated to tackling hoarding and have committed a specific budget to the area to provide practical support (such as clearance and storage solutions) and work with partners to signpost to trusted wellbeing services. Our Tenancy Sustainment team can also aid anyone who might be experiencing hoarding if the situation relates to financial matters.

The team has achieved many positive outcomes for customers and are in a good position to provide practical solutions to those in need.

Partnership working

We know that good results come from cultivating strong partnerships with service providers and organisations in our operating area, so we work closely with these to increase our support provision. I am the chair for the Hampshire Hoarding Forum and works in collaboration with partners to produce safety guidelines around the subject which have been rolled out across the region.

Looking to the future

The team know that the COVID-19 crisis has impacted the effect hoarding has on a person’s mental wellbeing, so our Housing team are working hard to introduce new, effective procedures and guidance.

We will be providing specialist training for all frontline colleagues who visit properties and will also continue to partner with local organisations such as Hampshire Fire and Rescue and the RSPCA to hold essential awareness-raising events.

As we begin to enter the recovery phase from COVID-19, in line with government advice, the team will be reaching out to customers experiencing hoarding and continuing to provide them with the vital support they require.